Party-Ready Creme Brulee Cake

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a 9-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper.
2. Cream 170g softened butter and 200g granulated sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in 3 eggs one at a time.
3. Alternately add 190g flour, 10g baking powder, and 3g salt with 240ml whole milk and 15ml vanilla extract, mixing until just combined.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.
5. Whisk 120ml whole milk, 25g powdered sugar, and 5ml vanilla extract. Poke small holes in the cooled cake with a skewer and brush the soak evenly over the top.
6. Heat 480ml heavy cream and the scraped vanilla bean in a pot until simmering.
7. In a separate bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks, 100g granulated sugar, and 25g cornstarch until pale.
8. Slowly drizzle the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
9. Return the mixture to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring vigorously until it boils and bubbles for about 1 minute and thickens into a velvety custard. Stir in 30g butter and cool.
10. Spread the cooled custard in an even, thick layer over the soaked cake.
11. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to set the filling.
12. Just before serving, sprinkle 100g caster sugar in a thin, uniform layer across the surface.
13. Using a kitchen torch, move in circular motions until the sugar bubbles and turns a dark golden brown.