Inspired by one of my favorite South Asian desserts, this Gajar Halwa Custard Cake is made with a moist three-milk cake base, a gajar halwa-inspired filling, and a soft and creamy custard, all topped off with a crisp sugar shard.
Much before carrot cake existed, there was Gajar ka Halwa; a South Asian dessert made originally in India and Pakistan with shredded carrots, loads of ghee, loads of sugar, and khoya (milk solids). Most commonly eaten during winter (because that’s carrot season, duh), this is definitely one of my favorite desserts.
Seriously, do you think carrot cake is good? Wait till you try gajar ka halwa. Gajar ka halwa ran so carrot cake could walk.
Nothing can beat an authentic gajar ka halwa, but it’s not the simplest thing to make. Our mothers and traditional dessert makers (also known as “halwais”) spend HOURS perfecting the gajar halwa, and while I would LOVE to make the “real” halwa, we don’t always have the time (or the skills) to make it.
So here’s a modern take on the traditional Gajar Halwa – a tres leches (three milk cake) that’s soaked in a mixture of condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream that makes the sponge super moist, topped with a “cheat” Gajar halwa filling and topped with a super creamy homemade custard that pairs perfectly with the gajar halwa filling.
And if you think this sounds “complicated”, trust me, it’s not. There may be three elements in this cake, but each element is super simple to make and requires very minimal skills!
Don’t believe me? Let’s get into the details then!
But before we go into the recipe, let’s discuss a little about the cake’s assembly.
I have used a pastry frame to assembly the cake which can be removed after the cake is set. You can also use a springform with a removable base but if you don’t have either of those, you can set the cake in any square or round dish and serve it without unmoulding it, like a Tiramisu. Both ways would work!
Tres Leches Cake Base
The base of this cake is made with Mexican tres leches or three milk cake that’s soaked with a combination of condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream. I chose this cake because the milk soak makes it super moist and it almost reminds me of khoya, which are milk solids that are often added into gajar ka halwa.
The sponge is super simple to make and uses only three ingredients – eggs, sugar, and flour. Here are the steps for making the cake.
- Separate the egg yolks and white in two separate bowls, and add half of the sugar in each bowl.
- Whip both the egg whites and egg yolks until the whites are fluffy and the yolks are pale and creamy.
- Fold the egg whites and flour into the egg yolk mixture in three intervals, alternating after each addition, until you have a light and airy batter. Make sure to fold the batter gently so that the egg whites do not deflate as they help the cake rise.
- I recommend baking the cake in the same mold that you will use for assembling the whole cake to make the process easier.
- Transfer the batter into a greased pan and bake for 15 minutes until completely cooked and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the milk mixture by combining condensed milk, evaporated milk, and liquid whipping cream/heavy cream. Once the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes into it and pour the mixture on top of the cake while it’s still hot. Let it soak and cool completely.
Gajar Halwa Filling
This “cheat” gajar halwa filling is made in 15-20 minutes. The only hard part about it is grating the carrots, the remaining recipe comes together easily.
Here are the steps for making the gajar halwa filling.
- Grate the carrots and squeeze out all the water from them before you weigh them.
- In a pre-heated pan, add the ghee, then add the cardamom pods and let them sizzle.
- Add the carrots and cook them on medium heat until they’re soft, about 5-10 minutes. Keep mixing often so that they do not burn.
- Add the condensed milk and the spices, I used cinnamon and cardamom. Mix until fully combined then cook on low heat for about 10 minutes until the carrots are soft.
- Finisn with a final spoon of ghee and let it cool completely. Once it has cooled down, place it over the cooled, soaked cake and spread it in the pan evenly.
Homemade Custard
This homemade custard is smooth and creamy and pairs perfectly with the carrot filling. If you have never made custard at home, don’t worry at all because it’s one of the easiest things you can make and it turns out SO much better than the powder kind!
Here are the steps for making the custard.
- In a saucepan, add the milk and vanilla and heat it until it almost starts boiling.
- Meanwhile, add the egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour into a bowl and whisk until it’s thick, pale, and creamy.
- Once the milk is hot, pour 1/4th of it into the egg mixture and mix immediately. This process is called tempering the eggs and it helps get the eggs used to the heat so that they do not scramble while cooking.
- Now pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk and cook on low heat while whisking continuously for 3-5 minutes until the custard starts to thicken. As soon it starts to thicken, cook for another 20-60 seconds, then take it off the heat to avoid overcooking it, or it will become gluey. Make sure to mix continuously throughout the cooking process or the eggs may scramble.
- Once it’s off the heat, add the butter and whisk it in until the custard is smooth.
- Place the custard on top of the carrot filling in the cake, smooth it out, then let it chill until completely set, at least 4-6 hours. Make sure to cover it with cling film that is touching the surface of the custard to avoid a milk film from forming on top.
Sugar Shard
I wanna say this is an optional step because I know many of you don’t like to do anything that’s even CLOSE to caramel…but I’ll just say that this extra element takes the cake to a whole new level. It’s crispy and crunchy and adds a beautiful contrast of textures to the dessert.
And I promise you it’s super simple to make! But if you don’t wanna do it, you can also do a creme brulee style top by sprinkling some sugar on top of the custard and blow torching it until it’s golden and crisp. Make sure to do this JUST before serving as the sugar softens over time.
As for the sugar shard, you can prepare it in advance but I would recommend placing it on the cake as close to serving time as possible as the moisture from the cake will soften it over time.
Here are the steps for making the sugar shard.
- First, prepare the pan for pouring the shard. I used the same pastry frame that I used to set the cake so that the shard fits perfectly on the cake. Line the base pan with parchment paper and oil the edges of the pan so that the sugar shard can be released easily. If you do not have a same-sized mold, you can just pour the sugar on parchment paper and break it into shards.
- In a saucepan, add the sugar and water and start cooking it on low heat. Make sure not to use a spoon to mix or the sugar may crystallize.
- Let the mixture cook on low-medium heat until it starts changing color. It may appear slightly crystalized at this step but don’t panic! Just swirl the pan around a little and eventually all the sugar will melt and caramelize.
- Once the syrup has caramelized completely and turned into a golden color, pour it into the pan or mold you are using. Be careful as the sugar will be very hot.
- Let the sugar set completely, about 20 minutes, then gently release it from the pan/mold and place it on top of the completed cake before serving. You can also pipe some whipped cream on top for a more complete look.
Ready to get started? Let’s go.
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are unreliable and can give different measurements, so I suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups; however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
Gajar Halwa Custard Cake
Equipment
- 7×7" pastry frame or a similar glass/ceramic or springform pan
- Hand whisk
- silicon spatula
- Saucepan
- Frying pan
- Offset spatula
- Electric mixer with whisk attachment
Ingredients
Three Milk Cake
- 2 eggs separated into whites and yolks
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 35 grams white granulated sugar
- 40 grams all-purpose flour
- 80 ml liquid whipping cream
- 180 ml condensed milk
- 50 ml evaporated milk
Gajar Halwa Filling
- 250 gs carrots shredded
- 2-3 cardamom pods
- 150 ml condensed milk
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder or any winter spice of your choice like ginger or cardamom
- 3 tbsp ghee clarified butter can sub with butter but I recommend using ghee
Custard
- 60 grams egg yolks around 3
- 72 grams caster sugar
- 30 grams cornflour
- 300 ml full-fat milk
- 2 tsp vanilla essence or 1 vanilla bean
- 30 grams unsalted butter
Sugar Shard
- 150 grams granulated white sugar
- 30 ml water
Instructions
Three Milk Cake
- Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius and prepare the pan by greasing it with butter.
- Begin by separating the egg whites and yolks into two separate bowls. Divide the sugar evenly between the two bowls.
- Whisk the egg whites until they become fluffy and hold peaks, and beat the egg yolks until they turn pale and creamy.
- Gently fold the whipped egg whites and flour into the egg yolk mixture in three stages, alternating between the two. This process helps create a light, airy batter. Be cautious not to overmix, as the air in the egg whites is essential for the cake to rise.
- For ease of assembly, bake the cake in the same mold you plan to use for layering. Pour the batter into a greased pan and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the milk soak by mixing condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream. After the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes across its surface and pour the milk mixture over it while still warm. Allow it to absorb the liquid and cool completely.
Gajar Halwa Filling
- Shred the carrots finely, then press out all excess moisture before weighing them.
- Heat ghee in a preheated pan, then add cardamom pods and let them release their aroma. Add the grated carrots and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until they soften (5-10 minutes).
- Stir in condensed milk and spices such as cinnamon and cardamom. Cook the mixture on low heat for about 10 minutes until the carrots are tender and fully infused with flavor. Finish with an extra spoonful of ghee, mix well, and let the filling cool completely.
- Once cooled, spread the carrot halwa evenly over the soaked cake layer.
Custard
- Heat milk and vanilla in a saucepan until it just begins to boil.
- Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour in a bowl until thick and pale. Gradually temper the egg mixture by adding a small amount of the hot milk while whisking continuously.
- Return the tempered mixture to the saucepan with the remaining milk, cooking on low heat. Stir constantly until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, which should take 3-5 minutes. Cook for an additional 20-60 seconds once thickened, then immediately remove from heat to prevent overcooking.
- Stir in butter until the custard is smooth. Pour the custard over the carrot halwa layer and smooth the top. Cover with cling film touching the custard surface to prevent a skin from forming, then chill for at least 4-6 hours until fully set.
Sugar Shard
- Prepare the mold or surface for the sugar shard by lining it with parchment paper and lightly oiling the edges to prevent sticking. If you don’t have a mold, pour the caramelized sugar onto parchment paper and break it into pieces after it sets.
- In a saucepan, combine sugar and water, and cook over low heat without stirring. Let the sugar dissolve and caramelize, swirling the pan gently if needed to encourage even cooking.
- Once the syrup turns golden, carefully pour it into the prepared mold or onto parchment paper. Allow it to cool and harden, about 20 minutes. Gently release the shard and place it atop the set cake as a decorative layer.
- For a finishing touch, you can add piped whipped cream before serving.
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure eggs are at room temperature before starting; this helps them whip up better, resulting in a lighter batter.
- Gentle Folding: Use a spatula to fold the egg whites and flour into the yolk mixture carefully. Overmixing can deflate the batter and lead to a dense cake.
- Uniform Soaking: Poke holes evenly across the cake to ensure the milk mixture is absorbed thoroughly.
- Carrot Preparation: Use freshly grated carrots for the best texture. Pre-weigh them after squeezing out excess moisture to ensure accurate measurements.
- Prevent Burning: Stir the mixture frequently while cooking to avoid burning, as the carrots can stick to the pan easily.
- Spices: Adjust the amount of cinnamon and cardamom to suit your taste preferences, or experiment with nutmeg for a unique twist.
- Tempering the Eggs: Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture gradually to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Whisk continuously during this process.
- Avoid Overcooking: Remove the custard from heat as soon as it thickens. Overcooked custard can become lumpy or gluey.
- Smooth Finish: Always cover the custard with cling film pressed directly onto its surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- Patience is Key: Cook the sugar on low heat to allow it to caramelize evenly without burning. Resist the urge to stir, as this can cause crystallization.
- Safety First: Caramelized sugar is extremely hot, so handle it with care and use a heat-resistant spatula if needed.
- Custom Shapes: Pour the caramel into molds or use cookie cutters to create decorative designs for the sugar shard.
- Plan Ahead: Prepare each component in advance to make the assembly process smoother. For example, the halwa and custard can be made a day earlier.
- Chilling Time: Allow the cake to chill for the recommended 4-6 hours or overnight. This ensures the flavors meld together beautifully.
- Serving Suggestion: Serve the cake chilled and slice it with a sharp knife for clean layers. Add a dollop of whipped cream or edible flowers for an elegant presentation.
Again, don’t be overwhelmed by the number of steps in this recipe, each element is super simple to make and the final result will wow not just you, but everyone else on the table, and also taste like home.
If you give this recipe a try, don’t forget to let me know how you like it in the comments, and of course, share it with me on Instagram.
Until next time!
