Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (gas mark 5)

2. Prepare the caramel layer. With a low heat, caramelize the sugar in the 9 x 9 x 1.5 inch square baking pan until sugar turns dark brown and coats the bottom of the pan. Be careful; this happens so quickly. Tilt the pan from time to time to spread the caramel. Leave the caramel to cool and set.

3. Separate egg white from yolks taking care that the bowl for the egg white is completely clean, dry and free of dust. To save time in preparation, prepare 3 mixing bowls, 1 large bowl for egg white mixture, another for custard mixture and another for yolk mixture. When separating the egg white from yolks, place 3 yolks in one bowl (for custard mixture) and 2 yolks on the other (for cake mixture 1) Set aside the bowl of egg white far from other ingredients.

4. Prepare the custard mixture. In a mixing bowl, mix egg yolk, sugar, milk and custard powder. Mix altogether until all well combined. Set aside.

5. Prepare cake mixture 1(yolk mixture). In a separate mixing bowl, mix egg yolk and sugar, add oil, milk, sifted flour and vanilla essence. Mix well until well combined.

6. Prepare egg white mixture. Before start beating the egg white, make sure the sugar is ready at the side. Add cream of tartar to egg white mixture. Using electric mixer, beat eggs at speed 1, when the egg white is bubbly increase to speed 2 until it forms a very soft peak; increase to speed 3 at this stage, gradually add sugar while beating until the mixture forms a stiff peak. Do not over beat.

7. Using the same beaters, beat the cake mixture 1 to make sure it hasn’t set and all ingredients are well mixed.

8. Fold-in the cake mixture 1 to cake mixture 2 using a rubber spatula until well combined but still airy. Take care not to over mix.

9. Pour the prepared custard mixture into the prepared cake pan with caramel set at the bottom.

10. Carefully pour the cake mixture to the center of the cake pan over the custard mixture. Level the cake mixture by pushing it to the corners and sides of the pan.


The cake now has 3 layers; caramel at the bottom, custard in the middle and the cake mixture at the top.


11. Place the cake in the middle tray of the oven and pour boiling water in the tray until about half inch deep. The tray of water acts like a double boiler.

12. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 200 degrees C. Test the cake pressing the cake lightly. If it springs back, its done, or insert a toothpick and if comes out clean, it is done. Take note not to open the oven when the before 45 minutes had passed, this will alter the rising of the cake.

13. Allow to cool down in a rack and trace the sides of the pan with a spatula or knife to separate the sides of the cake from the pan. Using a cake tray, turn to flip the cake over. The caramel layer becomes the top layer.