I snapped on this Creme Brulee Pound Cake y’all! It’s got all the vibes of classic creme brulee, but we’re leveling up with a buttery pound cake that’s so dang good, you’ll wanna keep the whole thing for yourself. And that torched sugar topping? It’s the bomb! You get that satisfying crack when you dig in, just like the OG creme brulee. Get into it!
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How to make Creme Brulee Pound Cake
Mix the Batter and Bake
Step 1: Add butter and sugar and mix on high until very pale yellow and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, combining well after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 2: Reduce speed of the mixer to low and slowly add flour in two increments. Add salt and baking soda. Mix until just combined. Add in sour cream and vanilla extract.
Step 3: Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix on medium speed until combined.
Step 4: Pour cake batter into prepared pan and bake until golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached.
Prep the Pastry Cream
Step 5: Pour half and half, 1/3 of sugar and vanilla bean or paste to a small saucepan. Heat on medium low until mixture is hot and one or two small wisps of steam just begin to rise.
Step 6: Whisk together egg yolks and 1/3 sugar in a medium bowl until thick. Sift together flour and remaining 1/3 of sugar in a small bowl. Pour the dry mix into the yolk mixture. Whisk until combined. Mixture will be very thick.
Step 7: Slowly stream about ½ cup (just eyeball it) of hot half and half into the egg yolks mixture while whisking quickly. This will gently raise the temperature of the eggs, so they don’t scramble. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Continue cooking on medium low while whisking constantly, paying special attention to the corners of the pan. Custard will begin to thicken and have a sheen to it.
Step 8: Immediately remove from the heat and strain through the prepared fine-mesh sieve into the medium bowl. Press on the custard with a spoon or spatula until pressed through. Stir in butter while warm. Place the bowl in an ice bath, stirring occasionally until smooth. Once cooled, place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream and chill in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
Carve, Top and Torch It
Step 9: Scoop out a tunnel in-between the center and the edge, all around the top of the cake using a teaspoon or #70 scoop. Brush off any crumbs.
Step 10: Pipe pastry cream into the tunnel, then smooth with an offset spatula.
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Step 11: Sprinkle an even layer of the sugar on top of the surface of the cake and cream. Using a torch, brulee the sugar until it turns an amber color and hardens. Be careful not to burn it!
Crème Brulée Pound Cake Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Pastry Cream
- 1 cup half and half
- ¼ cup granulated sugar divided
- ½ vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the Cake
- 1 ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 2 ¾ cups cake flour sifted after measuring
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sugar for bruleeing
- Assorted berries for serving
Instructions
For the Pastry Cream
- Prepare an ice bath by adding ice and water to a large bowl. Have a medium bowl with a fine-mesh sieve ready nearby.
- In a small 1.5-quart saucepan, add half and half, 1/3 of sugar and vanilla bean or paste. Heat on medium low until mixture is hot and one or two small wisps of steam just begin to rise, about 5-6 minutes. Do not bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, place a medium bowl on top of a wet paper towel (this will give you stability when whisking) and in the bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 1/3 sugar until thick. In a small bowl, sift together flour and remaining 1/3 of sugar. Then pour into the yolk mixture and whisk until combined. Mixture will be very thick.
- When half and half is hot, slowly stream about ½ cup (just eyeball it) into the egg yolks mixture while whisking quickly. This will gently raise the temperature of the eggs, so they don’t scramble.
- Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and continue cooking for about 7-8 minutes on medium low, while whisking constantly, paying special attention to the corners of the pan. Custard will begin to thicken and have a sheen to it. You can tell when the custard is properly thickened when the whisk begins to leave a trail, and the mixture holds its shape when dropped from the whisk.
- Immediately remove from the heat and strain through the prepared fine-mesh sieve into the medium bowl. Press on the custard with a spoon or spatula until pressed through. Stir in butter while warm, then place in an ice bath, stirring occasionally until smooth. Once cooled, place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream and chill in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
For the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 325F. Set oven rack in middle position. Prepare a 12-cup tube pan by spraying the bottom, sides, and tube liberally with nonstick baking spray.
- In your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add butter and sugar and mix on high until very pale yellow and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Next, add eggs one at a time, combining well after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Reduce speed of the mixer to low and slowly add flour in two increments. Then add salt and baking soda. Mix until just combined.
- Lastly, add in sour cream and vanilla extract, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute.
- Pour cake batter into prepared pan and bake until golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached, 1 hour 20-30 minutes.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto serving plate and continue cooling until cool to the touch, about 2 hours or at least an hour.
To Assembly
- Once the cake has completely cooled, using a teaspoon or #70 scoop, scoop out a ½-inch deep tunnel in-between the center and the edge, all around the top of the cake. Brush off any crumbs.
- Place pastry cream in a pastry bag (or a makeshift one using the corner of a large zip-top bag).
- Pipe pastry cream into the tunnel, then smooth with an offset spatula.
- One quarter of the cake at a time, sprinkle an even layer of the sugar on top of the surface of the cake and cream. Using a torch, brulee the sugar until it turns an amber color and hardens. Be careful not to burn it. Repeat with the remaining top of the cake and sugar.
- Slice the cake and place each slice on its side and sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar on the cut side of the cake. Again using a torch, brulee the surface. Garnish with fresh berries and serve immediately.
Notes
How to store Creme Brulee Pound Cake
Once you’ve assembled the cake with the pastry cream, it’s a race against the clock. You can enjoy it within 3 hours boos, because that crispy brulee topping waits for no one! So if you want to store it, you’ll have to store the cake and pastry cream separately. Wrap the cooled pound cake tightly in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature. For the pastry cream, double-wrap it with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface and stash it in the fridge.How long will Creme Brulee Pound Cake last in the fridge?
If unassembled, the cake will stay moist for 3-4 days at room temp, and the pastry cream holds strong for 2 days in the fridge.Can I freeze creme brulee cake?
Yep, you can freeze this beauty! Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and then foil to keep it extra safe. The cake will stay fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer. The pastry cream? That’s freezable too, store it in an airtight container, but let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Just remember, no torchin’ until you’re ready to serve!Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Soft Butter is Key: Make sure your butter is soft to the touch before mixing. If it’s too cold, you’ll end up with lumps in your batter. Leave it out for about 30 mins, or give it a quick zap in the microwave on low for a few seconds.
- Anchor That Bowl: When whisking your pastry cream, don’t skip putting a wet paper towel under the bowl. Trust me boos, I’ve had one too many close calls with my bowl slipping, and cleaning up spilled custard is a PAIN.
- Whisk Like Your Life Depends On It: When streaming the hot half-and-half into the egg yolks mixture, you have to whisk quickly and constantly. Stop for even a second, and you’ll have scrambled eggs instead of silky pastry cream.
- Brulee Like a Pro: Hold your kitchen torch about 3-4 inches from the sugar, and move it in a continuous motion over the surface. You’ll want to caramelize it for about 2 minutes, or until it’s a gorgeous amber color. Don’t hover too long in one spot, or you’ll burn the whole thang!
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: If you’ve only got salted butter in the fridge, skip the added salt in the recipe.
- Make It Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour, like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur.
- Half-and-Half: Mix equal parts whole milk and heavy cream, and you’ll have the perfect sub without a grocery run.
- Sour Cream: Thick Greek yogurt works like a charm too.
Recipe Help
A tube pan is necessary for this creme brulee pound cake recipe because it creates a flat, stable surface on top of the cake. This is super important when you brulee the sugar because uneven surfaces can burn or caramelize unevenly.
Grab a metal spoon you don’t love too much and hold it over a high flame on your stove until it’s red-hot. Then, press the hot spoon gently over the sugar on the cake to caramelize it. It’s a little slow, but hey, it gets the job done boos!
Nope! If you’re not serving the whole cake right away, brulee individual slices instead. Just sprinkle sugar on a slice, torch it, and serve.
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Can I use vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean or the vanilla paste? And if so, how much?
You can use just 1 teaspoon of vanilla for the pastry cream as a replacement.
This cake is so moist and flavorful! I enjoyed making it just as much as I and my guests enjoyed eating it. Thank you Grandbaby Cakes!!
Wow so glad you enjoyed this!
Tasted delicious
Thank you!!