Magic Custard Cake

Magic Custard Cake is a melt-in-your-mouth dessert with three creamy layers. This dreamy dessert is made with one batter that magically separates in the oven.

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Magic Custard Cake is a dreamy, velvety dessert that friends and family will rave about. One batter magically creates a unique cake with three silky sweet layers that you can’t wait to bite into. 

If you love this magic cake recipe you’ll want to make Black Magic Cake, Pumpkin Magic Cake, and Magic Cookie Bars.

Magic Custard Cake Ingredients

You will need:

• 4 large eggs separated, at room temperature
• 1 cup baker’s sugar superfine sugar
• ½ cup salted butter melted and cooled
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups whole milk lukewarm
• ½ cup heavy cream lukewarm

Substitutions and Additions

Toppings: Dust the top of the cake with confectioner’s sugar and add fresh berries for the perfect presentation. 

Sugar: Powdered sugar or granulated sugar can also be used in the recipe. If you want to stick with the baker’s sugar but can’t find it in the store, follow the above tip to convert regular white sugar into baker’s sugar at home 

Milk: Two cups of regular milk can be used instead of the milk/cream combination in the recipe.

How to Make This Magic Custard Cake Recipe

PRO TIP: The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 10×10 square baking dish. Bake for about 60 minutes. 

STEP ONE: Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter an 8”x8” square baking pan.

STEP TWO: In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes.

STEP THREE: Add the melted and cooled butter and vanilla extract and beat to combine fully.

STEP FOUR: Beat in the flour.

STEP FIVE: Combine the milk and cream together and slowly pour into the batter, mixing to combine.

STEP SIX: Beat egg whites in a standing mixer with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.

STEP SEVEN: Use a large whisk to lightly incorporate egg whites into the batter. Add in 2 to 3 additions and only whisk slightly. The batter will have two distinct textures – a very thin, runny batter with the lightly incorporated egg whites floating on the top of the batter.

PRO TIP: While we would suggest only removing one piece at a time from the pan, if for some reason you do want to remove the entire cake at once, lining the pan with parchment paper may help to lift the cake out of the pan. We can’t guarantee that you won’t get a bit of custard that will try to ooze out the side of the cake.

STEP EIGHT: Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.

PRO TIP: The 8×8 square pan is important to achieve the three distinct layers. A larger pan will spread the cake batter too thin for the custard layer in the center to form. The batter won’t fit in a smaller pan.

STEP NINE: Bake for approximately 40 to 45 minutes. The cake is done when the center is still jiggly, but the batter does not slosh in the pan. The top will be lightly browned.

PRO TIP: The low temperature (325°F) is important for baking this custard-like dessert.

STEP TEN: Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

STEP ELEVEN: Allow the cake to sit for 2 to 3 hours before dusting with powdered sugar and cutting into 9 pieces. It is best to remove the pieces from the pan one at a time rather than trying to remove the entire cake at once.

How to Serve

Best when eaten right away, serve this magical cake for a special occasion or for no reason at all. Pair your cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side or a spoonful of whipped cream on top. Enjoy it with a glass of iced tea or a warm cup of coffee. 

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: This magic three-layer custard cake recipe is best eaten right away, but you can store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container or covered in aluminum foil for 1 to 2 days. 

IN THE FREEZER: We do not recommend freezing this delicious cake.

Magic Custard Cake is an elegant, melt-in-your-mouth dessert with three creamy layers. The bottom layer is a denser custard base, the middle is a soft custard layer, and the top layer is a fluffy sponge cake. Simply pour your batter into a square baking dish, and wait for the magic to happen in the oven. As soon as your cake is cool you can bite into this delightfully creamy dessert. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my batter supposed to be very runny? 

Yes, you will have a very runny and thin batter, and that is the consistency you want for the magic layering to happen.

Is baker’s sugar the same as white or confectioner’s sugar? 

Baker’s sugar is different from both white and confectioner’s sugar. It is a superfine granulated sugar. Regular white sugar is coarser, and confectioner’s sugar is more on the powdery side. If you can’t find baker’s sugar in the store, you can make your own by putting regular white in the food processor for about 30 seconds.

Are there other flavors of this unique cake? 

You can find a recipe for pumpkin magic cake on this site. Lemon and chocolate magic cakes are also popular variations on this classic vanilla magic custard cake recipe.

Can I use almond milk in this recipe? 

We have not tried using almond milk, although I have heard of other people having success. You may find that your cake may not turn out exactly the same as with regular milk.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Hearts
• Red Velvet Cheesecake
• Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies
• Red Velvet Cookies

Magic Custard Cake

Magic Custard Cake is a melt-in-your-mouth dessert with three creamy layers. This dreamy dessert is made with one batter that magically separates in the oven.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Cool Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

• 4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1 cup baker’s sugar, superfine sugar
• ½ cup salted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups whole milk, lukewarm
• ½ cup heavy cream, lukewarm

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter an 8”x8” square baking pan.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add the melted and cooled butter and vanilla extract and beat to combine fully.
• Beat in the flour.
• Combine the milk and cream together and slowly pour into the batter, mixing to combine.
• Beat egg whites in a standing mixer with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.
• Use a large whisk to lightly incorporate egg whites into the batter. Add in 2 to 3 additions and only whisk slightly. The batter will have two distinct textures – a very thin, runny batter with the lightly incorporated egg whites floating on the top of the batter.
• Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.
• Bake for approximately 40 to 45 minutes. The cake is done when the center is still jiggly, but the batter does not slosh in the pan. The top will be lightly browned.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Allow the cake to sit for 2 to 3 hours before dusting with powdered sugar and cutting into 9 pieces.

Video

Notes

• The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 10×10 square baking dish. Bake for about 60 minutes.
• While we would suggest only removing one piece at a time from the pan, if for some reason you do want to remove the entire cake at once, lining the pan with parchment paper may help to lift the cake out of the pan. We can’t guarantee that you won’t get a bit of custard that will try to ooze out the side of the cake.
• The 8×8 square pan is important to achieve the three distinct layers. A larger pan will spread the cake batter too thin for the custard layer in the center to form. The batter won’t fit in a smaller pan.
• The low temperature (325°F) is important for baking this custard-like dessert.