There’s something magical about a soft, buttery custard cakes filled with rich, velvety pastry cream. Each bite melts in your mouth, offering the perfect balance of light, fluffy cake and smooth, creamy filling. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or just treating yourself, these delightful cakes are guaranteed to impress.
The best part? They’re easier to make than you might think! We’ll start by preparing the pastry cream so it has time to cool, then move on to the cake batter before bringing everything together for a truly irresistible dessert. And it’s all done with in an hour!
Let’s get started!
Homemade Pastry Cream Recipe
Forget store-bought mixes! Making your own classic pastry cream is simple and much tastier. It’s made with real vanilla and egg yolks, without unnecessary additives.
Ingredients
500ml milk
1 vanilla pod
100g sugar
2 egg yolks
45g cornstarch
Directions
- Heat the Milk
Pour 450ml milk into a saucepan. Slice open the vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds, and add both to the milk. Heat until it just begins to boil. - Prepare the Egg Mixture
In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 50ml milk with sugar and egg yolks. Stir in the cornstarch until smooth. - Combine and Cook
Remove the vanilla pod from the hot milk. Slowly pour half the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Then, return the mixture to the saucepan with the remaining milk. - Thicken the Cream
Stir continuously over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Let it simmer gently for 1-2 minutes. - Cool the Pastry Cream
Pour into a shallow dish and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool on the counter before using. You will only use half, so cover and
Custard Cakes
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter:
- 100g butter, at room temperature
- 100g white or brown sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 125g flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
For the Filling:
- ½ recipe pastry cream (see first recipe )
Additional Ingredients:
- Butter, for greasing
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
How to Make Custard Cakes
1. Prepare the Baking Tray
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 12-cup cupcake tray with butter. Lightly dust it with flour using a tea strainer, then tap out any excess.
2. Make the Cake Batter
In a mixing bowl, combine all the cake batter ingredients. Use a hand mixer or whisk to mix until smooth. Be careful not to overmix—just stir until everything is well combined.
3. Fill the Molds
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake molds. Smooth the tops with the back of a spoon.
4. Add the Pastry Cream
Beat the pastry cream until smooth, then transfer it to a piping bag with a 1 cm serrated nozzle. Pipe a small amount of cream into the center of each cake, ensuring there’s enough room around the edges for the batter to rise.
Baking the Custard Cakes
Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Once baked, remove them from the tray and dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving.
Enjoy!
