Irish Apple Cake

1. Stage

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9” spring form pan and line the sides and bottom with parchment.

2. Stage

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and sugar. Add cubed butter and incorporate with your hands until you have no large pieces left and mixture resembles sand. 

3. Stage

In another medium bowl, whisk eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined. 

4. Stage

Toss sliced apples with remaining 3 tablespoons flour until evenly coated, then fold into batter. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and sprinkle evenly all over with demerara sugar. 

5. Stage

Bake until apples are very tender and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan before removing.

6. Stage

In a heatproof bowl, whisk sugar and yolks until lightened in color, about 6 minutes. In a medium, heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium-low heat, add vanilla bean seeds and pod and heavy cream. (If using vanilla extract, add once custard is removed from heat.) Cook mixture, watching carefully, until just boiling. Remove from heat, and whisk a few tablespoons of hot cream into sugar-yolk mixture. Gradually add in remaining cream, whisking constantly.

7. Stage

Return custard to pot and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until just thickened (do not boil!) — check consistency by dipping a wooden spoon in, then running a finger along back; the streak should stay intact.

8. Stage

Immediately remove from heat and pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Let cool.

9. Stage

Once cool, serve over slices of apple cake.