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Vanilla Creme Brulee Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 66 reviews

This Vanilla Creme Brulee Cake is a luxurious dessert combining a moist vanilla sponge cake with a rich, creamy vanilla custard topping that is caramelized to perfection. The luscious creme patissier custard is infused with real vanilla pods and spreads smoothly over the spongy base, creating a delightful contrast of textures and flavors. Finished with a crisp burnt sugar shell and optional fresh blackberries, this elegant cake is perfect for special occasions or a decadent treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Creme Patissier (Vanilla Custard)

  • 250g whole milk, 3.5%
  • 35g sugar
  • 20g cornstarch (maizena)
  • 60g egg yolks
  • 20g cold butter, cubed
  • 2 vanilla pods
  • Pinch of salt
  • Brown sugar for caramelizing the top before serving

Vanilla Cake

  • 170g all-purpose flour (Type 550/450)
  • 200g sugar
  • 12g skimmed milk powder
  • 5g baking powder
  • 2g baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 vanilla pods, seeds scraped out
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 85g butter, room temperature
  • 35g sunflower oil
  • 60g water
  • 120g sour cream or creme fraiche
  • 5g apple cider vinegar
  • 2 eggs (about 100g)
  • 1 egg yolk (about 20g)

Instructions

  1. Infuse the Milk: In a medium pot, combine the milk, half of the sugar, scraped vanilla pods, and a pinch of salt. Heat on medium-low until just simmering, then turn off the heat and let it infuse for 15-20 minutes to extract the vanilla flavor.
  2. Prepare Egg Mixture: In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth and slightly thickened.
  3. Temper the Eggs: Reheat the milk until steaming. Gradually pour one-third of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs and prevent scrambling. Then, return the egg mixture to the pot with the remaining milk and whisk continuously over medium heat until the custard thickens and bubbles for about 1 minute to cook out any raw starch taste.
  4. Strain and Add Butter: Remove from heat and strain the custard through a sieve into a heatproof bowl to remove any lumps and vanilla pods. Stir in the cold cubed butter until smooth and fully incorporated.
  5. Chill the Custard: Cover the surface of the custard with cling film to prevent skin formation and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight until set.
  6. Whisk Cream: Before assembly, whisk the chilled custard until smooth and creamy.
  7. Prepare Dry Ingredients for Cake: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda. Add salt, vanilla seeds, skimmed milk powder, vanilla powder, and mix until combined.
  8. Add Butter and Sunflower Oil: With mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add the room temperature butter piece by piece, mixing until the batter resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in sunflower oil and mix until fine crumbs form.
  9. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl or jug, whisk sour cream, water, and apple cider vinegar together. Slowly add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth, scraping down sides to avoid clumps.
  10. Add Eggs: Gradually add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until you achieve a smooth, creamy, and lump-free batter.
  11. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into a prepared cake ring or pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (338°F) for 40-50 minutes until the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted comes out clean.
  12. Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before removing.
  13. Assemble Cake: Place the cooled cake onto a serving dish.
  14. Top with Custard: Using the whisk attachment, whip the chilled creme patissier until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly over the surface of the cake with a palette knife.
  15. Caramelize the Sugar: Sprinkle light brown sugar (or white cane sugar) evenly over the custard topping in sections. Use a kitchen blow torch to caramelize the sugar until it forms a golden, crisp crust.
  16. Decorate and Serve: Optionally, decorate with fresh blackberries. Serve immediately for the perfect contrast of creamy custard and crunchy caramel topping.

Notes

  • Ensure the custard is properly chilled before spreading to achieve the best texture.
  • Use a blow torch carefully to caramelize sugar evenly, avoiding burning.
  • If you don’t have vanilla pods, high-quality vanilla extract can be used, but the flavor will be less intense.
  • The cake base can be baked in advance and assembled just before serving.
  • Apple cider vinegar helps tenderize the cake and balance sweetness.
  • For best results, use fresh eggs and high-quality butter.

Keywords: vanilla creme brulee cake, vanilla cake, creme patissier, custard cake, caramelized sugar topping, French dessert, homemade vanilla cake

Find it online: https://foodbylina.com/vanilla-creme-brulee-cake-recipe/