This cake is such a delight and so easy to get right. You can’t go wrong with this lovely light sponge, sweet apple pieces cut two ways and let’s not forget the juicy booze infused sultanas.
I don’t know exactly what makes this cake Irish but I do know apples have been part of Irish culture and history for over 5000 years. Apple cake was traditionally eaten during apple harvest season but honestly, this cake is good for any occasion, all year round. I was going to save this recipe and post it in the new year but honestly, it’s too good not to share so think of this recipe as an early Christmas present!
My obsession with this cake started when my kind neighbours gave me a lorry load of apples. I could have baked something from my delicious and extensive apple recipe collection but I really felt like trying something new.
As I was out of ideas and inspiration, I decided to ask the people who are full of it – my Instagram community! They didn’t disappoint sending through some really wonderful ways to use my apples but this recipe from Leonie was the one I really couldn’t wait to try.
Leonie is the owner of the stunning Stamford Botanics – your one stop shop for plants and all things green fingered. Promise me if you ever come to Stamford, you’ll pop in and say hello!
Now, I usually go to Leonie for plant advice but it seems she has as good a taste in recipes as she does in plants! She said she’d made this Sheerluxe recipe recently and said it was amazing. Leonie has impeccable taste so I knew this recipe would be a keeper.
The first time I made it, I was so excited that I used plain instead of self-raising flour and it was still delicious! In fact, this cake is so good that I started making it so often, David started complaining that I was using all his good whiskey. I solved that problem by buying my own bottle of whiskey for the express purpose of making this cake and the good news is that I’ve discovered the cheaper whiskeys actually give a whiskier flavour to the cake. So save your pennies and add more flavour!
This cake is so forgiving. It calls for some pantry basics and you can be creative with your substitutions. If you don’t have regular caster sugar, use golden caster sugar instead. If you don’t have sultanas, you can use raisins and you can use cooking or eating apples in this recipe, both work just as well. If that’s not enough, this Irish apple cake is super simple to make, whether or not you’re using a Thermomix.
Even David who is a self confessed sultana-phobe can’t get enough of this cake! Try it now and thank me later!
What’s the best recipe someone ever gave you? And how do you feel about sultanas, are you a fan or a phobe?!
Ingredients
55g sultanas or raisins
3 tablespoons of whiskey
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar, plus 1 tablespoon extra for topping
3 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
225g self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 apples, 2 roughly chopped, 2 cut into slices
2 tablespoons demerara sugar
Icing sugar, for dusting
How to – Traditional
- Put the sultanas in a small bowl with the whiskey, mix together and set aside to soak.
- Preheat oven to 170C and grease a 23cm springform tin. Line the base of the tin with baking paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and then mix in the vanilla essence.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into the cake batter and mix in lightly until just combined.
- Fold in the apple chunks, the sultanas and the whiskey and mix together.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin, smooth the top and lay the apple slices on top. Sprinkle the extra tablespoon of caster sugar over the top and then the demerara sugar.
- Place on the bottom shelf of the oven and bake for 60-75 minutes until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If necessary, rotate the cake during baking to ensure an even colour on top.
- Allow to cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
How to – Thermomix
- Put the sultanas in a small bowl with the whiskey, mix together and set aside to soak.
- Preheat oven to 170C and grease a 23cm springform tin. Line the base of the tin with baking paper.
- Add the butter and caster sugar to the TM bowl and mix for 30 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down sides of bowl and then mix again for another 30 seconds on speed 4. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
- With the blades running on speed 3, add the eggs one at a time through the hole in the lid, allowing about 15 seconds between addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix for 5 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down sides of bowl.
- Add the flour and baking powder and mix for 5 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix for a further 5 seconds on speed 4.
- Add the apple chunks, sultanas and whiskey and mix for 5-10 seconds on reverse speed 4, or until the additions are well mixed in.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin, smooth the top and lay the apple slices on top. Sprinkle the extra tablespoon of caster sugar over the top and then the demerara sugar.
- Place on the bottom shelf of the oven and bake for 60-75 minutes until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If necessary, rotate the cake during baking to ensure an even colour on top.
- Allow to cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
