Milk cake is the kind of old fashioned dessert that doesn’t shout for attention — it quietly wins you over. It’s soft, lightly sweet, and buttery, with a gentle vanilla flavor.
Not as dense as pound cake and not as sugary as a frosted vanilla cake, milk cake sits right in the middle.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Hot Milk Cake – Pro Tips That Actually Matter
Scald the milk properly: You’re aiming for 150–155°F — not boiling. Tiny bubbles will form around the edge of the pot when it’s ready. Overheating can cause a rubbery texture, while underheating won’t give the batter that signature bounce.
Whip the eggs and sugar until thick and pale: You should see the batter fall in ribbons from the beaters. If it’s still thin and runny, keep going—it’s not ready yet.
Add the dry ingredients gently: Use low speed and don’t overmix. The goal is to incorporate the flour without knocking out all that volume you just built. Scrape the bowl to make sure no flour pockets are hiding.
Pour the hot milk in a slow, steady stream with the mixer on low: This tempers the batter gradually, so you don’t shock it and collapse the air bubbles. Think making custard — slow and steady wins.
Check doneness with more than a toothpick: Yes, a clean toothpick is good — but also look for golden edges and a slight pull away from the sides. The top should spring back lightly when touched.
Serving Suggestions
Serve hot milk cake at room temperature for the best texture and flavor. This cake shines with very little help:
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
- Serve plain, or with fresh berries on the side.
- Add a dollop of lightly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
- Pair with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.
Storage Instructions
ROOM TEMPERATURE: Store in an airtight container for up to four days.
IN THE FRIDGE: If topped with whipped cream or fruit, refrigerate and enjoy within two days.
IN THE FREEZER: Wrap cooled, undecorated cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze up to two months. Thaw in fridge, bring to room temp before serving.
More Old Fashioned Cake Recipes
Hot Milk Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, for dusting the finished cake
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with baker’s spray (Baker’s Joy or generic version)
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the milk and butter, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted and the milk just begins to simmer. Stir in the vanilla.
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a medium size bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or medium size mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium high speed, mix together the eggs and granulated sugar for about 4 ½ to 5 minutes, until the mixture is a pale yellow. (I prefer using a stand mixer for this recipe)
- Lower the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture ½ cup at a time.
- Keep the mixer on low speed and drizzle in the milk and butter mixture. The batter will be a bit thin.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes away with just a few moist crumbs. (You can begin checking the cake at the 27 minute mark)
- Allow the cake to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar and slicing into 12 even servings.
Notes
- For a fresh citrusy flavor, fresh lemon or orange zest can be added to the cake batter.
- Incorporating other extracts, such as almond, lemon, caramel and even rum flavoring into the cake batter creates unique flavor profiles.
Nutrition
Comments
Sara says
Old fashioned classic that is so yummy!
Lori says
I want to surprise my husband, he is moving to America from Nigeria and told me his favorite cake is Milk Cake ! Thank you for posting this I’m going to practice making it tomorrow.