Magic Cake
The original Magic Cake recipe from JoCooks, first shared in 2013 and still one of the most made recipes on the blog. 1 thin batter poured into a pan and baked at low heat until it separates on its own into 3 completely distinct layers: a dense base, a creamy custard middle, and a light sponge top. 7 basic ingredients, no special equipment, and a result that surprises people every single time.
Servings: 9
Calories: 247kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 8 tablespoons butter unsalted and melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk lukewarm
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease a 8 inch x 8 inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper so that it's easier to get the cake out.
- Separate the eggs and beat the egg yolks with the sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add butter and vanilla extract and continue beating for another minute or two until well incorporated.
- Add the flour and mix until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Slowly start adding the milk and beat until everything is well mixed together.
- Add the egg whites to a mixer and mix until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter until well combined. Another variation to folding in the egg whites would be to whisk them in to the cake batter, this is a lot faster and easier. Make sure you don't fold the egg whites in completely, you still want to see some of the white bits floating at the top.
- Pour batter into baking dish and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for 40 to 70 minutes or until the top is lightly golden. The baking time could vary greatly depending on the oven, so take a peek at around 40 minutes and see how it looks.
- Sprinkle some powdered sugar after cake has cooled. Cut it into squares and serve.
Video
Notes
- Do not fully mix in the egg whites. Fold them in until about 90 percent combined and stop. You should still see white streaks in the batter when it goes into the pan. Those streaks become the sponge top layer. If the egg whites are fully mixed in the batter is uniform and the layers will not form. This is the single step that determines whether the cake works or not. Fold gently, stop early, pour immediately.
- Use room temperature eggs and lukewarm milk. Cold egg whites will not whip to stiff peaks, which means no sponge layer. Cold milk causes the butter to solidify in the batter and disrupts the layer separation. Pull the eggs out an hour before baking and warm the milk to around 100°F before adding it. Both matter more than most people expect.
- Cool completely before cutting. The custard middle layer sets as the cake cools. Cutting it warm collapses the custard into a soft mess and the 3 layers disappear into each other. Give it a full hour at room temperature or refrigerate for 30 minutes. The cake is so much better cold anyway. The wait is worth it.
- The bake time varies widely. Anywhere from 40 to 70 minutes depending on the oven. Start checking at 40 minutes. The cake is done when the top is lightly golden and the center has only a very slight jiggle when the pan is shaken gently. It should feel firm to the touch, not liquid underneath. If in doubt, give it another 5 minutes and check again.
Nutrition
Serving: 1piece | Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 470IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 1mg
