Hot Milk Cake

Top-down shot of a hot milk cake slice on a white plate, styled with a star-patterned napkin and a fork on the side.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

This easy milk cake recipe is an old-fashioned cake recipe that is packed with rich flavor and a soft, moist texture.

Prep Time15

Cook Time28

Total Time43

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Hot Milk Cake Recipe, Milk Cake Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 267kcal

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar

Garnish

Sifted powdered sugar
Whipped topping, thawed if from frozen or see link for homemade stabilized whipped topping
Fresh berries strawberries and/or raspberries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350* F. Spray a straight sided 9x13 metal baking pan with non-stick bakers spray and set aside.
Sift together, in a medium bowl, the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a small pot, over medium heat, warm the whole milk and unsalted butter for 3-4 minutes or until the milk forms tiny bubbles along the edge of the pot and the butter has melted. The temperature of the milk should reach approximately 150-155°F on an instant read thermometer. Be sure to stir the milk every 30 seconds or so to avoid burning the milk. Do not allow the milk to boil. Remove the pot from the heat to allow the milk to cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla extract, with a handheld mixer on medium speed, for 1-2 minutes or until the eggs are well beaten and start to become frothy.
With the mixer on medium-low, slowly add the granulated sugar to the eggs until fully incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 1-2 minutes more or until the mixture is thick and pale yellow.
Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients to the beaten egg mixture, with the mixer on low speed, just until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a plastic spatula to ensure the batter is evenly mixed. Once the dry ingredients are completely mixed in, the batter should fall back into the bowl in ribbons, from the beaters, to ensure that your batter is thick and smooth before adding the warm milk.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly drizzle the warm milk mixture into the hot milk cake batter just until all the warm milk has been fully incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the batter is evenly combined.
Pour the hot milk cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until the edges of the cake are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool completely, at room temperature, before adding a light dusting of sifted powdered sugar to the entire surface of the cake to garnish before slicing and serving. Individual slices can be served with a dollop of whipped topping and fresh berries if desired.

Notes

If you plan on freezing this cake, you can line your baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough to overhang the sides for easy lifting, to bake the cake. Once the cake has cooled in the pan completely, gently lift the cake out of the pan using the overhanging parchment paper. Place the cake onto a large piece of plastic wrap and wrap the cake well. Wrap again with a large piece of aluminum foil before freezing for up to 2 months storage. This method will allow you to free up your baking pan to use for other recipes while your hot milk cake is stored in the freezer.
Whole milk works best for this cake as the fat from the whole milk adds to the richness and moist texture of the baked cake.
If you do not have an instant read thermometer, you can certainly use a standard candy thermometer to check for the exact temperature of the scalded milk and butter. Be careful not to boil or overheat the milk to ensure it mixes smoothly and maintains the desired cake texture.

Nutrition