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, in her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
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, in her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
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.
