I’m going to let you in on a little secret. The only reason that we celebrate birthdays is because we want an excuse to eat cake. Deep down, you know it’s true because who doesn’t love cake? If it was socially acceptable (and that thing known as health didn’t matter) we’d be eating cake for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and every other meal in between. But alas, cakes are rare treats that we save for special occasions. So when one of those special days come, choosing the right cake is serious business.
One of my favourite go-to cakes is the custard cake. That delicious, creamy texture contrasted against the spongy cake is a real crowd pleaser. But apparently, some mad genius decided that this wasn’t enough and the “magic custard cake” was born.
This bad boy consists of three layers: sponge cake, custard, and fudge. And while it’s rich, it’s also beautifully balanced. But why is it magical? Because you’ll only make one single batter, and it will produce the three distinct layers. That’s right… one batter. Three heavenly layers. Magical.
Ingredients
- 3 egg (yolks and whites separated)
- ¾ cup (90 grams) flour
- 1½ cups (375 milliliters) milk
- ⅓ cup and 2 tablespoons (90 grams) sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 6 tablespoons (90 grams) melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 150C (300F) and grease a 7-inch round cake pan.
- Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Set the whites aside.
- Add the egg yolks, water, and sugar to a large bowl. Use a whisk to gently break up the yolks and beat ingredients together until mixture becomes a pale yellow and ribbons form.
- Gradually add and beat in the melted butter until it’s incorporated.
- Sift the flour into the bowl on top of the batter, then slowly incorporate it using a whisk.
- Add vanilla extract and salt. Stir until incorporated and ribbons form.
- Slowly add in milk while beating mixture. The mixture will become thin and foamy.
- In a separate bowl, add the egg whites and whisk vigorously until thick and stiff peaks form.
- Fold the egg whites into the batter until just incorporated. Be careful not to over-stir (you want to keep some air in the egg whites). Don’t worry if the liquidy batter is a bit lumpy.
- Pour the batter (it will be thin and lumpy) into the prepared cake pan.
- Bake for 50 minutes until the top is golden-brown. When pressed gently, it should have a slight give without breaking. The cake should be set in the pan and it shouldn’t jiggle.
- Remove from pan and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
