Sugar Cake and Caramel Frozen Custard Recipe

Introduction

This Sugar Cake and Caramel Frozen Custard dessert combines a crunchy sugar cake with rich, creamy caramel custard. It’s a delightful treat perfect for warm days or whenever you crave a sweet, indulgent frozen dessert with layered flavors.

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. Spray a 9×9-inch cake pan with cooking spray and coat it lightly with flour, discarding any excess that doesn’t stick.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, beat the eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, and ghee with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth, fluffy, and pale yellow. Lower speed and slowly add 1/2 cup whipping cream.
3. Step 3: Gradually add the flour and baking powder to the mixture on low speed until fully combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with extra sugar to form a crunchy crust.
4. Step 4: Bake on the center rack for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the crust is golden brown. Cool for 10-15 minutes, then cut into small crouton-like pieces.
5. Step 5: For the caramel sauce, combine butter and sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook until sugar melts and the mixture becomes thick and frothy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 1/2 cup cream until smooth. Cool 10 minutes, then stir in vanilla, vinegar, and salt.
6. Step 6: For the frozen custard, whisk sugar, salt, and egg yolks in a bowl until just combined. In a saucepan, warm milk and cream without boiling, then whisk in dry milk powder. Heat until small bubbles form at the edges.
7. Step 7: Temper the eggs by gradually adding warm milk to them in two parts, stirring constantly. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and gently cook over medium heat, not boiling, stirring until custard thickens enough to coat a spoon or hold a line drawn with your finger. Strain into a bowl and set over an ice bath to cool quickly.
8. Step 8: Stir the custard until it reaches room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
9. Step 9: When chilled, churn custard in an ice cream maker until soft-serve consistency. Gently fold in the cake pieces.
10. Step 10: Layer custard and drizzle caramel sauce in a freezer-safe container. Repeat layers, cover, and freeze for 4 hours or overnight until firm.

Tips & Variations

• Use ghee or clarified butter for a richer flavor and moist cake texture.
• For a deeper caramel taste, try substituting the apple cider vinegar with a splash of bourbon or rum in the dulce de leche.
• To mix things up, add chopped nuts or chocolate chips into the cake batter before baking.
• If you don’t have a stand mixer, a hand whisk works well if you beat vigorously for the batter.

Storage

Store the finished frozen custard in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one week. To serve, let it soften at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes before scooping. Leftover caramel sauce can be refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to two weeks and gently reheated before use.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular butter instead of ghee?

Yes, you can substitute unsalted butter for ghee, but ghee helps create a moister cake with a richer flavor and higher melting point for better texture.

Do I need an ice cream maker for the custard?

While an ice cream maker is best for smooth, creamy custard, you can also freeze the custard and stir vigorously every 30 minutes to mimic churning, though texture may vary.

Sugar Cake and Caramel Frozen Custard Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 61 reviews

• Author: lilan
• Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x

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Description

This delightful recipe combines a crunchy sugar cake known as bica gallega with rich caramel dulce de leche and a smooth, creamy frozen custard. The cake’s characteristic sugary crust provides texture, while the luscious caramel and creamy custard create a perfect balance of flavors and cold indulgence, ideal for a special dessert or summer treat.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Sugar Cake (Bica Gallega)

• 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 (Caramel 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

Frozen Custard

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

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Oven and Cake Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Coat a 9×9-inch cake pan with cooking spray, then sprinkle a few tablespoons of flour into the pan. Tilt and rotate until all surfaces are lightly coated, discarding any excess flour that doesn’t stick.
2. Mix Sugar Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, place the eggs, sugar, and ghee. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, blend until the mixture is smooth, fluffy, and has lightened in color to pale yellow. Reduce the speed to low and slowly pour in the whipping cream, mixing gently.
3. Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour and baking powder to the egg mixture while continuing to mix on low speed. Mix until the batter is well combined and smooth.
4. Bake the Sugar Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle additional sugar evenly over the top to create the signature crunchy crust. Bake on the center rack for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the crust is golden brown. Adjust time if using a different pan size. Let the cake cool for 10 to 15 minutes on a cooling rack before cutting into small crouton-like pieces.
5. Make Dulce de Leche: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sugar together. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts and the mixture becomes thick and frothy, resembling lava, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the heavy cream until smooth. Let cool about 10 minutes, then stir in vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, and salt.
6. Prepare Frozen Custard Base – Mix Eggs and Sugar: In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, salt, and egg yolks until just combined. Set aside.
7. Warm Milk and Cream: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine whole milk and heavy cream. Warm gently without boiling. Stir in dry milk powder and whisk until dissolved. Continue heating until small bubbles form along the edges.
8. Temper Egg Mixture: Slowly add about 1 cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, stirring constantly. Add another cup of warm milk, continuing to stir. Then pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.
9. Cook Custard: Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, ensuring the temperature stays below 180°F. The custard is ready when it thickly coats the back of a spoon or a line can be drawn through it with a finger. Do not boil. Pour the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove any cooked egg bits.
10. Chill Custard: Place the custard bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice water to cool quickly. Stir occasionally and keep adding ice as needed until it reaches room temperature. Cover the custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
11. Churn Frozen Custard: Once chilled, pour the custard into the prepared freezer bowl of your ice cream maker. Churn according to manufacturer’s instructions for about 15 minutes until a soft-serve texture is achieved.
12. Assemble the Frozen Dessert: Gently fold in the sugar cake pieces into the churned custard. Transfer a layer of custard to a freezer-safe container, drizzle with a layer of dulce de leche, then repeat layering custard and dulce de leche until all components are used.
13. Freeze the Final Dessert: Cover the container and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight to firm up before serving.

Notes

• To ensure a crunchy crust on the sugar cake, do not skip sprinkling extra sugar on top before baking.
• Tempering the egg yolks slowly with warm milk prevents the eggs from scrambling in the custard.
• Keep the custard temperature under 180°F to avoid curdling and maintain silky texture.
• If you do not have an ice cream maker, you can place the custard in the freezer and stir every 30 minutes until firm.
• Using room temperature ingredients helps to achieve a smooth batter and custard without lumps.
• Apple cider vinegar in the dulce de leche enhances the caramel flavor without making it tangy.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Spanish

Keywords: Sugar cake, Bica Gallega, Dulce de Leche, Frozen custard, caramel custard dessert, Spanish dessert, frozen custard recipe