This Castella Cake Creme Caramel Pudding bakes into perfect layers, with creamy caramel custard on the bottom, fluffy sponge on top. No flipping needed, just chill and serve straight from the cup.
This Castella Cake Creme Caramel Pudding always feels a little magical to me. I love how it turns into three perfect layers: caramel pudding at the bottom, silky custard in the middle, and fluffy castella cake on top. It's soft, delicate, and made from simple ingredients that come together beautifully. The texture is what makes it special; the caramel melts into the custard, the custard stays creamy and smooth, and the sponge on top is light and golden.
It's the kind of dessert that feels elegant but still comforting. I like keeping a few chilled in the fridge, cold, soft, and always delicious. They're lovely enough to serve to guests, but honestly, I enjoy them most when I have one all to myself at the end of the day. You might also like my other puddings, such as Lemon Pudding Cake and Sticky Toffee Pudding.
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⭐Why You'll Love My Recipe
- Three Layers in one Bake: No layering tricks needed, the sponge, flan, and caramel naturally form on their own.
- Light and Rich at Once: The custard is creamy, the cake is fluffy, and the caramel adds just the right contrast.
- Great Make-Ahead Dessert: Chill them overnight, and they're ready when you need them.
🧾 Ingredients
You'll find the exact measurements in the recipe card, but here's a closer look at a few of the ingredients and why I use them.
- Sugar, Water & Lemon Juice: I use regular white sugar for both the caramel and the custard; it melts evenly and gives that perfect golden sweetness. A splash of water helps the sugar cook smoothly, while a touch of lemon juice keeps the caramel from crystallizing and adds just enough brightness to balance the richness.
- Eggs & Egg Yolks: The custard gets an extra yolk for a softer, silkier texture once chilled. Whole eggs bring everything together, giving both the custard and the sponge that gentle structure and classic flan-like flavor I can never resist.
- Milk & Vanilla: Whole milk is always my choice; it blends beautifully and gives the custard a creamy texture without needing cream, while a small splash of vanilla adds cozy, fragrant warmth to each spoonful.
- Flour & Egg White: The extra egg white from the custard goes into the Castella sponge, making it wonderfully light and fluffy. Meanwhile, a little sifted flour adds just enough structure, and folding it in slowly keeps the batter soft and airy, exactly the texture I love.
👩🏻🍳How to Make Castella Cake Creme Caramel Pudding
You can find the complete printable recipe with measurements below, but for now, here's a quick overview of how it goes:
1. Cook sugar, water, and lemon juice over medium heat until it turns amber, then pour into pudding cups and let cool.
2. Whisk 1 egg yolk, 3 eggs, and sugar in a bowl, then add milk and mix well.
3. Strain the pudding mixture into a pitcher, skim foam, and pour over the cooled caramel in cups.
4. In a separate bowl, beat 1 egg white, 1 egg, and sugar until stiff peaks form and pale yellow.
5. Fold in sifted flour gently with a spatula to make the castella batter.
6. Spoon the castella batter on top of the pudding layer.
7. Place the cups in a tray with hot water and bake at 160ºC for 28 minutes until golden.
8. Remove the baked castella cake creme caramel pudding from the oven, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
📖Variations
- Coffee Twist: Add 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the pudding mixture for a subtle coffee flavor that pairs beautifully with the caramel.
- Coconut Custard: Swap out half of the milk with canned coconut milk to give the custard a slightly tropical, nutty flavor.
- Citrus Zest: Add a little grated orange or lemon zest to the Castella batter for a fresh, fragrant note in the sponge.
- Chocolate Version: Sift 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder with the flour for a light chocolate Castella top. It adds just enough richness without overpowering the flan.
💭My Tips for Recipe Success
Use a Jug for Pouring: I like to use a jug when pouring the pudding mixture into the cups; it helps control the flow and keeps the layers tidy.
Don't Rush the Chilling: I always give them at least 2 hours in the fridge, but overnight is even better. It helps the layers firm up and taste more balanced.
Tap the Cups before Baking: I gently tap each cup on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles in the custard layer before adding the sponge.
Watch the Water Bath: Make sure the water stays at the halfway level on the cups; too little and the custard can overcook; too much and the batter may get soggy.
Store Leftovers Covered: I keep any extra cups covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. I just place a piece of cling film or a lid over each one to keep them fresh and protect the caramel layer.
🍮More Pudding Recipes!
Here are more of my favorite pudding recipes! Try these:
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Recipe
Castella Cake Creme Caramel Pudding
Ingredients
5 Pudding Cups (140ml each)
For the Caramel
- 150 g Sugar
- 40 ml Water
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
For the Pudding
- 1 Egg Yolk - Room temperature
- 3 Eggs - Room temperature
- 60 g Sugar
- 320 ml Milk
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla - Optional
For the Castella Cake
- 1 Egg White - Room temperature
- 1 Egg - Room temperature
- 35 g Sugar
- 30 g Flour
Instructions
Make the Caramel
- Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
- Let the syrup boil without stirring until it begins to turn amber.
- Lower the heat and gently tilt the saucepan to spread the caramel; cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and carefully pour the caramel into the pudding cups. Set aside to cool completely.
Make the Pudding
- Separate one egg yolk from the white and reserve the egg white for later.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 egg yolk, 3 eggs, and sugar until smooth.
- Add the milk and continue whisking until fully combined.
- Strain the pudding mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a jug.
- Skim off the foam from the surface with a spoon.
- Pour the pudding mixture into the cups over the cooled caramel.
Make the Castella Cake
- In a large bowl, combine the reserved egg white, 1 whole egg, and sugar.
- Beat with an electric mixer on medium-low speed for 2 minutes, then increase to high speed and beat for 4 minutes until pale and stiff peaks form.
- Sift in the flour and gently fold with a spatula until fully incorporated.
- Spoon the castella batter gently over the pudding layer in each cup.
Bake and Chill
- Place the pudding cups in a deep baking tray and pour hot water into the tray halfway up the sides of the cups.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 320°F (160°C) for 28 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- Remove the tray from the oven and take the cups out of the water bath.
- Let them cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
John says
Recently I was in Korea where I got to try this delicious recipe, since then I have been looking for the recipe, and now I will be able to give it a go. thanks
Estefania says
I hope you will try and let me know how it goes, thanks
Estefania says
Hi John, Hope it goes well let me know your result, you can also share picture of your dessert on Facebook or Instagram, I will be very happy to see.