Caramel Custard Cake with Apples and Walnuts – A Delicious Homemade Dessert
Caramel custard cake with apples and walnuts – the dessert that brings the family together and fills the home with sweet aromas.
Caramel Custard Cake with Apples and Walnuts
Course: DessertCuisine: RomanianDifficulty: Medium12
servings40
minutes1
hour40
minutes410
kcal2
hours20
minutes“A meal that smells like home” – honestly, I kept wondering how to approach this theme.
A meal with dishes cooked over the stove, because that’s how I grew up, where soup was served in clay bowls, each one more beautifully crafted than the next. A meal where, whether you wanted to or not, you didn’t just eat the soup, but also the second course – often a stew or a simple dish, but full of flavor.
What could I choose? Well, I chose the joy afterward… after all, it was still a meal, and it still is. I focused mainly on dessert. For me, these desserts are something that brings the whole family together at the table.
Ending the day with something sweet, a smile on your face, and a good glass of wine (because, yes, we’re fully adults now, right? 😅) gives you that pleasant feeling that lingers. At least, that’s my opinion.
The caramel custard cake with apples and walnuts is exactly that kind of cake: it smells of caramel and baked apples, reminds you of quiet Sundays, and the joy shared over a sweet slice.
It’s among the cakes my mother made most often – granted, not with apples or a cake layer – but the walnuts were definitely always there. I know that for sure, because as kids, we got the “fun” task of cracking and cleaning them.
It’s a cake that looks spectacular, yet is surprisingly simple to prepare. Its layers tell a story: smooth caramel custard, apples caramelized with crunchy walnuts, and a soft cocoa cake that holds it all together.
I’ve added my own little touch, so… let’s see how it turned out!
You can also find the recipe on Chef Adrian Hadean’s blog, along with many other recipes I’ve prepared as an intern.
Ingredients:
For the caramel:
250–300 g sugar- For the custard + apples and walnuts:
10 large eggs
1 L milk (or up to 1.2 L for a softer custard)
200–220 g sugar
2 packets of vanilla sugar or 1–2 tsp vanilla extract
6–7 large apples (peeled and thinly sliced)
100–150 g walnuts (broken into pieces, not finely ground)
- For the cocoa sponge cake:
4 eggs
120 g sugar
80 ml oil
80 ml milk
120 g flour
30 g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
Preparation method:
- Tips before baking
Use a heavy-bottomed pot for the caramel and swirl it gently without stirring with a spoon, adjust the amount of sugar to taste, and choose slightly tart apples for a pleasant balance. Use whole milk for a creamier custard or semi-skimmed/plant-based milk if you prefer a lighter version. For baking, any deep ovenproof dish can be used in a bain-marie, and after baking, let it cool completely before inverting or slicing.
- Caramel and fruits
I heated the sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot until it turned golden, gently swirling the pan so it melted evenly without stirring with a spoon, then I added the sliced apples. - Custard
I whisked the eggs with the sugar and vanilla, gradually added the milk, and mixed until I had a smooth mixture. Then I poured it over the apples in the pot, added the walnuts, and gently stirred them in with a spoon. - Baking the custard
Here you have two options: I chose the first one, just like my mother used to do – she never placed the pot in a water bath, so I didn’t either – and I baked the custard at 160–170 °C (320–340 °F) for about 50–60 minutes, until it was almost set but still slightly jiggly. The second option would be to place the pot in a larger pan filled with hot water (bain-marie). - Cocoa sponge cake
Meanwhile, I separated the eggs and whisked the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks formed. I beat the yolks with the sugar, then added the oil and milk. Finally, I gently folded in the dry ingredients – flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and a pinch of salt – mixing until the batter was smooth and well combined. - Assembly and cooling
I poured the sponge batter over the half-baked custard and quickly smoothed it out, then placed the cake back in the oven for another 30–40 minutes, until the sponge passed the toothpick test. I let the cake cool completely, ideally for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. - Inverting the cake
The next day, with the help of a knife, I gently loosened the edges of the cake, then placed a large platter on top (make sure it’s slightly deep to catch the syrup) and inverted the cake. The syrup will drip down the sides and soak into the cocoa sponge, making it even more flavorful and aromatic. - Serving
When it comes to serving, feel free to go wild – you’re free to enjoy it however you like. In my childhood, we used to eat the caramel custard just as it was, and sometimes, when mom wasn’t looking, even straight from the pot with a spoon. Today… let’s just say I’ve raised the bar a little and added a generous spoonful of whipped cream. What can I say… yummyyy! - Conclusion
I’ll end here my little story about home, about sweet memories and moments shared at the table. What did I prepare here? A cake where every layer brings the flavor and warmth of home, and the fact that you’ll make it with your own hands will make it even more special. Enjoy it with your loved ones, savor every slice, and let yourself be carried away by the taste of childhood and the sweetness that gathers the family around the table.
Let’s fondly remember the smell of caramelized sugar, the autumn apples, and the lovely crunch of walnuts! Sweet days filled with caramel aromas, with love, Ely ❤
