Chocolate Custard Cake
Make this chocolate lover's dream come true! This Chocolate Custard Cake is packed with layers of chocolate goodness and is the perfect dessert for any occasion. Featuring moist, eggless chocolate cake layers filled with creamy, smooth chocolate custard. This easy-to-make cake is perfect for birthdays, special celebrations, or to spoil a chocolate lover, this cake is a crowd-pleaser. The rich custard filling adds a unique twist, setting it apart from traditional chocolate cakes, and it can easily be made dairy-free and vegan. Enjoy with friends and family, or as a special treat to yourself!
Yield: 10 servings
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Equipment
- 2 8-inch Round Cake Pans (20cm)
Ingredients
Chocolate Custard Ingredients
- 480 ml Chocolate Milk* or plain milk
- 70 g Cane Sugar or castor sugar
- 1 tbsp Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
- 45 g Cornstarch
- 60 g Unsalted Butter*
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 125 g Dark Chocolate* 55% - 60% or semi sweet chocolate
Chocolate Cake Ingredients
- 240 ml Milk* room temperature
- 1 tbsp White Vinegar* or lemon juice
- 300 g Cane Sugar* or castor sugar
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 130 ml Vegetable Oil* or any neutral oil
- 225 g All Purpose Flour
- 60 g Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
- 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 195 ml Boiling Water or Freshly Brewed Coffee
Instructions
Custard Instructions
- In a medium-sized pot combine milk, sugar, cocoa powder and cornstarch.
- Stir on low - medium heat until it starts to thicken. Continue to mix when it comes to a boil for a minute on low heat. Make sure it is very thick, and starch is cooked.
- Remove from heat, Add butter, vanilla, salt and chocolate.
- Mix until it is smooth.
- Transfer into a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap.
- Let it cool in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
- Whip with an electric whisk or a food processor to get a smooth consistency. Avoid over-whisking as it may change the consistency of the custard and make it less stable. Keep it cold.
Cake Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉(175℃)
- Grease & line with two 8-inch (20cm) round cake pans with baking paper.
- In a bowl combine milk & vinegar. Let it sit for 5 min until curdled.
- Add oil, vanilla extract & sugar. Stir with a whisk until sugar is dissolved.
- Add all the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt) & mix until combined.
- Add boiling water or freshly brewed coffee and mix until combined.
- Divide the cake batter equally into the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for roughly 25-30 min or longer until firm to touch.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
Cake Assembly Instructions
- Trim a thin layer of both cakes to level them with a serrated knife to ensure they stack evenly. Reserve the trimmings to decorate the cake.
- Place a small amount of custard on the center of your cake stand or serving plate.
- Place one layer of the cake on a cake stands or plate.
- Using an ice-cream scoop, add at least 6-7 scoops of custard and spread it evenly over the top of the first cake layer.
- Carefully place the second cake layer on top of the frosted first layer. Align it as evenly as possible.
- Apply a crumb coat by spreading a thin layer of custard over the entire cake. This layer seals in any crumbs and creates a smooth surface for the final coat. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- After the crumb coat has set, apply the final layer of custard. Smooth it out with the offset spatula.
- Crumble the cake trimmings into smaller pieces in a food processor. Gently press the crumbled cake trimmings onto the frosted sides, working your way around the cake until it’s fully covered.
- Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes to allow the custard to set and make slicing easier.
- Once the cake is chilled and the frosting is set, remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to fully develop.
Notes
- Cup vs weighing scale: The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it's recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams.
- Before you start to make any recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the process will go smoothly and easily.
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with for accuracy.
- Milk: You can use any dairy-free unsweetened milk (like almond, soy, oat) or dairy based whole milk.
- Butter: Dairy-free butter sticks or any butter of your choice.
- Lemon Juice: You can substitute with Apple Cider Vinegar / White Vinegar and vice-versa.
- Sugar: Cane sugar can be substituted with granulated sugar or castor sugar. Ensure the sugar is vegan-friendly (some sugars are processed with bone char) or organic cane sugar.
- Chocolate: Use dark or semi-sweet baking chocolate chips / 60% or higher couverture chocolate / good quality 60% or higher chocolate bar. For the vegan version, use dark chocolate of any dairy-free chocolate brand (make sure it doesn't contain milk solids or butter) but cocoa butter is totally fine.