This magic gluten free custard cake creates 3 layers all by itself. The simplest ingredients make the most amazing, light and fluffy cake with a custard center!
When I first saw this custard cake, I figured it was some kind of fancypants cake that had 3 distinct layers, each baked separately and then assembled or something. I tossed it up there on my Must Make Gluten Free Pinterest Board, and figured that if you were into it, I’d buckle down and get the job done. (It’s not like I’m one to shy away from some fancypants recipes.)
Anyway, judging from the number of repins and ♥s, you were game—which means so was I. Imagine my relief (and now I hope yours!) to see that it has the simplest, most basic ingredient list ever (butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, salt). Don’t you love it when that happens?
By the way, if it looks like the most tender and moist vanilla cake you’ve ever tasted, buckle up. That’s exactly what this magic tastes-like-custard-cake is.
I’ll skip the baking-as-life-metaphor lesson, but you get the idea. It’s all in the way the ingredients are handled, really. And in knowing what to expect at each stage of assembly, baking and cooling.
I don’t mean to brag but I happen to know the most important details when it comes to beating egg whites until they’re them light and fluffy but still stable enough to handle some manhandling as you incorporate them into a cake batter.
First, you must beat the whites until they’re stiff (but not ever dry, where they start to look a bit curdled when handled) on medium-high speed—not high! Egg whites are a lot like whipping heavy cream in that way: whip them too quickly and you have an unstable mixture.
Second, you always want to add some sort of stabilizer to the whites as you beat them (here, I used lemon juice, but sometimes I use cream of tartar or a tiny touch of mild vinegar).
Finally, if your recipes calls for sugar, beat some of the sugar into the whites. It creates a glossy, stiff and more stable peak (no off-color jokes please ;).
This super special cake actually smells and tastes like you’re eating custard by the forkful. To get it right, other than beating the whites just right, there’s another secret to success. You need to know what to expect as it bakes.
The cake bakes up pretty tall at a relatively low (325°F) oven temperature (it’s ready when the top is lightly golden brown and the center springs back when pressed gently), and then shrinks as it cools. That’s how you get that custard-like center.
It’s like you made a soufflé, and you meant for it to fall a bit. Hey, I wonder if that is how this magically delicious vanilla cake got its start?!
Gluten Free Custard Cake
Ingredients
3/4 cup (105 g) all purpose gluten free flour (I used Better Batter)
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
2 tablespoons (18 g) cornstarch (or try potato starch or arrowroot in its place)
4 eggs (240 g, weighed out of shell, total) at room temperature, separated
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
9 tablespoons (126 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups (16 fluid ounces) warm milk (about 95°F)
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease well the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish, and set it aside. In a small bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum and cornstarch, whisk to combine well and set the bowl aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites and lemon juice on medium-high speed until frothy. Add about half of the granulated sugar, and continue to beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy (but not dry) peaks form (about 2 minutes). If using a stand mixer, transfer the egg white mixture to another bowl, set the egg whites aside and place the egg yolks, remaining sugar and vanilla in the mixer bowl and beat on medium-high speed with the paddle attachment until well-combined and pale. If using a hand mixer, set the bowl aside, place the egg yolks, remaining sugar and vanilla in a separate, large bowl and beat on medium-high speed until well-combined and pale.
To the egg yolk mixture, add the melted butter, and beat to combine well. Add the flour mixture and the warm milk to the bowl in three parts each, beginning and ending with the flour and beating until just combined after each addition. The mixture will be thin. Add the beaten egg whites to the batter in three parts, whisking gently to combine after each addition until no obvious white streaks remain. The final cake batter should be light and fluffy. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until the top of the cake is lightly golden brown and springs back when pressed gently in the center (about 50 minutes). The cake will expand quite a lot in size, but will still be a bit jiggly when shaken gently back and forth.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes in the pan before slicing into squares with a sharp knife, while the cake is still in the pan. The cake will shrink on all sides as it cools. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Adapted from Kanela y Limón’s pastel inteligente.
Renee Kraus says
I am trying to make a Gf boston cream pie. I was thinking this would work well. just topped with chocolate ganache. any thoughts? or ideas on what to use instead?
Autumn says
Could you make this in a round cake pan for a layer cake? This looks so yummy, I think it would great for a birthday cake tonight!
Nicole Hunn says
You could definitely make it in a round cake pan, Autumn, but I’m not sure it would really work as a layer cake. It’s very light and kind of fluffy, and layering two cakes on top of each other would weigh down and compress the bottom layer quite a lot. I think it would be great as a birthday cake as is, maybe topped with some fresh whipped cream?
Dylan JS says
Made this last night. Definitely needs salt. I only had salted butter, so I used that, and even with that it was under-salted. Also, I subbed coconut milk for the cow milk, and it totally worked. (Yes, I’m one of *those* dairy-free people who still eats butter.) For next time, I want to add some more salt and also some lemon or orange zest (the citrus hints were there, but just barely) and a tad less sugar. All of that said, I think this is a very good recipe.
Suze says
Can this cake be made with your gum free flour blend?
Nicole Hunn says
I haven’t tried it, Suze, but it’s definitely worth a shot. I would still add that bit of xanthan gum to it, as listed in the ingredients.
Mare Masterson says
Nicole, I have a friend allergic to citrus. How much cream of tartar would you use to whip the egg whites instead? I cannot wait to try this one!
Anneke says
Hey Mare — not much, a half teaspoon for that many eggs should be plenty. Usually about 1/8 teaspoon for one egg white, although my mother never gives me exact info on things like this! Hope that helps. Anneke
Nicole Hunn says
Thanks for jumping in, Anneke! I’d say 1/4 teaspoon total should do it, Mare. :)
Mare Masterson says
Thanks to both of you. I will start with 1/4 teaspoon for first time and let you know how it turns out.
Carole says
Just found out I have to do Thanksgiving for 22 this year. Are you going to come out with a new stuffing recipe with enough time to practice it ??
The Grandsons are coming out this weekend , think I’ll try this cake on them.
Lauren says
MMmmm! Stuffing is the best part of the Thanksgiving spread!
Nicole Hunn says
I’ll definitely post at least one new stuffing recipe in plenty of time, Carole. Promise. :)
Lauren says
Hey! I just knew you’d bake a cake for my birthday. Thanks! :D It looks wonderful!
Guest says
Hey! I just knew you’d bake a cake for my birthday. Thanks! :D I
Silver says
This reminds me of 3-Layer Cornbread, a recipe I’ve been meaning to convert to GF myself. Mmmmmmm, this looks wonderful.
tailorjoan says
Can this be made dairy free using earth balance butter and coconut milk?
Nicole Hunn says
I haven’t tried, but I generally prefer Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening, not Earth Balance, as a butter sub. Maybe try the butter-flavored kind. For the milk, I’d go with almond milk.
Jennifer S. says
Um, yum. That is all that needs to be said.
Lucy says
You shy away from a fancypants cake? Is there such a thing!?
I might but never the queen of GF baking :)
This does look yummy, many thanks Nicole :)
Nicole Hunn says
No, no Lucy, I definitely don’t shy away from fancypants recipes, but it’s always nice when something simply looks fancypants and is actually quite simple. :)