WHAT IS A MAGIC CAKE?

Magic cakes are made simply of eggs, sugar, flour, butter and milk. So what’s magic about that, you might ask. There may be nothing unusual about the ingredients, but the magic in these cakes happens in the baking. The batter of the cake is very liquid, so it divides into three layers by itself, each with its own texture and flavour:

the base of the cake is a dense, moist cake base

a light delicate cream forms in the middle

the top layer is a lovely light Genoise sponge

How is this even possible?

The egg yolks, beaten with the sugar, butter, flour and milk, form the first two layers of the magic cake: the base and the cream. What happens is that slow cooking at 150C/300F/gas mark 2 allows the bottom of the cake to cook like a cake without cooking the upper part, which retains its creamy texture.

For this reason it is best to use a conventional oven rather than a fan-assisted one. The beaten egg whites form the Genoise sponge layer. They do not blend with the milk and instead remain floating on top of the cake!

THE FIVE GOLDEN RULES

One mixture, one bake and the result: three cakes in one. Just follow the rules below and this easy-to-make dessert will cause a sensation.