Hot Milk Cake

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Total: 45 mins

Servings: 12 servings

Yield: 1 (9-x 13-inch) cake

Hot milk cake is one of those classic, old-fashioned recipes that is just as easy and delicious today. The history of this cake dates all the way back to the early 1900s and gained popularity during the Great Depression. Savvy home cooks made do with every last bit of food, leading to recipes such as this to use up the last of the day’s milk.

Milk makes this buttery, vanilla-scented cake a moist and delicious treat. Adding the warm milk just before pouring the batter into the baking pan gives it a head start on the cooking process. You can simply top the cake with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, with your favorite fluffy frosting, or drippy caramel sauce.

Ingredients

2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-x 13-inch baking pan and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and eggs until light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, beating on low until smooth.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk and butter just to a boil.
Remove from the heat, then stir in the vanilla extract.
Gradually add the milk mixture to the batter, beating on low until just combined.
Pour into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack.
When ready to serve, dust with confectioners' sugar.

Recipe Variation

Hot milk cake is most frequently made in a 9-x 13-inch pan and cut into squares. However, it is also beautiful when baked into a bundt pan and cut into slices. If you choose to bake in a Bundt pan, increase the cooking time to one hour.

How to Serve Hot Milk Cake

Hot milk cake is delicious with a simple dusting of powdered sugar, but you can also top it with a few different ingredients and sauces:

Caramel sauce
Strawberry sauce
Chocolate frosting
Fresh berries and whipped cream
Lemon curd

What Can I Make With a Lot of Milk?

If you find yourself with an abundance of milk, take a tip from your grandma's generation and make hot milk cake. It is a delicious way to use up leftover milk before it spoils.

What Happens if You Put Milk in a Cake?

Putting milk to a cake is a great way to add flavor and richness to baked goods. Be sure to use at least 2%, or preferably whole milk, for the best results.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories	333
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g	13%
Saturated Fat 6g	29%
Cholesterol 85mg	28%
Sodium 304mg	13%
Total Carbohydrate 55g	20%
Dietary Fiber 1g	2%
Total Sugars 37g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 95mg	7%
Iron 2mg	8%
Potassium 86mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.