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Custard Cake Recipe

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4.7 from 97 reviews

This Custard Cake recipe features a rich and creamy vanilla pastry cream layered between moist vanilla sponge cake layers and finished with a silky custard buttercream frosting. The combination of pastry cream and buttercream creates a luscious, multi-textured dessert that’s perfect for special occasions or indulgent gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

Vanilla Pastry Cream

  • 3 cups Whole Milk (710g / 720ml)
  • 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
  • 7 Egg Yolks
  • ¾ cup Granulated Sugar (150g)
  • 6 tablespoon Cornstarch
  • 1 ½ sticks Unsalted Butter (170g)

Vanilla Cake

  • 1.25 cup Whole Milk (300g / 300ml)
  • ⅓ cup Vegetable Oil (66g / 80ml)
  • 3 Large Eggs
  • 2 ¾ cups Cake Flour (312g)
  • 1 ¾ cups Granulated Sugar (350g)
  • 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 2 sticks Unsalted Butter (227g)

Custard Buttercream

  • Vanilla Pastry Cream (⅔ of the pastry cream prepared for the filling)
  • 4 sticks Unsalted Butter (454g)
  • ⅓ cup Powdered Sugar (38g)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt

Instructions

  1. Make the Pastry Cream (Custard): Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until pale and thick. Heat the milk and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until scalding (steam and tiny bubbles appear, but do not boil). Slowly temper the egg yolk mixture by gradually whisking in hot milk to prevent scrambling. Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until it boils and thickens (about 1-2 minutes). Strain through a fine sieve if lumps form. Whisk in butter one piece at a time until fully incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
  2. Make the Vanilla Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease two 8-inch cake pans. Separate the milk into two parts: ½ cup for mixing with vegetable oil, and ¾ cup for mixing with eggs and vanilla. In the mixer bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add chunks of butter and mix until the texture resembles chunky breadcrumbs. Add the milk/oil mixture and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape bowl, then add the milk/egg/vanilla mixture slowly, mixing on low until just combined. Divide batter equally into pans and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 30 minutes before removing.
  3. Make the Custard Buttercream: Remove approximately ⅓ of the pastry cream, cover, and refrigerate. Let the remaining ⅔ pastry cream and 4 sticks of butter come to room temperature. Beat the butter in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment on high speed for 3-5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add room temperature pastry cream one tablespoon at a time, whipping between additions until fully incorporated. Mix in vanilla and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar to taste, whipping after each addition, until desired sweetness and consistency are achieved. The buttercream should be smooth; if it curdles, adjust ingredient temperatures as needed.
  4. Assemble the Cake: Once cakes are completely cooled, level each by slicing in half horizontally to create four thin layers. Place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread a generous layer of custard buttercream and smooth it. Add a second cake layer, then spread a thinner layer of buttercream over it. Pipe a buttercream border around the edge and fill the center with half of the reserved cold pastry cream. Add the third cake layer on top, then spread another generous layer of buttercream. Place the final cake layer on top and frost the entire cake as desired—smooth, semi-naked, or naked style. Pipe rosettes around the top edge and pour remaining cold pastry cream in the center of the cake inside the rosettes.

Notes

  • Make the pastry cream 2 to 24 hours ahead of time to allow it to cool and thicken properly.
  • Ensure butter, eggs, and milk are at room temperature before beginning the cake batter to promote even mixing and texture.
  • If the buttercream curdles, it’s typically due to temperature issues—make sure ingredients are at the same temperature and beat well; chilling briefly and re-whipping can help.
  • Use plastic wrap touching the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming.
  • The cake layers can be leveled with a serrated knife if a cake leveler is unavailable.

Keywords: custard cake, vanilla cake, pastry cream, buttercream frosting, layered cake, homemade cake, creamy frosting, classic dessert

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