A fudgey base. Soft custard center. Topped with fluffy sponge. Made with one simple batter. Magic Three Layer Custard Cake: It’s like, well ….MAGIC!
If you love vanilla sponge cakes and custard, you are going to be as obsessed with this cake as I am. It looks like it’s been carefully layered with three different components. But it’s not! You just pour one simple batter into a cake tin, pop in the oven, and this is how it comes out!!
There is no special ingredient nor any tricky technique. The batter is made pretty much like a traditional vanilla sponge cake, it is just much thinner. It’s the consistency of crepe batter. Almost like a thick pouring cream.
The magic happens in the oven. It is baked at a lower temperature than usual – 325F/160C. And when it comes out, the top layer is a sponge, the middle is custard and the bottom is almost like a fudge.
I was dubious the first time I made it, and even when I turned the cake out because you can’t see the layers on the edges. But then when I cut into it, I gasped with astonishment! I mean, look at how perfect the layers are!!
This recipe is the Magic Cake from Jo Cooks. I’ve been reading Jo Cooks for a long time, but it wasn’t until recently that I got to know Jo herself. Though actually, her real name is Ioana – a Romanian name, a beautiful one at that, and one of the first things I nagged her about was why she doesn’t go by her real name!
Jo and I have very similar tastes. We both love food that is absolutely scrumptious, we never compromise on flavour to follow trends or hacks (or diet versions!), we aren’t into the “cool food” scene and there are less salads on our blogs than there probably should be (though she has a lot more than me!!).
What I didn’t realise is that she is probably the reason the world discovered “Magic Cake“. She was very quick to make the point that it was not an original recipe. Perhaps she wasn’t the pioneer of it, but a search on Pinterest clearly shows that she is the reason that the world discovered it.
So I’m adding myself to the long line of people who have tried and been astonished by the miracle of this cake. 🙂
One simple batter.
A three layered custard cake.
It really is….like magic! 🙂
– Nagi
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Magic Three Layer Custard Cake (From One Batter)
Ingredients
- 4 eggs , yolks and whites separated (at room temperature)
- 3/4 cup (150g) sugar (ordinary or caster sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 stick (4oz / 125g / 1/2 cup) unsalted butter , melted
- 3/4 cup (4oz / 115g) plain all purpose flour
- 2 cups (500 ml / 1 pint) milk (lukewarm) (full fat or low fat but not zero fat)
To Serve (optional)
- Icing sugar (powdered sugar), for dusting
- Fresh strawberries
- Whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F/160C (standard oven / fan forced or convection)
- Butter a 8" x 8" / 20cm x 20cm square cake tin (Note 4).
- Beat egg whites with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and beat until it turns pale yellow - about 1 minute.
- Add the vanilla extract and butter and beat until well incorporated - about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add the flour and beat until just combined.
- Pour the milk in slowly while beating, and beat until well combined (or if using a hand held mixer, add 1/4 milk at a time, beating in between).
- Use a spatula to fold in the egg whites in the batter, one third at a time, until just incorporated. You don't want to knock the air out of the egg whites. Don't worry if there are a few egg white lumps in the batter. The batter should be very thin, almost like a thick pouring cream.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin.
Baking Directions
- Bake until the top is golden brown and the cake does not "jiggle" when you gently shake the tin - around 40 to 50 minutes. Check the cake at 30 minutes - if the top is already golden brown but the cake is not yet set (i.e. it jiggles), cover loosely with foil and return to the oven, 10 minutes at a time, until set.
- Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack.(Note 3) Cool completely before serving.
To Serve
- Cut into squares - I cut it into 12 in the photo, but 9 is more realistic serving size portions.
- Dust with icing sugar just before serving.
- Serve with a side of whipped cream and strawberries, if using.
Recipe Notes:
a) The cake is ready when the top is golden brown and the cake doesn't "jiggle" when you gently shake the pan. If it jiggles, there is still raw batter inside.
b) I found that 4 of the 5 times I made it, the top became golden brown before the cake was set.
c) So to get the bake time right, check it first at 30 minutes. If the top is golden brown, cover loosely with foil and return to the oven until the cake is set. Check every 10 minutes - any longer, and you'll risk the cake overcooking. 3. Tor get the cake out of the tin, just turn it out like a normal cake. The custard is set, it is not like super soft jelly. What I do is place a cutting board on top of the tin, flip it upside down (it slips right out) then place a cooling rack on top then flip it again (so you end up with the right side up on the cooling rack). 4. I myself have not tried this in a glass pan but readers have - if you scroll through the comments, you will find feedback from a reader on 3 February 2017 confirming this! 5. Nutrition assuming 1 cake is cut into 9 pieces. Note that I cut the cake into 16 pieces for the photo but that is far too small!
SaveSaveNutrition Information:
I made it in a glass pan, baked it for 65 minutes until it didn’t jiggle. I could see through the pan it had done the three layer trick. But when I turned it out after ten minutes, it separated: two layers came out, but the bottom stayed in the pan and seemed quite wet and fragile. I had to scrape it out and try to reassemble things. Maybe I didn’t bake it long enough?
This is the only recipe of Nagi’s that I have been disappointed with. I buttered my cake tin and didn’t take the cake out until after it stopped jiggling. but the cake had stuck to the tin and when I turned it out (after its 10 minute rest) the only part that came out was uncooked custard from the middle. If I make this again I will line the tin and surely give it even more time in the oven even though it has stopped jiggling. Tastes great even though it looks awful.
This is great, I undercooked it a little but that’s my fault not the recipe. I got the three layers and my son said it tasted like it was from a shop, I’ll take that as a compliment
Tried this for a Christmas dessert and read through a lot of the reviews as well. I beat the egg whites until it was more soft peaks than stiff peaks as a couple of reviews noted that they thought they had over beaten the whites and it floated on top. I think I’d beat for longer next time. Also noted a few people saying their cakes had split which I thought may be down to cooling too quickly so I let mine cool slowly in an opened oven. Also used a 9×9 tin as didn’t have an 8×8.
Cake turned out delicious but maybe slightly overbaked (probably because of the way I cooled it so will probably turn it off when it still has a slight wobble next time. Also an 8×8 tin would probably give you the right thickness. I originally only saw 2 layers but once I cut into the cake I could see all 3. If the whites were fluffier, the third layer may have come out more. Really easy cake, delicious and can be dressed up to taste. Will definitely be trying this again!
Sadly this didn’t turn out for me. I think I must have over-beaten the egg whites as they stayed clumped together after folding them into the batter. The end result was lumpy, eggy, and deflated.
Cake was beautifully risen but collapsed when taken out from the oven. Why was this?
The three layers were there but not distinct. Taste wise it was nice and unique.
To everyone asking about GF option, I’ve made this version and also with GF flour and almond milk (not quite as good but still excellent!) yum
The end result was delicious but was about half the pictured height. I couldn’t incorporate the egg whites, perhaps I over beat them, the whites floated. Looked ok until I turned it out, I think that’s when it sank. Layers not really discernible.
Made it today and it may not survive the evening… Very good. I only had an 8 by 8 pyrex dish available so I preheated to 325 And baked 15 minutes then adjusted temp down to 300 to account for glass vessel. It took
55 minutes to set up and it had all three distinct layers. Thank you for a great dessert option for those of us who prefer less sweet dessert options.
I have made this for home, and love it, but I am a cook at an assisted living facility. Any tips on making this for 50 people????
Hi Bob! I have never scaled this one up to that size so I am not sure. Sorry! If you can do it in multiple batches then it will work but one or two large batches might not cook in the centre or separate properly. N x
I’ve tried this on Sunday and I’ve got rave reviews. My husband and son liked it. Instead of dusting it with icing sugar, I dust it with milo powder.
Great tip Mee!!! N x
We loved this!
I would love to receive your cookbook. I have been reading all about you and your recipes, they sound very good to me.
Thanks! N x
Instructions are precise but seeing Jo Cooks video on YouTube helped visualise the process. Cake turned golden brown 20min in and took full 70min to get to “slight jiggle in centre” stage. Luckily cake didn’t sink and I got layers.
Family loved it. Thank you Nagi
Thanks! N x
Will this cake keep well for the next day?
Baked mine for around 70 mins (weak oven) and the top sunk a little but tasted really nice, considering how easy the batter was. I couldn’t see 3 distinct layers when eating the first time but they appeared overnight! 🪄
Instead of Vanilla extract can you use lemon?
Thanks again Nagi! It was delicious!! One question, is it meant to rise and then collapse?
This looks really good. I’m wondering though – is is like flan? (very wet, squiggly, and slimy) – or is it firmer & on the dryer side? I do not like flan! (in case you couldn’t tell!) Mainly because the texture is so wet, like raw oysters going down your throat. ick.
Can you substitute 1/4 c of flour with cocoa powder to make a chocolate version?
I haven’t tried but it would need some testing Kathleen, flour and cocoa have different properties so it will change the texture. N x