This easy milk cake recipe is an old-fashioned cake recipe that is packed with rich flavor and a soft, moist texture.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time50 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Milk Cake Recipe
Servings: 12
Calories: 315kcal
Ingredients
4largeeggs,room temperature
1½cupsgranulated sugar
½cuplight brown sugar
2cupsall-purpose flour
1teaspoonsalt
2teaspoonsbaking powder
1cupwhole milk
½cupbutter,unsalted
1tablespoonvanilla extract
powdered sugar,for dusting
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl at medium speed, beat eggs with a whisk attachment for 5 minutes, until very thick and light yellow.
With the mixer still running, gradually add granulated sugar and continue whisking for five additional minutes. The mixture will be thick and light in color.
Add brown sugar and mix a few minutes longer.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the egg/sugar mixture and beat at low speed just until combined.
Heat the milk and butter in the microwave (or on the stovetop) until the butter is melted and the milk is scalding hot.
Stir the vanilla extract into the milk mixture. Pour the hot milk mixture into the batter and beat at low speed until combined.
Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
Bake approximately 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs, and the cake has pulled away from the edges of the pan.
Cool cake in the pan and dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Notes
Milk cake has baking powder that helps with leavening, in addition to the eggs.
You can also cook this simple cake in a bundt pan!
Make sure your mixer is at medium speed for this step as this speed is needed to whip air into the eggs.
The low speed is needed so you don't fling the mixture out of the bowl.
In the microwave, it took us 2 minutes 30 seconds to melt the butter and get the milk hot. If needed, you can heat for an additional 30 seconds depending on your microwave.
The hot milk helps break up the batter and is a tried and true technique used in some “old-fashioned” recipes. The hot milk and melted butter add flavor and contribute to a pound cake-like texture.
I only needed to bake mine for 30 minutes but the baking time will depend on your individual oven.