Hot Milk Cake
My baby turned 3 yesterday.
It’s almost too much for me to handle. I mean, she’s basically almost married and having her own children. Waaaaah! When Zoe turned one, I thought about what cake I would make for her birthday. I wanted to start some sort of tradition that was meaningful to her and our family. What cake tastes like home?
My mom’s Hot Milk Cake.
I now make it every year. Technically this recipe was my mom’s mom’s, so it felt only appropriate to make it for my daughter, as my mom made it for me, and her mom made it for her! Have I lost you yet?
This cake was (and still is) legendary in my house growing up. My mom used to make this for holidays, brunches, birthdays, or just because days. It was always perfect, and always freaking delicious with that “mom touch”. I still haven’t figured out how to make it taste as good as hers. Having said that, it’s still pretty darn good.
This cake is made slightly differently than a traditional cake. You melt butter in a pot with milk until it’s very hot, then pour it into the flour mixture to create a very thin batter.
So don’t be alarmed with the batter consistency.
It’s one of those cakes that’s better than expected. I love those.
You can serve this cake with fresh berries if you’d like. But we like it best with a (heavy) dusting of powdered sugar. Simple and delicious.
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Hot Milk Cake
- Yield: 10 1x
Description
Simply delicious cake that’s perfect for any occasion. Light, airy and fluffy with the perfect amount of sweetness.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 extra large eggs, (at room temperature)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Lightly butter and flour (or spray with baking spray) a plain 9 inch tube pan. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl sift the cake flour and salt together. Set aside.
- Place the butter and milk in a saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium heat.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs on high speed for 2-3 minutes. Β Beat in the sugar in 3 additions. Blend in the vanilla. Add the flour in 2 additions.
- When the butter and milk mixture has reached a boil, remove it from the heat and carefully pour it into the flour mixture as it revolves in the mixture.Β Add the baking powder and mix at moderate speed for 1 minute.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake on the lower third level rack for 45-55 minutes, or until nicely risen and golden. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5-6 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust the top with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy!
What’s your favorite family cake?
It has become a go to cake for my family. Everyone loves it! Always serve with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream!
The best way to serve it!!
Iβve been following your recipe for hot milk cake for a couple years, now. Tonight, my 11 year old son said, βyou could bring this on the Great British Baking Show! The sponge is perfect!β We love this cake.
Awww that’s so special!
Laney makes these for birthdays and now our family does too. Itβs such a yummy cake all on its own but we also like to add strawberries and whipped cream to ours. This is a perfect cake for any season too!
Seriously makes me so happy that this is a tradition in your home too π
I made this cake today!
Easy to follow instructions and just like Laney says, it is delicious, it really is!
Love that it doesn’t need any frosting just some powered sugar and it’s perfection!
Yes, the simplest!!
If I could rate this ten stars I would!
Awww yay!!!
Looks so good! Do you think oat milk will work?
It will change the flavor and consistency for sure but it should work
Love this recipe! Made it while visiting Colorado over the holidays and the cake fell and was just not quite its usual self. An adjustment may be needed when making at altitude.
I made the recipe exactly as instructed and even did the pre oven kiss- it was OUTSTANDING. Thank you.
The kiss is KEY!! I’m so glad you loved it!
This is such a great recipe that came out exactly as intended! The perfect cross between a fluffy sponge and rich, buttery, moist pound cake. Highly recommend this recipe!
Thank you Ash!!
I loved it. Boyfriend did. Sister/brother in law did. Nieces loved it. Mother in law too. Do I have to say more? π€ͺ I think itβs perfect for breakfast π₯Ή
I’m SO happy you all loved it, Roberta!!! Thank you for leaving a review π
As soon as I saw this recipe I had to try it, but needed to make GF! I immediately ordered Gluten Free Cake Flour from Amazon and made the cake this weekend. O M G! So delicious!!!!!
So glad to know it works with gluten free cake flour!!!
Wow! Do yourself a favor and TRY THIS CAKE! So simple and easy to make. My kids are now requesting this for their upcoming birthday celebrations!
Aww! So much meaning behind this cake!
Turns out perfectly every time and so good.
So glad you love it as much as we do. Thank you for leaving a review!
I have probably made this cake over a dozen times and it always turns out perfect! It is one of the simplest recipes and tastes so amazing! I almost always have all of the ingredients so itβs a great last minute dessert to make.
So happy you love it as much as we do! Thanks so much for leaving a 5 star review!
Do the eggs cook when you add the hot milk/butter?
Nope!
For the person asking about using egg-nog:
Use Rum extract instead of the vanilla (or mostly rum and a little vanilla), and add nutmeg. That should make it taste egg-noggy without really altering the recipe.
Have guy tried with less sugar? 2 cups seem like a lot …
Does this freeze well?
Yes!
Do you think eggnog will work instead of milk to give it a holiday twist?
Not sure that would work as well. I’ve never tried it
Hi! In the pictures above, did you double the recipe? Or is that only one?
It’s just one
I only have skim milk, do you think this would work well with that? Thank you!!
It will work fine!
I have made this 3 times now and itβs a hit every time! Except one thing..I have the same Bundt pan as you but I can never get it to come out without breaking. I spray it like crazy and on the third try, butter and floured- all didnβt come out clean. What is your secret??
So glad you love it! I use Pam baking spray with flour and butter!
Made this tonight for desert and the whole thing was demolished within seconds! Absolutely delicious!!
Yay!!! Our family fave as well
This was delicious! I will definitely make it again. The texture was just lovely and tender and the flavor was wonderful. I added a Broiled Coconut Pecan Frosting to the warm cake and my family loved it. But I can see myself making this plain in the future. And I am not really a cake person!
If I donβt have a Bundt or tube pan, is the quantity of batter enough to split between two 9β rounds do you think?
I think that might work!
Can I use a nut milk or oat milk instead of whole milk?
Yes you can!
How do you store this after baking?
Covered at room temp
If Iβm making this for a birthday party with 20 people will I need 2-3 cakes?
I would say 2. Is there another dessert?
I only have large eggs on hand. Should I use 5 large eggs to make up the difference?
No it should be ok
I made this today after watching your instagram stories for your Dad’s birthday! It tastes incredible! I work for food bloggers and see hundreds of recipes each day but you are one of the few food bloggers I actually trust for consistently great food. Thanks for the great food and great entertainment on instagram!
Omg this is so nice, thank you!!!
Can this be made into a hot milk chocolate cake? What would be the changes required? Can I just melt chocolate along with the milk and butter or should I add cocoa powder to the flour
I’ve never tried but I think i would try adding cocoa powder
My mom had not had this cake since the sixty’s. She loved it! I am making it for the second time, however I used lemon extract.
Hi Laney! Is there any way to make this when cake flour isnβt readily available? Thanks!
You can use regular all purpose flour. It will still taste delish.
For every cup of All Purpose flour take away 2 tablespoons of flour and add 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch
Iβve been making this for years, from my Great Grandmothers recipe. We call it hot milk sponge. We make it in a 9×13 baking pan and sprinkle with cinnamon. We sometimes eat it as a coffe cake.
The best!!! Your version sounds great!
I love baking bundt and pound cakes for my hubby and when I spotted your recipe, I immediately said this is the one. It looks delicious. Thank you for sharing it.
Oh, that makes me so happy! You will love this! It’s a family favorite!
Just made this for my sister in-laws birthday!! It’s so yummy! I can’t wait to make it again!
So glad you liked it Marcy!!
this looks wonderfully simple – going to give it a try this evening!
It is Janet! A family favorite π I hope you like it!