The first time I made this Crème Brûlée Cake, my kitchen smelled like a French bakery at sunrise—warm vanilla, caramelized sugar, and soft sponge cake all blending together in the air. I remember pulling the pan from the oven and watching the glossy custard tremble slightly on top, as if it were gently breathing. The moment I cut into it, the creamy custard layer sank ever so softly into the cake beneath, sending a wave of warm, sugary aroma upward. It felt indulgent and elegant, the kind of dessert that makes you slow down and savor each bite. It quickly became one of those bakes I only intended to try once but now make every time I’m craving something impressive yet comforting.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll fall in love with this Crème Brûlée Cake because it brings together everything wonderful about a classic crème brûlée and everything delightful about a soft sponge cake. You get that creamy, rich custard layer without the stress of individual ramekins, and the caramel top gives you that signature crack when your fork meets the surface. Even though it sounds fancy, it feels approachable, and each bite delivers a warmth and sweetness that never feels too heavy. It’s the perfect showstopper dessert for when you want something memorable but not overly complicated.
Ingredients
- 1 vanilla bean cake (sponge cake base, baked and cooled)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (for custard)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for brûlée topping)
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: raspberries or powdered sugar for garnish
When choosing ingredients for this recipe, the most important thing is using good-quality vanilla. A real vanilla bean gives the custard that deep, floral aroma that bottled extract can’t fully duplicate. However, if all you have is extract, don’t stress—it still makes a delicious custard. Just make sure to use heavy cream rather than substitutes; lighter dairy doesn’t thicken the same way and could cause the custard to bake unevenly. And don’t skip the pinch of salt—it brightens the vanilla and keeps the flavor from leaning too sweet.
Equipment Needed
- Medium saucepan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Fine mesh strainer
- Offset spatula
- 9-inch cake pan (or the dish you baked your sponge cake in)
- Baking sheet
- Small kitchen torch (or oven broiler)
- Measuring cups and spoons
A small kitchen torch truly makes the topping easier, but your broiler can work perfectly well if you keep a close eye on it. I personally love using a fine mesh strainer because it removes any little bits of cooked egg from the custard mixture, leaving the top silky and smooth. Reusing the same pan the cake was baked in makes assembling the cake extremely simple, but just double-check that the custard mixture won’t overflow. The offset spatula helps spread the custard evenly so that it bakes uniformly and sits beautifully on top of the cake.
Step-by-Step Instructions
When I begin making Crème Brûlée Cake, I always start with the sponge cake layer. You can bake your own or use a store-bought vanilla bean cake if you want to save time—I’ve done both, and honestly, both work beautifully. Once the cake cools completely, I keep it in the pan because the custard will sit right on top. You want to make sure the cake is fully cooled; I tried pouring custard over warm cake once and it caused the layers to blend rather than sit neatly on top.
Next, I heat the heavy cream in a saucepan with the scraped vanilla bean seeds and the pod itself. Every time the cream starts to warm, the smell of vanilla fills the air in the loveliest way. I let it heat just until steaming—not boiling—so the vanilla has time to infuse. While it heats, I whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in a bowl until they become pale and slightly thick. When the cream is ready, I temper the egg mixture by slowly pouring in a little hot cream while whisking constantly, then adding the rest. This step prevents the eggs from scrambling.(See the next page below to continue…)