Layers of caramel, custard and vanilla sponge cake – so deliciously sweet!
It is very nice how things bring back childhood memories.
I don’t have much childhood memories when it comes to playing under the rain or with my playmates/school mates. One thing I can tell you – I can still remember my favorite foods when I was a kid… and believe me, even how they tasted.
I remember one time I sent a message to my kindergarten best friend (and was also my neighbor) and asked her if she remembered the brand of the biscuit I always had as my snack along with chocolate drink. She said it was decades ago and can’t remember the name, even how it looked back then.
One of my favorites when I was a child is custard cake. It is a cake with layers of vanilla sponge cake, flan and caramel. Back then, since we were just getting it from a bakery, the custard was very thin. I remember that I used to take all custard and left the cake all behind. I think my Mom always suspected it was all me, every single time. 😀
When I started baking, custard cake was in the list. Since I was a hesitant to tweak a recipe with thin custard, I did not proceed. I waited for the right time until I saw this recipe. I think I turned off the oven earlier that I did not get that 100% firm custard, but my gosh, I really loved it.
Every bite brought back those childhood memories I had when I was with my Mom enjoying the store-bought custard cake. I am sure she is very proud of me (from up there) now that I can make one of the cakes we used to enjoy together.
I hope you can try the recipe and let me know. 🙂
Custard Cake
Ingredients:
For the caramel:
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup water
For the custard:
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup condensed milk
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
For the cake:
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- ¾ cake flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup whole milk
- For the meringue: 3 egg whites + 2 tbsp white sugar
Instructions:
Prepare ramekins (or 8×8 baking pan). Also needed: larger baking pan that can hold your ramekins (or 8×8 baking pan)
For the caramel:
- In a small saucepan with medium heat, add sugar and water. Do not stir.
- Cook until it caramelizes or turns amber. Immediately pour and divide to the ramekins (or baking pan). Let it cool down.
For the custard:
- In a bowl, place all ingredients for the custard. Gently mix all ingredients until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Using a strainer, pour this mixture over the ramekins (or baking pan) with caramel. Set aside.
For the cake:
- In a bowl, sift together cake flour and baking powder.
- In another bowl, add 2 tbsp white sugar and egg yolk. Beat for 2-3 minutes or until the beater creates a ribbon when lifted.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and milk, mixing after each addition. Mix until well combined.
- For the meringue: In another bowl, place egg whites and beat until foamy. Gradually add 2 tbsp of white sugar while beating. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Carefully mix the egg yolk mixture and meringue (egg white mixture) by doing the cut and fold technique. You can do this by dividing both mixtures into two and mix them alternately, scraping the bottom of the bowl.
- Place this mixture over the top of the custard.
- Place the ramekins (or baking pan) in a larger pan half-filled with hot water. Bake for 50 minutes or until the toothpick inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the ramekins (or baking pan) to a cooling rack. Cool completely. When cooled completely, place in the fridge.
- To serve, invert the ramekins onto a serving plate. Be careful, the caramel might spill.
Source recipe: Perfect Custard Cake by Casa Veneracion
I hope that doesn’t sound complicated and I hope my friends at Fiesta Friday #131 will love this. Thanks to our ladies – Angie, Laura and Su.
Happy Fiesta Friday!
