Swirl Cake with Custard: The Anti-Sinking Trick for a Perfect Spiral
Is your custard sinking during baking? Here’s the secret for a spiral that won’t collapse!
Have you ever made a cake with custard but the filling sank, became runny or stayed at the bottom?
This is a common mistake you must absolutely avoid, especially with soft cakes like Torta Nua.
This Swirl Cake with Custard (or Swirl Torta Nua) is the solution: an extremely soft and fragrant cake.
I’ll reveal my trick to prepare and pipe the custard so it stays firm on the surface and creates a magical spiral that will make you shine. Easy and perfect for any occasion!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 11-inch pan
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients For 10 people (11-inch pan)
- 3 eggs
- 180 g granulated sugar (about 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp — approx. 6.35 oz)
- 260 g 00 flour / all-purpose flour (about 2 1/8 cups — approx. 9.2 oz)
- 90 g milk (about 3/8 cup / ~3 fl oz)
- 80 ml vegetable oil (1/3 cup)
- 1/2 bustina baking powder sachet (1/2 sachet — about 2 tsp)
- 1 fiala vanilla extract vial (about 1 tsp)
- 1 egg (for the custard)
- 45 g granulated sugar (custard) (about 3 tbsp + 2 tsp — approx. 1.6 oz)
- 40 g flour (custard) (about 1/3 cup — approx. 1.4 oz)
- 250 ml milk (custard) (about 1 cup + 2 tbsp — approx. 8.5 fl oz)
- lemon zest
Tools
- 2 Saucepans
- Hand whisk
- 2 Bowls
- Cling film (plastic wrap)
- Electric hand mixer
- Springform pan
- Piping bag
Procedure SWIRL CAKE WITH CUSTARD
Heat the milk: In a small saucepan, warm the milk with a piece of lemon zest.
Work the egg: In a second small saucepan, combine the egg, the sugar and the flour. Mix with a whisk until smooth.
Thicken: Remove the lemon zest and pour the hot milk in a thin stream, stirring. Put over the heat and continue stirring until the custard thickens.
The Anti-Sinking Trick: Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover it with cling film directly on the surface (the film must touch the custard to prevent a skin) and let it cool completely in the refrigerator. The custard must be firm before being used on the cake.Whip: In a bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Liquids: Add the vegetable oil, the milk and the lemon extract (or vanilla), mixing well.
Dry ingredients: Add the flour little by little and finally the baking powder, mixing briefly with the mixer.Prepare: Take an 11-inch pan, grease and flour it, then pour in the batter.
The Spiral: Put the cold and firm custard into a piping bag. Cut the tip and, starting from the center of the cake, form a spiral on the surface of the batter.
Perfect Baking: Bake in a preheated oven at:
Convection oven: 338 °F for about 25 minutes.
Conventional oven: 356 °F for about 25 minutes.
Finishing: Let cool slightly before removing from the pan and, if desired, dust with powdered sugar.
Notes on Ingredients and Storage
Custard: Using flour as a thickener makes it ideal for oven baking and ensures the spiral stays in place.
Milk and Oil: Using vegetable oil instead of butter guarantees a soft and light cake that stays moist longer.
Storage: The Swirl Cake with Custard can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Take the cake out 30 minutes before serving.
Variations
Gluten-Free Version: Replace the cake flour with 300 g rice flour + 200 g cornstarch (about 1 7/8 cups rice flour + 1 2/3 cups cornstarch). For the custard, replace the flour with 30 g cornstarch (about 1/4 cup).
Chocolate Version: For a Chocolate Swirl Cake, replace 40 g of the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of cocoa powder (about 1/3 cup) in the batter. Replace the lemon extract with vanilla extract.
Air Fryer: Halve the quantities, use a 9-inch pan and bake at 320 °F for 25 minutes.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
1. What is the secret to prevent the custard from sinking?
The secret is temperature: the custard must be completely cooled (better if refrigerated) before being placed on the raw batter. Its consistency must be firm.
2. Can I prepare the custard in advance?
Yes, the custard can be prepared up to one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator (always covered with cling film directly on the surface).
3. How long does the cake keep?
It can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I recommend taking it out 30 minutes before serving to enjoy it at its best.
