Peach magic custard cake
Serves: 8
Prep time: 20 mins Total time: 
Recipe photograph by Maja Smend
Peach magic custard cake
This rustic cake is magic because the batter separates into three layers during baking, yielding a sponge-cake-like top,
a creamy custardy middle and a chewy, fudgy base layer. Tinned peaches from the storecupboard add colour and texture, but tinned or fresh apricots would work just as well
Serves: 8
Prep time: 20 mins Total time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
364Kcal
Fat
20gr
Saturates
11gr
Carbs
37gr
Sugars
25gr
Fibre
1gr
Protein
9gr
Salt
0.5gr
Tamsin Burnett-Hall
Tamsin learned the tricks of the trade from cookery legend Delia Smith. A trusted recipe writer for the magazine for over 25 years, she is now our Senior Food Producer, overseeing testing and editing to ensure that every recipe tastes great, is straightforward to follow and works without fail. In her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
See more of Tamsin Burnett-Hall’s recipes
Tamsin Burnett-Hall
Tamsin learned the tricks of the trade from cookery legend Delia Smith. A trusted recipe writer for the magazine for over 25 years, she is now our Senior Food Producer, overseeing testing and editing to ensure that every recipe tastes great, is straightforward to follow and works without fail. In her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
See more of Tamsin Burnett-Hall’s recipes
Ingredients
- 1 x 411g tin peach slices in fruit juice
- 125g salted butter
- 4 medium eggs, separated
- 150g caster sugar
- zest and juice of 1⁄2 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 125g plain flour, sifted
- 500ml whole milk
- 25g flaked almonds
- icing sugar, to dust
Step by step
Get ahead
Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. Best served at room temperature.
- Drain the peach slices, chop roughly and pat dry on kitchen paper. Melt the butter, then use a little to brush a 23cm diameter springform tin. Take a large square of baking paper and crumple it up tightly then unfold and press into the tin to line it – as the cake batter is quite liquid, you want a liner without any gaps. Brush the inside of the paper with a bit more butter and preheat the oven to 170°C, fan 150°C, gas 31⁄2.
- Put the egg yolks and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 3-4 minutes until pale and thick. Whisk in the lemon zest, juice and vanilla, then mix in the rest of the melted butter before beating in all but 1 tablespoon of the flour.
- Gently warm the milk, just until it’s barely warm to the touch. Gradually beat the milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking well between additions.
- Clean the beaters thoroughly then whisk the egg whites to soft peaks in a separate bowl. Fold into the cake batter (which will be quite liquid), then pour this into the prepared cake tin. Toss the peach chunks with the reserved 1 tablespoon of flour and scatter gently over the cake, followed by the flaked almonds. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the cake is risen and golden; it should still have a good wobble, but without being liquid in the centre.
- Leave the cake to cool in the tin; it will sink as it cools, so don’t worry – it’s meant to look rustic and slightly collapsed. Unmould from the tin and dust with icing sugar to serve.
