Hot Milk Cake
This is the cake recipe my grandmother baked most often, as it is very versatile. The earliest version I found in her recipes was written down in the early 1940s.
This is the cake recipe my grandmother baked most often, as it is very versatile. The earliest version I found in her recipes was written down in the early 1940s.
- Carbohydrate 119.662158333333 g
- Cholesterol 111.398333333333 mg
- Fat 17.277945 g
- Fiber 0.676150011938065 g
- Protein 5.007995 g
- Saturated Fat 10.2935241666667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (167g)
- Sodium 73.4369166666667 mg
- Sugar 118.986008321395 g
- Trans Fat 1.43275866666667 g
- Calories 642 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat milk and butter together over a low heat until butter is melted. DO NOT BOIL THE MILK!!!
- Grease and flour either: 1-9x13" pan or 2- 9" round pans, or 3- 8" round pans, or a 12-cupcake tin.
- Preheat oven to 350?.
- Beat eggs just until light and lemon-colored.
- Add sugar gradually to the beaten eggs.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and the baking powder.
- Add this alternately with the hot milk mixture to the egg and sugar mixture.
- When all are mixed, add the vanilla.
- Pour batter into the pan(s).
- Bake as follows: 45 minutes for a sheet cake, 25 minutes for everything else.
- Test for doneness as follows: Insert a knife in the center of the cake; it should come out clean.
- The sides of the cake should be away from the sides of the pan, and it should be firm to the touch, springing back from light pressure.
Unlike a traditional butter cake that relies on creaming solid fat to incorporate air bubbles, hot milk cake achieves its structure through a hot liquid fat and dairy emulsion added directly to whipped eggs. Scalding the milk and melting the butter together creates a thermal challenge; keeping the heat low prevents the milk proteins from scorching while ensuring the butter melts completely before hitting the flour. Substituting oil for butter alters the final crumb structure because liquid plant fats lack the water content and emulsifying milk solids inherent to dairy, resulting in a denser and less tender texture.
Beating four eggs until light and lemon-colored incorporates the initial volume required since the chemical leavening is limited to just 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder. Adding the two cups of sugar gradually prevents deflating those whipped eggs, maintaining the trapped air necessary for a proper rise. Sift the two cups of flour with the leavening agent to remove lumps and distribute the powder evenly before alternating those dry additions with the hot milk mixture.
Baking times vary significantly based on the chosen pan configuration: a single 9x13-inch pan requires 45 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas divided vessels such as two 9-inch rounds, three 8-inch rounds, or a 12-cupcake tin finish in just 25 minutes. Testing for doneness requires observing both tactile and visual cues. Insert a knife into the center to check for wet batter, watch for the edges to pull away from the pan walls, and press the surface gently to ensure it springs back firmly.
