Imagine bringing a dessert to your next potluck or party that's guaranteed to turn heads. I'm talking about the Magic Three-Layer Vanilla Custard Cake. It effortlessly creates three distinct, delicious layers from just one batter.
And the best part? It's incredibly easy to make. You just mix up the batter, pop it in the oven, and like a magic show in your kitchen, it transforms into a dessert with three delicious layers.
I love magic cakes! If you have never had this cake, you don't know what you missed!
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What is a magic cake
Magic Cake is a popular dessert that seems to perform a little kitchen magic. When you bake it, the batter separates into three distinct layers: a dense base, a creamy custard middle, and a fluffy, Genoise sponge-like top. All this from one batter!
The magic is in the chemistry: egg yolks, sugar, butter, flour, and milk create the bottom layers, while beaten egg whites form the top sponge layer, achieved by slow cooking at 325F. This allows the cake to form distinct layers without manual separation. It's a simple yet impressive cake you can make with minimal effort, especially with a mixer for the eggs.
Ingredients needed
- All-purpose flour: Please use this flour. Do not use self-rising flour, as it contains baking powder and salt, which this recipe doesn't require.
- Eggs: I used large eggs, which are the standard for baking in the US.
- Whole Milk: I used whole milk for this recipe, lukewarm. While 2% works in this recipe, I would not go lower than that. Please do not use fat-free milk. Also, you can use plant-based milk, like almond, coconut, or rice milk.
- Powdered Sugar: This type of sugar is better than granulated sugar as it dissolves faster in the batter for a smoother texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Use the best vanilla extract you can afford. Quality matters.
- Unsalted Butter: Please do not use salted butter, as you will change the taste of the dessert.
- Salt: We add only a pinch of salt here, as it enhances the flavors of the ingredients.
How To Make This Vanilla Magic Cake
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Step 2. Separate eggs. Beat yolks with powdered sugar until creamy and lighter in color.
Step 3. Melt and cool the butter. Add it slowly to the batter and mix. When the butter is incorporated, add the milk slowly.
Step 4. Add flour spoon by spoon, then vanilla, mixing until just combined.
Step 5. In another bowl, beat egg whites with salt to stiff peaks using an electric mixer. Salt is essential in baking, so do not skip it. It enhances the flavors and balances the sweetness of any dessert.
Step 6. Fold egg whites into batter gently, making sure you don't lose the air from the egg whites. Do not panic if the batter looks very thin. This is how it should be, with chunks of egg whites floating in the batter.
Step 7. Prepare a 9x13 inch dish with butter and flour.
Step 8. Pour batter into the dish, bake at 350°F for 10 mins, then reduce to 325°F, baking for another 50 mins. When it comes out of the oven, it will wobble slightly.
Step 9. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
Step 10. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Expert Key Tips
- Egg whites need to be beaten to stiff peaks.
- Add flour slowly, spoon by spoon.
- Incorporate the egg whites gently and don't panic if the batter looks thin.
- Bake at 350F for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 325F and continue baking for another 50 minutes.
- Lukewarm (milk) refers to a temperature range between 98°F to 105°F (36.5°C to 40.5°C). It's warm to the touch without being hot, roughly around body temperature.
See the layers? They're magic! And wait until you try it, it's delicious! Forget the diet when you have this cake in front of you! Why? Because stopping at just one piece is impossible!
Make sure you don't wait to make this cake at the last minute before the guests come! For this one, you will need to be patient! It will also taste better after a few hours in the refrigerator, as the ingredients have had time to get to know each other.
Recipe Faqs
I actually got this question from one reader. This recipe works because the ratio between flour, eggs, milk, and sugar is the right one.
Adding condensed milk to the sugar in the recipe will make this dessert very sweet. A can of condensed milk has about 7.7oz(220g) of sugar, which is a lot. To make the answer short, I do not recommend using condensed milk.
There are a few things that might be the culprit on this one.
Egg whites need to be beaten longer: make sure the egg whites have stiff peaks. If they are not, keep beating them. They should be stiff and glossy when you are done with them.
Mixing too much: Overmixing the batter will result in deflated egg whites, and the final dessert will not have layers.
Oven temperature: this is a big problem with many ovens. I suggest an oven thermometer so you know exactly what temperature you have inside.
Overbaking the batter might be another issue.
I never used gluten-free flour for this recipe in particular, but I have a recipe for a magic dessert made with oranges and almond flour, so you might want to look at that.
If you liked this recipe, you might also like this Cranberry Custard Pie With Cream Cheese Crust, or Seven Layers Bars (Hello Dolly Bars).
More Cake Recipes To Love:
📖 Recipe
Magic Three-Layer Vanilla Custard Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 9 large eggs separated room temperature
- 4 cups whole milk lukewarm
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted but cool
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F(180C).
- Separate the eggs.
- In a stand-up mixer, cream together the yolks with the powdered sugar.
- Add the melted butter slowly and keep mixing. When the butter is incorporated, add the milk.
- Keep mixing while you add the flour spoon by spoon and the vanilla. Set aside.
- Separately, beat the egg whites with salt until stiff peaks. Pour the egg whites over the batter and fold them slowly to incorporate the egg whites into the mixture. The batter will be thin, but this is normal.
- Lightly butter and flour a 9x13 baking dish.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake 10 minutes at 350F, then reduce the heat to 325F and bake for another 50 minutes, until golden brown on top. it comes out of the oven, it will wobble slightly. Let it cool completely, then put it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Let it cool completely on a cooling rack, then put it in the refrigerator for a few hours. It is better if the cake sits in the refrigerator overnight to set completely.
- Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar and serve.
chaya says
Hi,
Do you think I can use Soy Dream instead of milk?
Thank you
The Bossy Kitchen says
While I never tried to use soy milk instead of regular milk, I did some research and it seems that you can substitute it safely. It would be the same amount of soy milk instead of regular milk. However, the flavor will not be the same, as soy milk tastes different. You might end up also with a different texture. I cannot tell you how it is going to be as I do not use soy in my diet.
Misty says
What size baking dish do I use 8x8 or 9x13 ? Also what would happen if I 1/2 whole milk and the other half condensed milk?
The Bossy Kitchen says
Hi Misty, In the article and also in the recipe card you will find what kind of pan you need to use.
I would also not use condensed milk and mess with the amount of real milk you need to add to the recipe. For example: you have in the recipe 2 cups of powder sugar which is approximately 220grams. A can of condensed milk is 14oz(397grams, which, according to the label has about 220 grams of sugar in total). The recipe requires 4 cups of whole milk, or 1 liter, right? If you replace half amount of milk with condensed milk(which, by the way, has a different viscosity, is thicker than milk), you will have to add 1 1/2 cans of condensed milk(to get about 500 ml) or dilute one can with water to get the 500 ml. However, you will end up with the wrong amount of sugar, as the condensed milk will add another 220 g of sugar almost on top of the 220g already in the recipe. Of course, you could remove the powder sugar, but that is not my recipe anymore and I cannot guarantee that you will have a successful experience, as I never tried it like that.
There is a chemical reaction that happens in the oven and the ratio between ingredients is calculated in a way to get you the best results. If you do not have the ingredients you need, then buy them or look for a recipe that uses condensed milk instead. The ratio is going to be different, but at least you don't end up with a product that is not edible or has the wrong texture.
Anjali says
Hi ..have convention oven and should I put the rod settings as just with bottom rod heated or both bottom and top rod on?
Deborah Mazenes says
Your recipe looks amazing & I will made it tmw but have one question. Your recipe states in one part put oven on 325 & another part 350. Which one is it or does it matter?
Thx ☺️
The Bossy Kitchen says
Hi, Thank you for writing. So, I fixed the recipe as it was a little bit confusing. You preheat the oven to 350F. Bake the dessert at 350F for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temp to 325F and continue baking for another 50 minutes. The total time is 60 minutes but you need to check the dessert before that, as the ovens are so different. I hope this helps. Thank you for visiting and let me know if you have any other questions.
Megan says
Hey! Any idea on the weight of the flour and powdered sugar? I often ruin recipes by packing too much or too little into a cup. Thanks
The Bossy Kitchen says
I am glad you asked, as you gave me the opportunity to add ounces and grams to the recipe. You will find the amounts of everything you need on the recipe card.
Clive Street says
Hi, you don't say if the temperatures are for a fan oven or just a conventional oven. I assumed they were for a conventional.
Regards
The Bossy Kitchen says
Yes, you are correct. As a rule of thumb, if the recipe doesn't specify anything, assume that the temperature is for regular/conventional ovens. Also, you probably already know that 180C conventional oven is 160C fan oven, if you live in Great Britain (usually 20C less).
If you live in the US, convection oven temperature should be about 25F lower than the regular oven.(For ex: 350F regular oven = 325F convection oven). The cooking time should be the same, although the fan oven/convection oven might cook the food faster, so I would keep an eye on it.
Andrew says
I just made this cake, but large air bubbles formed at the bottom and didn't release so the top of the cake cracked and was pushed over the sides. What did I do wrong?
The Bossy Kitchen says
Sorry to hear that. Did you get the three layers, at least? Usually, a cake cracks in the middle, if the temperature is too high, as the batter rises too fast. The instructions tell you to bake at a higher temp for the first 10 minutes, then reduce the temp and bake for 50 more minutes. However, if the oven is old or not able to maintain a stable temperature, you might have a variety of other issues as well. Air bubbles at the bottom could happen if you overmix/mix the batter too vigorously. Let me know if you have any other questions.