Layered Vanilla Custard & Lemon Curd Birthday Cake

Instrucciones

1. 1

   Make the vanilla custard (pastry cream) first — it needs time to chill. Heat the milk with scraped vanilla bean and seeds until almost simmering. Whisk egg yolks with sugar until pale, add cornstarch until smooth. Temper the yolks with hot milk, return to saucepan and cook over medium, whisking constantly until thick and glossy and bubbling. Boil 20–30 seconds to cook starch. Remove from heat, whisk in cold butter and rum/vanilla. Press plastic wrap on surface. Chill until cold (at least 2 hours).

2. 2

   While custard chills, make lemon curd. In a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in a saucepan, whisk sugar, lemon zest, juice and egg yolks. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 8–10 minutes). Remove from heat, whisk in cold butter and salt until glossy. Strain through fine sieve, cool, cover surface with plastic. Chill.

3. 3

   Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans (or two 9-inch pans; adjust layering). Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.

4. 4

   Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy — 4–6 minutes. Scrape bowl. Add eggs one at a time, then yolks, mixing well after each. Add vanilla extract, vanilla bean seeds and almond extract. Mixture should be thick and glossy.

5. 5

   With mixer on low, add dry and wet alternately: start with one-third flour, then half warmed milk mixed with sour cream, continue finishing with flour. Scrape bowl; do not overmix.

6. 6

   Divide batter evenly into pans, smooth tops. Bake 22–28 minutes (for 8-inch) or until a toothpick comes out clean and tops spring back. Rotate pans halfway if needed. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely.

7. 7

   Make the syrup: warm water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Off heat add vanilla and lemon juice. Brush each cake layer lightly with syrup — be assertive but don’t oversoak.

8. 8

   Assemble: level cakes if domed. Place first layer on cake board or plate. Spread a thick, even layer (about 1/3) of chilled pastry cream. Smooth but leave a small well in center. Pipe or spoon a ring of lemon curd inside that well (leave edges for custard to meet). Place second cake layer, press gently. Repeat — custard then a thinner lemon curd ring. Top with third layer.

9. 9

   Crumb-coat: apply a thin layer of lightly sweetened whipped cream over top and sides to lock crumbs; chill 20 minutes. Finish with a final thicker coat of whipped cream, smoothing with an offset spatula. If you like, pipe rosettes and add spoonfuls of lemon curd on top or between rosettes, and scatter lemon zest curls.

10. 10

    Chill the finished cake at least 2 hours so custard sets and flavors meld. Slice with a hot clean knife (dip in hot water, wipe) for clean layers.

11. 11

    Serve chilled or at cool room temperature. Keep refrigerated; best within 48 hours.