What is the first cake you learned how to bake? One that you can taste just by looking at the recipe. This Hot Milk Sponge Cake is just that recipe for me.
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 Marble Cake.
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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.
Top tips
Follow these top tips to ensure your hot milk cake comes out perfectly.
- Use an oven thermometer to test the true temperature of your oven, and adjust accordingly before placing the cakes into the oven.
- Bake the cakes in the middle rack of the oven.
- Allow the cakes to cool slightly on a wire rack before sandwiching them together with the jam. If the cakes are too hot the jam will become runny and spill through the sides of the cake.
FAQ
The eggs I use weigh 56 grams, if you aren’t sure if you have the same eggs – weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
I always recommend using a kitchen scale rather than cups when baking, this way you can ensure you’ve measured properly and that your baked goodies come out perfectly.
Be careful not to knock out all the air you have incorporated into the batter when folding in the dry ingredients or when adding the milk. Also, make sure you have checked the expiry date of your flour and baking powder, as this will affect the rise of the cake.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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!
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Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Hot Milk Sponge Cake
Equipment
- 2x 20cm (9 inches) cake tins round
Ingredients
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 100 ml milk
- 120 g cake flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 160 g sugar white granulated
- 2 eggs extra-large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 80 g apricot jam
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) and line 2x 20cm (8 inches) round cake tins with oil and parchment paper.
- 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.
- Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
- 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.
- Using a rubber spatula or large metal spoon fold in the dry ingredients in 3 stages, take care not to deflate the egg mixture.
- Pour the warm milk mixture down the sides of the bowl and then use a rubber spatula to mix the batter until combined.
- 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.
- 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!
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