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Creme Brûlée Cake Recipe

Creme Brûlée Cake Recipe
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★★★★★

5.2 from 17 reviews

A decadent Creme Brûlée Cake featuring a moist vanilla cake soaked in a rich vanilla milk mixture, layered with smooth vanilla pastry cream, and topped with caramelized brûlée sugar for a perfect balance of textures and flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Vanilla Pastry Cream

  • 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) whole milk
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp (225 g) granulated white sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • 3 1/2 tbsp (28 g) cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp (42 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut in cubes

Vanilla Cake

  • 2 1/4 cups (281 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 10 tbsp (140 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated white sugar
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

Vanilla Milk Soak

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) half & half, or whole milk
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml/150 g) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

Brûlée Topping

  • 1/3–1/2 cup (66–100 g) granulated white sugar

Instructions

  1. Prepare Vanilla Pastry Cream: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming, then reduce to low. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and cornstarch until pale yellow and smooth. Gradually add 1/4 of the hot milk while stirring vigorously, then the remaining milk. Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 12-15 minutes, whisking continuously until thick with soft peaks. Remove from heat, stir in cold butter cubes until combined, cover with plastic wrap on surface, and chill until cold.
  2. Prepare Vanilla Cake Batter: Preheat oven to 350℉ (175 ℃). Grease and line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla bean paste; mix on medium speed 1 minute until pale and smooth. Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk to wet ingredients on low speed, mixing until combined. Scrape bowl sides as needed.
  3. Bake Cake: Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 39-44 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then lift cake out using parchment paper and cool completely on rack.
  4. Prepare Vanilla Milk Soak: Whisk half & half, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla bean paste together in a measuring cup and chill in fridge until ready.
  5. Assemble Cake: Once cooled, slice off a very thin layer from the top of the cake to allow better absorption. Transfer to serving plate, poke holes in the cake top using a wooden stick or spoon handle. Slowly pour vanilla milk soak over cake, letting it absorb fully.
  6. Add Pastry Cream: Spoon chilled vanilla pastry cream evenly on the soaked cake and smooth with an offset spatula.
  7. Cut and Brûlée: Cut cake into 16 squares. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly on each piece and use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until golden brown and smelling like toasted marshmallows. Serve immediately for best texture.

Notes

  • Add pastry cream just before serving as the brûlée topping will soften over time.
  • Use a sharp knife to slice thin layer off the cake to encourage soak absorption.
  • Make sure egg yolks are at room temperature for smooth pastry cream.
  • For a stronger vanilla flavor, use high-quality vanilla bean paste or extract.
  • Be patient when pouring the milk soak to ensure it fully absorbs into the cake.
  • If you don’t have a kitchen torch, use the broiler setting in your oven carefully to caramelize sugar.

Nutrition

Keywords: Creme Brûlée Cake, vanilla cake, pastry cream, brûlée topping, layered dessert, caramelized sugar

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