Hot Milk Sponge Cake

This recipe is for a classic sponge cake, filled with jam and dusted with icing sugar-absolute perfection in its simplicity.

This hot milk sponge cake recipe is made from simple ingredients and the steps are easy to follow. It is the perfect cake to whip up if you are running short on time. It's also a great cake to make if you are new to baking or love cakes that aren't covered in heavy frostings. 

If you love simple recipes for butter cakes, then you need to try this Apricot Loaf Cake, this Raspberry Loaf Cake, or this easy Chocolate Marble Bundt Cake. 

What is a hot milk sponge cake?

A hot milk sponge cake is a type of sponge cake that involves heating the butter and the milk together until the butter is melted. This is then added to the eggs and sugar after the dry ingredients have been folded through.

The most time-consuming part of baking a cake is often beating the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This method of melting the butter and milk together eliminates that step and cuts the preparation time in half!

Hot milk sponge cakes can be baked in a sheet pan or as round cakes. For this recipe, I have chosen to bake the recipe in two separate cake tins, as it makes layering much easier! This recipe bakes two perfect sponge cake layers with a crispy cake crust.

Ingredients

You will need a few basic ingredients to make this cake, since you will be heating the milk and butter the temperature of these doesn't matter for this recipe. However, make sure your eggs are at room temperature for the best results.

• Unsalted butter 
• Whole milk 
• Vanilla extract 
• Granulated white sugar 
• Cake flour 
• Baking powder 
• Salt 
• Jam 
• Powdered sugar 

Unsalted butter - choose unsalted butter when baking so that you can control the saltiness of your bakes. 

Whole milk - choose full-fat milk for this recipe 

Cake flour - this recipe uses a combination of cake flour and baking powder, you can choose to use self-raising flour instead. All-purpose flour can be used instead of cake flour if necessary.

Jam - I love filling this cake with apricot jam, you can do the same or choose your favorite fruit jam. 

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Follow the simple steps below to make this easy cake. First, you will heat the milk and butter then whip the eggs and sugar, before adding the sifted dry ingredients, and lastly the milk mixture. 

STEP 1: Preheat oven. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) and line 2x 20cm (8 inches) round cake tins with oil and parchment paper.

STEP 2: Heat milk and butter. Add the milk and butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Heat until the butter melts, do not boil. Set aside to cool slightly. 

STEP 3: Sift dry ingredients. Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. 

STEP 4: Beat eggs and sugar. Add the whole eggs and sugar to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, and beat at medium-high speed until light in color and creamy. 

STEP 5: Add flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula or large metal spoon fold in the dry ingredients in 3 stages, take care not to deflate the egg mixture. 

STEP 6: Add hot milk mixture. Pour the warm milk mixture down the sides of the bowl and then use a rubber spatula to mix the batter until combined. 

STEP 7: Bake. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tins and bake in a preheated oven for 12 - 15 minutes or until a light golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cakes from their tins and allow them to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. 

STEP 8: Assemble. Place one cake layer onto a cake plate and spread a layer of jam over the surface of the cake. Place the second layer of cake on top of the jam and dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar. Serve and enjoy!

Hint: Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture carefully, don't dump the flour over the mixture as this will deflate the batter. 

Variations

This is a great plain cake recipe that you need to master for those days when only a slice of something delicious will do. 

How you choose to assemble this cake is up to you, fill it with different types of jam like raspberry, blueberry, or strawberry jam if you prefer. Or bake this cake in one cake pan and just dust it lightly with icing sugar. 

You can also choose to add fresh fruit between the layers of the cake, or flavor the cake with lemon zest and sandwich the layers together with a homemade lemon curd. 

Equipment

This is an easy recipe that doesn't require any fancy equipment. If you don't have an electric mixer you can also whisk the eggs the old-fashioned way with a little effort and a normal whisk!

You will also need a cooling rack and two 20cm (9-inches) cake tins. You can bake this cake in different shaped or sized tins but the baking time might need to be adjusted. 

Storage

This cake is best when eaten the day it is made, and almost fresh from the oven! It does tend to dry out quicker than other recipes, but you can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 days. 

To freeze this cake, cut it into slices then wrap each slice in a piece of plastic wrap, and freeze for up to two months. Defrost at room temperature before consuming. 

Simple bakes that taste great are the key to this caker's heart. This is the perfect recipe to make for a tea party, for that late-night cake craving, or for a newbie baker looking to make their first birthday cake.

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave a comment and star review below - I would love to hear from you!

Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter and follow along @with_love_kitty to make sure you never miss a recipe. 

Happy Baking

With Love,

Kitty