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This Almond Custard Layer Cake is made with moist almond cake layers, a smooth almond custard and classic almond frosting! The flavor is light and lovely and I’m a big fan!
This was such a fun cake to make and even more fun to eat! The colors are also great for summer or any festive celebration. And even though it looks more fancy than your average cake, it’s actually fairly simple to do with a couple different sizes of round piping tips and an offset spatula.
So to get started with this cake, you’ll want to make the cake layers and custard filling. The cake layers are an almond version of this cake, which is a wonderfully moist, tender cake. It uses a mix of butter and oil to give you the lovely flavor of butter, with the moisture from oil. Yay!
The custard is made right over the stove with some egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and milk. The cornstarch thickens the custard as you heat it over the stove. As you heat the cornstarch with the milk and sugar, you’ll add it to the eggs to temper them and ensure that they heat up gradually, giving you a custard and not scrambled eggs. When the custard is done cooking, you’ll want it to cool completely before adding it to the cake. It’ll thicken while cooking, but thicken even more as it cools.
Once nice thing is that the cake layers and custard could be made a bit ahead, if you like. I wouldn’t suggest making the cake layers more than a day ahead though, if you really want the cake to be fresh. The custard could be made 2 to 3 days ahead though.
When you’re ready to put the cake together, you can make the frosting. It’s your classic american buttercream flavored with almond, which I love. If you plan on decorating it similarly to what I’ve done, you’ll just want to make sure to have the right consistency of frosting. Not so thick that it’s hard to work with, but not too thin to hold up well.
Once you’ve frosted the outside of the cake, it’s time for the fun to begin! Divide the remaining frosting evenly between three bowls and color them to the shades you want to work with.
I started the decorating with the sides of the cake and making the “spackled” look. You’ll want to take the tip of your 9 inch offset spatula and get a little bit of frosting on it. The size of the frosting you have on the tip of the spatula will end up being the size of the speck on the cake.
Once you have some frosting on your spatula, press it up against the side of the cake firmly, then quickly slide your spatula up and lift it off of the cake. Continue doing that and alternating colors until you’ve covered the bottom of the cake as you’d like.
The top of the cake uses two sized round tips to pipe little dollops of frosting around the edge. I find it’s helpful to start with one color and size and pipe a few of those around the edge, then grab another color and do the same thing. Once you’ve kind of evenly dispersed the three colors, go back and fill in the gaps with the size and colors that seem appropriate for the spaces left.
The final cake really is something to be proud of – pretty and yummy all in one! The custard is so smooth and creamy and has just the right amount of almond flavor. The cake is light and moist and the frosting is nicely sweet to compliment everything with plenty of almond flavor! It’s such a wonderful combination – love it! I hope you do too!
You might also like:
Almond Amaretto Cupcakes
Raspberry Almond Layer Cake
Almond Sheet Cake
Almond Custard Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12-14 Slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Almond Custard Layer Cake is made with moist almond cake layers, a smooth almond custard and classic almond frosting! The flavor is light and lovely and I’m a big fan!
Ingredients
CAKE LAYERS
- 2 1/2 cups (325g) all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (310g) sugar
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp almond extract
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) milk
CUSTARD
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (104g) sugar
- 2 tbsp, plus 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) milk
- 2 tbsp (28g) salted butter
- 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
FROSTING
- 1 1/4 cup (280g) salted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (237g) shortening
- 10 cups (1150g) powdered sugar
- 3 tsp almond extract
- 5–6 tbsp (75-90ml) water or milk
- Golden yellow gel icing color
- Pink gel icing color
- Teal gel icing color
Instructions
1. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
2. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
3. Add the butter, sugar, oil and almond extract to and large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
6. Slowly add the milk and mix until well combined. The batter will look curdled, but that’s ok.
7. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
9. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
TO MAKE THE CUSTARD:
10. While the cakes cool, make the custard. Put the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl and gently beat them together. Set aside.
11. Add the sugar, cornstarch and milk to a large saucepan and mix until combined.
12. Cook, stirring continuously, over medium-high heat until mixture begins to thicken and bubble.
14. Add a little bit of milk mixture to the egg yolks and whisk together, then add egg mixture to milk mixture. This process ensures that you don’t cook the egg yolks too quickly and get scrambled eggs.
15. Place the pan back on the heat and bring to a light boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
16. Remove from heat and add butter and almond extract. Stir until smooth, then set in the fridge to cool completely.
TO BUILD THE CAKE:
17. When everything has cooled, make the frosting. Combine the butter and shortening in a large mixer bowl until smooth.
18. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined.
19. Add the almond extract and 3-4 tablespoons of water or milk mix until well combined and smooth.
20. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until combined.
21. Add additional water or milk as needed to get the right consistency and mix until well combined and smooth.
22. To assemble the cake, use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the cakes.
23. Place the first layer of cake on a serving plate or a cardboard cake round. Pipe a dam of frosting around the outside of the cake. I use Ateco tip 808 for the dam so that it’s tall.
24. Spread half of the custard evenly on top of the cake layer, inside the dam, then smooth out the dam of frosting so that it’s all even.
25. Add the second layer of cake and repeat the dam and custard filling.
26. Add the final layer of cake on top, then smooth out the frosting around the sides of the cake.
27. Frost the outside of the cake (see my tutorial for frosting a smooth cake with buttercream).
28. Divide the remaining frosting evenly between three bowls. Color your frosting to your desired colors.
29. Use your offset spatula to create a “spackled” look. See the photos and description of how to do this in the written post above.
30. Use two sizes of round piping tip (I used Ateco 808 and Ateco 804) to pipe the dots onto the top of the cake around the edges.
31. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. Cake is best when eaten within 2-3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 1001
- Sugar: 101.1 g
- Sodium: 275.1 mg
- Fat: 54.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 121.3 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 174 mg
Categories
Enjoy!
Very excited to try this recipe! For the frosting, I don’t usually like to use shortening, can I use more butter instead? Also, can I bake all 3 layers in the oven at the same time?
Yes, you can just use more butter. You can bake all three cake pans in the oven at the same time, but you won’t want to bake all the batter in one pan. Does that make sense?
It turned out great! The only thing I changed is that I only made half of the called for icing because that’s an absolutely bonkers amount of buttercream for one cake.
How can I adjust this to be a white cake?
Is this recipe for the cake layers. https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/moist-vanilla-layer-cake/
Me encanto la receta , será mi favorita por siempre gracias 🥰👏🏻
Can i use custard powder instead of making the custard with egg yolks
I’ve never heard of custard powder. I’m not sure.
Hello,
Great recipe!
Can I also make this cake with mascarpone cream frosting instead of buttercream? Or does that change the cake a lot?
I would think any frosting you prefer would be fine.
Thank you for this!!! My husband asked for a recreation of a white doberge cake he had in New Orleans, which traditionally uses a “pudding” as the filling. This was exactly the recipe I needed! I baked it as a doberge, splitting the batter into seven layers and splitting the custard appropriately. I’ve never made custard before but it came out great!! I halved the frosting recipe as the doberge called for poured fondant, but everything came out wonderfully—even my chocolate-only mom said it was delicious! First recipe I’ve tried from you, I think I’ve found another reliable baking site 🙂
That’s great and I’m so glad you enjoyed!
These look delicious!! I have to make cupcakes for a bridal shower and was wondering if this batter and filling could be used cupcakes instead.
Yes, it can. You can find something similar here to use as a bit of a guide.
Hi! I love your recipes as well as my family! One quick question. I’ve been practicing to make beautiful like yours, are your cake pan S truly just the 8 inch or the 8×2? Thanks so much!
They are 8 inch pans, but they are the 8×2 inch. However, 8×3 would work just fine also. The height of the pan isn’t significant as long as it’s at least 2 inches in height.
Hi can i make it into 7 inch tins. If so how many layers will it give me? 4?
Also will the cake be soft if eaten straight out if the fridge or its better at room temperature?
Thanks
Susan
You can make it in 7 inch pans. I haven’t tried it myself, so I’m not really sure but I would think four layers would work. I would recommend letting the cake come closer to room temperature to serve.
Is there an advantage to making the icing “dam” so wide? I can’t say I noticed it on your other layer cakes (because most were icing layers), but I can’t decide if I like the look of the contrast where the icing meets the custard (just a personal thing!). But, if it makes the layers more stable, I can see the need. Once again, your creativity in decorating shines through! And, I love how the cake stands always compliment the cake! I’m sure you’ve been “collecting” them for a long time, but do you have a favorite source?
I personally use a wider dam with some fillings just to be sure the cake is stable. You could probably make this one a little less wide, I just usually err on the side of caution. I tend to agree with you on the look though. For the cake stands – I actually get most of them at Home Goods, but this one is actually from Wayfair (they also have one in white and pink).
I love it!!! ????????????????????????????
Thank you!