Easy Crème Brûlée Cake

This Crème Brûlée Cake is far easier than you think and it is so good. Imagine a soft vanilla sponge soaked with a condensed milk drizzle, topped with a thick layer of homemade custard and a brûléed sugar crust.

Prep Time1

Cook Time40

Total Time1 40

Course: Baking

Cuisine: French-Inspired

Servings: servings

Ingredients

For the cake:

280 g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
250 g caster sugar
160 g unsalted butter room temperature
3 large eggs room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
230 ml buttermilk or 230ml milk mixed with the juice of half a lemon

For the drizzle:

2 tbsp double cream
2 tbsp condensed milk

For the custard:

8 egg yolks
100 g caster sugar
50 g plain flour
4 tsp cornflour
560 ml milk
2 tsp vanilla paste

To finish:

4-5 tbsp caster sugar for the brûlée topping
Fresh raspberries
Fresh passion fruit pulp

Instructions

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan). Grease and line a 10-inch cake tin.
If you don't have buttermilk, start by mixing the milk and lemon juice then set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Pour in the buttermilk (or milk/lemon mixture) and vanilla, then mix again until smooth.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for around 40 minutes, or until the cake is firm to the touch and a skewer comes out clean.

Make the custard:

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, caster sugar, and vanilla paste for about a minute until pale and creamy.
Add the plain flour and cornflour, whisking until smooth.
Heat the milk in a saucepan until it reaches a gentle simmer (don’t boil it). Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking as you go.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming, and leave to cool completely.

For the drizzle:

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes all over the surface (just like a lemon drizzle).
Mix together the double cream and condensed milk.
Pour this mixture evenly over the warm cake. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.

To assemble:

Once the cake and custard are both fully cooled (the custard should be thick), pop the cake out of the tin.
Spread a thick layer of the custard across the top of the cake and use a spoon to create little divots and dips.
Evenly sprinkle caster sugar over the custard. Use a blowtorch to caramelise the sugar until golden. As it cools slightly, it will harden. Finish with fresh raspberries and passion fruit pulp.
The video below will help with this recipe.

Video

Notes

Scroll up for a step by step guide on how to make this creme brulee cake.

To store: store the assembled cake in the fridge, uncovered for the first hour (to keep the caramel crisp), then loosely tented with foil or a cake dome for up to 2 days.

To freeze: Do not freeze the fully assembled cake but you can freeze the sponge on its own. Cool completely then wrap tightly in cling film, then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature, then add the soaking drizzle, custard, and brûlée topping fresh.

To make ahead: The sponge can be baked up to 2 days ahead. Keep wrapped in the fridge. The custard can be made 1-2 days ahead and kept in the fridge with cling film pressed directly onto the surface. Assemble on the day of serving for best results. Torch the sugar just before serving for the perfect crack.

Don’t overmix the batter. Once the dry ingredients go in, mix only until just combined to keep the sponge soft and tender.

Torch just before serving. The brûlée layer stays crisp for a few hours, but it’s at its very best when freshly torched.

Keep the cake level. If your cake domes slightly, trim the top so the custard sits evenly.

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