Sugar Cake and Caramel Frozen Custard Recipe

Introduction

This Sugar Cake and Caramel Frozen Custard is a delightful treat combining a crunchy, sweet cake with rich homemade caramel and creamy frozen custard. Perfect for warm days or any time you crave a luscious dessert with texture and flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 3/4 cups sugar (plus more for finishing)
• 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons ghee (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (room temperature)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 pinches salt
• 1/4 cup dry milk powder

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9×9-inch cake pan with cooking spray, then dust it with a few tablespoons of flour, rotating to cover all surfaces. Discard any excess flour.
2. Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and ghee on medium speed until smooth, fluffy, and pale yellow. Lower the speed and slowly pour in the whipping cream while mixing.
3. Step 3: Gradually add the flour and baking powder to the mixture on low speed, blending until the batter is smooth and fully combined.
4. Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle sugar evenly over the top to create a crunchy crust.
5. Step 5: Bake on the center rack for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the crust is golden brown. Cool on a rack for 10–15 minutes, then cut into small crouton-like pieces.
6. Step 6: For the caramel (dulce de leche), melt butter and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the mixture thickens and becomes frothy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in cream until smooth. Let cool 10 minutes, then stir in vanilla, vinegar, and salt.
7. Step 7: To make the frozen custard, whisk sugar, salt, and egg yolks together in a medium bowl until combined. Set aside.
8. Step 8: Warm milk and cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat without boiling. Stir in dry milk powder and heat until small bubbles form along the edges.
9. Step 9: Temper the egg mixture by gradually adding about 1 cup of warm milk to it, stirring constantly. Add another cup of milk and stir again. Pour the tempered eggs back into the saucepan.
10. Step 10: Cook the custard over medium heat, stirring continuously and avoiding boiling. Use a thermometer to keep the temperature below 180°F. The custard is ready when it coats a spoon and you can draw a line through it with your finger.
11. Step 11: Strain the custard into a bowl placed in a larger bowl filled with ice water. Stir until it reaches room temperature, adding more ice as needed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
12. Step 12: When chilled, churn the custard in an ice cream maker for about 15 minutes until soft-serve consistency. Fold in the sugar cake pieces gently.
13. Step 13: Layer custard, drizzled with caramel sauce, and cake pieces in a freezer-safe container. Repeat layers and finish with caramel. Cover and freeze for 4 hours or overnight to firm up before serving.

Tips & Variations

• Use room temperature ingredients to ensure better mixing and a lighter cake texture.
• Substitute ghee with unsalted butter if unavailable, adjusting the quantity slightly for richness.
• For a stronger caramel flavor, brown the butter slightly before adding sugar in the dulce de leche step.
• Try adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the cake batter for a warm spice twist.
• If you don’t have an ice cream maker, freeze the custard in a container, stirring every 30 minutes until firm.

Storage

Store the finished frozen custard in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one week. When ready to serve, let it thaw at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes for easier scooping. Leftover cake pieces can be kept in an airtight container for 2–3 days but are best fresh.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the sugar cake ahead of time?

Yes, you can bake the sugar cake a day in advance. Store cooled cake pieces in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to fold into the custard.

What if I don’t have ghee? Can I use butter instead?

Yes, unsalted butter works well as a substitute for ghee. It may slightly change the flavor but will still produce a delicious cake.

Sugar Cake and Caramel Frozen Custard Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 150 reviews

• Author: Elara
• Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x

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Description

This recipe combines a rich and buttery Sugar Cake with a luscious Dulce de Leche and a creamy Caramel Frozen Custard. The sugar cake boasts a crunchy, caramelized crust and soft, fluffy interior. The dulce de leche sauce is made from scratch by cooking butter and sugar until thick and frothy, then blending in cream and flavorings. The custard is a classic caramel-infused frozen treat, tempered with milk and cream, churned to soft-serve perfection, and layered with chunks of sugar cake and drizzles of dulce de leche for a decadent dessert experience.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Sugar Cake

• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 3/4 cups sugar (plus more for finishing)
• 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons ghee (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (room temperature)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Dulce de Leche Sauce

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Caramel Frozen Custard

• 1 cup sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 pinches salt
• 1/4 cup dry milk powder

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Instructions

1. Prepare Sugar Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons ghee. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, blend until the mixture is smooth, fluffy, and light yellow in color. Reduce to low speed and slowly pour in 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, continuing to mix on low.
2. Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder to the wet ingredients, mixing thoroughly to form a smooth batter.
3. Prepare Cake Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Coat a 9×9-inch cake pan with cooking spray, then add a few tablespoons of flour to the pan and rotate to lightly coat all surfaces. Discard any excess flour.
4. Bake Sugar Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle additional sugar over the top to create the signature crunchy crust. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the crust is golden brown. Let the cake cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into crouton-like pieces.
5. Make Dulce de Leche Sauce: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/4 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar melts and the mixture becomes thick and frothy, resembling lava, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream until fully incorporated. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
6. Prepare Custard Base: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup sugar, 2 pinches salt, and 6 egg yolks just until combined. Set aside. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream without boiling. When warm, whisk in 1/4 cup dry milk powder until dissolved. Continue heating until small bubbles form along the edges.
7. Temper Eggs: Slowly pour about 1 cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while stirring to temper the eggs. Repeat with another cup of milk, then pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.
8. Cook Custard: Stir constantly over medium heat, ensuring the mixture does not boil, and maintain temperature below 180°F (82°C). The custard is ready when it thickly coats a spoon or a line can be drawn on the back of the spoon with your finger. Strain the custard through a sieve into a bowl to remove any curdled bits.
9. Chill Custard: Place the bowl of custard inside a larger bowl filled with ice water to cool quickly, stirring occasionally until it reaches room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
10. Churn Frozen Custard: Once the custard is chilled and your ice cream maker is ready, pour the custard into the freezer bowl. Churn for approximately 15 minutes or until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. If the mixture appears too thin and ingredients have settled, gently stir to combine.
11. Assemble and Freeze: Gently mix in the sugar cake pieces into the churned custard. Transfer some custard to a freezer-safe container, drizzle with dulce de leche sauce, then layer more custard and dulce de leche, repeating until all components are used. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight until firm.

Notes

• Room temperature ingredients help create a smooth batter and custard.
• Do not let the custard boil to avoid curdling; maintain a temperature below 180°F.
• Tempering the eggs is essential to prevent scrambling when combining with hot milk.
• Cooling the custard quickly improves texture and flavor preservation.
• Use a 9×9-inch cake pan for best results; baking times may vary slightly with different pan sizes.
• If using an ice cream maker, ensure the freezer bowl is thoroughly frozen beforehand.
• Dulce de leche can be stored separately in the refrigerator and drizzled right before serving.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Spanish

Keywords: Sugar Cake, Dulce de Leche, Frozen Custard, Caramel Dessert, Spanish Dessert, Homemade Ice Cream, Custard Recipe