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Sugar Cake and Caramel Frozen Custard Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 61 reviews
  • Author: lilan
  • Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x

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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

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

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Find it online: https://cooklilan.com/sugar-cake-and-caramel-frozen-custard-recipe/