A delicious round cake made of a chiffon layer and a custard then topped with a sweet caramel, Custard cake is such an indulgent and luscious treat!
Here is one cake I cannot get enough of: Custard Cake. It has two layers namely, the custard (or flan) layer, and the chiffon cake.
I love how the smooth texture of flan just melts in my mouth. The chiffon cake, buttery and tasty is such a delicious base.
This is definitely a delicious dance of texture and flavors in my mouth. Rich against plain, silky flan against soft and tasty chiffon, such a delight!
A Round Custard Cake
- Traditionally, you will see this cake at Filipino Parties in huge, rectangular cake form. I initially made a recipe for that size, but I find it too huge for a regular day-to-day dessert.
- I want one that is perfect to have at home. One that you can make to enjoy with your family on a special weekend or something.
- This cake uses a 9-inch round pan, the perfect size for daily consumption for a few days 😉.
What’s to Love?
- The ratio of custard to cake is perfect for me. I like a balance between the rich flan and the chiffon cake. The thickness of the custard is just enough to add indulgence to a much plainer chiffon cake.
- Smooth, velvety, and melt-in-your-mouth custard (milk flan), it is such a heavenly dessert!
- The chiffon is golden and toasty on the outside, but the crumbs are buttery and soft.
- The top layer caramel adds a sweet finish and gorgeous color.
Let’s Make Custard Cake!
The Caramel
Add 4 tbsp of sugar to a 9-inch round cake pan. Place the pan on the stove. Over medium heat, allow the sugar to melt into liquid.
Once melted, swirl and tilt the pan around so that the entire surface is covered with the liquid. Once the liquid is amber in color, turn off the heat and remove the pan.
This caramel sets pretty quickly so make sure to swirl it as soon as the sugar melts. Set this aside and let it cool.
The Custard Layer
In a mixing bowl, gently mix together egg yolks, condensed milk, and evaporated milk until everything is fully incorporated.
Use a strainer to pour this mixture over the hardened caramel in the pan, at the same time filtering out the egg strings in the custard. Discard the residue that is in the strainer.
Set the round pan on a larger rimmed pan so that you can make a water bath set up for baking it later.
The Chiffon Cake Layer
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In another mixing bowl, add the egg yolks and the sugar. Beat this using a hand whisk until the color is light and the mixture is a little frothy. Add the milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir well.
Add the flour mixture to the yolk mixture and use the whisk to stir everything until the batter is smooth. This will be a thick batter.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar. Once the mixture forms soft peaks, gradually add ¼ cup of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
Using a rubber spatula, fold about 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter just to thin it down a bit. Fold the remaining meringue in two gradual additions to the batter, until the color is uniform.
Gently pour and scrape the final batter over the custard in the round pan. Fill the larger pan with about 2 inches of water. This is a water bath setup.
Gently place the pan in the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean. Take out the round pan from the water bath. Set the pan on a wire rack to let it cool completely.
To unmold the cake, run a knife along the edges of the cake. Then, invert a rimmed serving plate over the pan and turn everything over. Gently tap the pan to release the cake.
Serve the cake and enjoy each luscious bite.
Storing Custard Cake
- Keep the cake in a container with a tight lid. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- To serve, allow the cake to come to room temperature first.
Also try:
Custard Cake
Custard cake is a two-layer cake made of a soft chiffon cake base and a creamy, milky custard. This is such a delicious dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients
For the Caramel Top
- 4 tbsp white granulated sugar
For the Custard Layer
- 6 egg yolks ( from large eggs
- 1 (300 ml) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 can evaporated milk(354 ml)
For the Chiffon Cake Layer
- 3 egg yolks ( from large eggs)
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 egg whites ( from large eggs)
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
Make the Caramel Top
- Add 4 tbsp of sugar to a 9-inch round cake pan. Place the pan on the stove over medium heat and allow the sugar to melt into liquid.
- Swirl and tilt the pan around so that the entire surface is covered with the liquid.
- Once the liquid is amber in color, turn off the heat and remove the pan. This caramel sets pretty quickly so make sure to swirl it as soon as the sugar melts.
- Set this aside and let it cool completely. ( Note: This process is to be watched closely. Do not walk away from the stove. And use mitts to handle the pan)
Make the Custard Layer
- Preheat oven to 350 F. In a mixing bowl, gently mix together egg yolks, condensed milk, and evaporated milk until everything is fully incorporated.
- Use a strainer to pour this mixture over the hardened caramel in the pan, at the same time filtering out the egg strings in the custard. Discard the residue that is in the strainer.
- Set the round pan on a larger rimmed pan.
Make the Chiffon Cake
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, add the egg yolks and the sugar. Beat this using a hand whisk until the color is light and the mixture is a little frothy. Add the milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir well.
- Add the flour mixture to the yolk mixture and use the whisk to stir everything until the batter is smooth. This will be a thick batter.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar. Once the mixture forms soft peaks, gradually add ¼ cup of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold about 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the batter just to thin it down a bit. Fold the remaining meringue in two gradual additions to the batter, until the color is uniform.
- Gently pour and scrape the final batter over the custard in the round pan. Fill the larger pan with about 2 inches of water. This is a water bath setup.
- Gently place the pan in the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean. Take out the round pan from the water bath. Set the pan on a wire rack to let it cool completely.
- To unmold the cake, first. run a knife along the edges of the cake. Then, invert a rimmed serving plate over the pan and turn everything over. Gently tap the pan to release the cake.
Notes
- Store leftover cake in the fridge, and placed in a container with a tight lid.
- To serve again, allow it to come to room temperature.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 233Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 164mgSodium: 223mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 0gSugar: 18gProtein: 7g
Hello I tried it but the custard isn’t hard. Baked it for 1 and 15 minutes with the same result. Can I maybe baked it a little longer. The cake was good but the custard is the problem.
Hi There! The custard will fully set as the cake cools. You can also bake it for longer it is really liquid, but it should start to set at around the prescribed baking time.
Sanna
My 3 year old granddaughter and I made this scrumptious delicious custard cake together a couple days ago.
It is every thing you say about it!
The custard top tastes like eclair filling to me, it is quit decadently delicious!.. then the chiffon cake on the bottom
combined with the custard on top..is a taste that is hard to beat!
This has become my most favorite cake, and I’ve had a lot of cake!
We enjoyed it the most …after it was chilled for a couple hours in the fridge.
Thank you dearly for this recipe.
Terri
Hello Terri! I am so glad you and your grand daughter enjoyed this recipe! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe. The condensed milk here comes as 14 oz. Should I measure out the 300 mL or does the extra not matter?
Hi Lizzy! The 14 oz should be fine happy baking !
Thanks so much! One more question. You added 2 in of water for the water bath but isn’t your pan only 1.5 in deep? I usually put the water tray on a separate rack below for cheesecakes. Would this work? I’ve never made flan before so not sure if it’s more sensitive. Thank you!
Oh right, that make sense. I should reword that . I have not tried putting the water on a separate oven rack so I cannot guarantee if its ok with this paricular recipe but its worth a try
You have taken dessert to a brand new level with this recipe!
I can tell by the ingredient list how delicious this cake is!
Thank you for this, I’m excited to make it!
Thank you Terri! I hope you enjoy this!