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 don’t know what I did wrong. My cake looks like sour milk. I cooked anyway, but I don’t know what was wrong.
Thank you for this recipe. It delivered the fudgy chocolate flavor. This will be my go to cake from now on.😋❤
Has anyone tried this Magic Cake with gluten free flour?
Does the 3-Layer Magic Cake need to be refrigerated.
Hi Glenda, I refrigerate if storing 🙂 N x
I am going to tackle this! The link I followed to get her shows different versions. At what point would you add another flavor? Like cocoa or pumpkin? How much?
Hi Candice, sorry I haven’t tried with any other flavours – it would affect the mix and may not layer properly. N x
I’ve just put this in the oven, I think I might have over whisked the egg whites, I couldn’t seem to get them to incorporate into the batter. It went into the oven looking like a cottage cheese and egg mixture. Yikes!
Oh no Melanie – how did it turn out?? N x
Its taken me 3 atempts to nail this recipe but finally did it today, and it tastes amazing,Oh
yeah the first 2 attemps were both delicous but my third attempt turned out like the picture.
Well this didn’t turn out like I hoped. Seemed like I let it cook for well over an hour then it looked like no more jiggle. I let it sit for about an hour to cool down but …well…it tastes yummy but I have basically a custard cake with no layers! Not sure where it went wrong but I’ll try it again another day.
Hi Taz, sorry you had issues here – it shouldn’t take that long to cook, could there possibly be a problem with your oven thermostat? N x
Yes, it likely is my “oven”. I am embarrassed to admit this but I do almost all my baking in my breville smart oven. It’s never failed me and typically bakes as well as a full size oven. But next time I will try the regular oven. It’s also possible I beat the egg whites too long. After it cooled, I could see 2 layers but the top layer just wasn’t there . But man it was delish anyway!
Can’t wait to make these! Gonna use mini bundle pans & serve with fresh raspberries… Drizzled with chocolate ganache & sprinkled with powdered sugar, topped with slivered almonds!
Love to know if it works Cj! N x
Can I leave the cake in the tin ?
Best to take it out to stop it cooking further Char. N x
Amazing!!!
Was a huge hit 🙂
Not too sweet but subtle enough to give an amazing taste. A perfect dessert going into my favourites 🙂
Have loved every single recipe I’ve tried off your website!!
I once had a very similar recipe called Luscious Custard sponge sent to a book called triple tested recipes by the Lower Hutt Society in New Zealand – glad I have now found yours – just as good.
Just made this today as it looked amazing. Don’t know what I did wrong but when I turned it out the sponge layer stuck to the board. It definitely didn’t jiggle in the pan and I let it cool first for 10 min.
Should I have cooked it
longer or let it cool for a bit longer in the pan.
Hi Sue – sorry you had issues here, what do you mean it stuck to the board? N x
Thanks for your reply.
When I tipped it out of the tin onto the cutting board as instructed on note 3, before tipping it back onto the cooling rack, some of the sponge layer stuck to the board.
I could also only see two distinctive layers. So although it tasted delicious and I would definitely make it again, I’d like to try and figure out what I did wrong.
Great recipes
This cake looks wonderful, but question. Has anyone tried to make it as a lemon custard cake? If so, how did you do it? If I could make that, it would be a huge hit with my family (and me!).
Hi Susan, I haven’t tried making it as a lemon cake sorry! N x
Same thing happened to me. Only the middle layer. A minuscule layer on top and bottom. Top was more like a film. If you find out the problem let me know
Replace 1/4 cup of the milk with fresh lemon juice! Instead of using 2 cups of milk use 1-3/4 cups milk and 1/4 cup lemon juice. As long as you have a total of 2 cups liquid everything should be fine.
Would this recipe work with a gluten free flour?
I haven’t tried sorry! Would love to know if you try it! N x
Hi, do you think I could use a round tin for this recipe? I want to make it for a birthday so wanted it to look more birthday cake-ish?
Thank you
I make this recipe gluten free and dairy free by using all-purpose gluten free flour and oat milk. I also substitute 1/3 cup coconut oil for the butter. I only use 1/2 cup sugar. Works great. Love this recipe. For a yummy chocolate version, I put 2 tablespoons of cocoa in my 3/4 cup first, and then fill the measuring cup with flour.
Love this recipe works every time. I make it with low-fat milk and half the amount of sugar because I don’t like things too sweet. Perfect every time ! Thanks for a great recipe!
That’s great to know Jane! N x
Could I double the recipe and make it in a 9×13 pan?? And how well does it freeze?
Could I double the recipe and make it in a 9×13 pan??
How well does it freeze?
My daughter made it but used the wrong size pan- we got thin layers and eggy taste but still good
I am trying it today substituting half and half for the milk ( decreases to 1/2 cup ) and adding 1/4 c Malibu rum to get a coconut version. Crossing my fingers- smells so good!
Love to know if it works Kelly! N x