Hot Milk Cake

Name: Hot Milk Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Baking spray or butter, for a 9x13-inch pan; 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) fine salt; 4 large eggs, room temperature; 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract; 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk; 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter; Whipped cream and fresh raspberries, optional, for serving

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

Whip eggs and sugar until thick and pale, fold in the flour, then stream in hot milk and melted butter flavored with vanilla. Bake in a 9x13 pan at 350°F until golden and springy.

Jump to Recipe

Hot Milk Cake is a useful reminder that an old-fashioned cake does not need frosting architecture to be worth making. The batter starts with eggs and sugar whipped until thick, then gets its richness from milk heated with butter and folded in while still steaming. The result lands between sponge cake and butter cake: light enough for berries, sturdy enough to eat out of hand.

The technique is mostly about keeping the air you worked into the eggs. Fold the flour in gently, add the hot milk mixture in a slow stream, and stop mixing as soon as the batter is even. The finished cake should be golden across the top and spring back when pressed lightly in the center.

Prep20 minutes

Cook35 minutes

Total1 hr 30 min

Serves12 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

Baking spray or butter, for a 9x13-inch pan
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (3 g) fine salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
Whipped cream and fresh raspberries, optional, for serving

Instructions

1Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line the bottom with parchment if you plan to lift the cake out for serving.
2Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together until evenly combined.
3Beat the eggs on medium-high for 2 minutes, then slowly add the sugar. Continue beating 4 to 5 minutes until the mixture is pale, thick, and falls from the beaters in a ribbon. Beat in the vanilla.
4Combine the milk and butter in a small saucepan. Heat over medium until the butter melts and the milk is steaming around the edges. Do not let it boil hard.
5Fold the flour mixture into the whipped eggs in three additions. Slowly pour in the hot milk mixture while folding gently. Stop as soon as the batter is smooth and even.
6Pour into the prepared pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until evenly golden, the center springs back lightly, and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
7Cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Serve plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 12 servings.

310Calories

5 gProtein

50 gCarbohydrates

10 gTotal Fat

6 gSaturated Fat

1 gFiber

35 gTotal Sugars

210 mgSodium

95 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Room-temperature eggs whip to a larger volume than refrigerator-cold eggs, which helps give this cake its light crumb.
Heat the milk only until steaming. A hard boil is unnecessary and makes the mixture harder to fold into the egg foam evenly.
Fold rather than beat once the flour goes in. The cake depends on the air trapped in the whipped eggs.

Substitutions

whole milk → 2% milk The cake will be slightly less rich but still tender.

vanilla extract → 1/2 teaspoon almond extract plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla This gives the cake a more pronounced bakery-style aroma.

9x13-inch pan → two 9-inch round pans Begin checking several minutes earlier because the layers are shallower.

Storage Instructions

Store the completely cooled cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring chilled cake to room temperature before serving for the softest crumb.

Make Ahead

Bake the cake a day ahead and keep it tightly covered after cooling. Individual unfrosted slices can be wrapped and frozen for up to 2 months, then thawed at room temperature.

Allergen Note

Contains wheat, egg, and milk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called Hot Milk Cake?

The milk and butter are heated together until steaming, then added hot to the batter. That step gives the cake its characteristic fine, tender crumb.

Will hot milk scramble the eggs?

Not when it is added gradually after the flour has been folded in. Stream it in slowly while folding so the heat disperses through the batter instead of hitting the eggs all at once.

Can I make Hot Milk Cake in round pans?

Yes. Divide the batter between two 9-inch round pans and begin checking a few minutes earlier than the 9x13 version.

Does Hot Milk Cake need frosting?

No. It is designed to be flavorful enough on its own. Powdered sugar, berries, whipped cream, or a simple glaze are all optional.