Hot Milk Cake

By chelyc13

Hot Milk Cake is a wonderfully delicate and moist cake taht is sometimes used in place of a traditional white cake. This recipe yields two layers for a 6 inch cake.

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

1. Liberally butter two 6x3 inch cake pans and dust with flour. Tap out the excess flour.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

3. Sift together the flour, baking powder,a nd salt into a bowl and set aside.

4. IN a saucepan over medium low heat, combine the butter and milk and heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted, 3 to 4 minutes. ( Alternatifvely, in a microwave safe bowl, combine the butter and milk and microwave on high at 10 second intervals, stirring between each, until the butter is melted.) Pour the milk mixture into a large bowl. Set aside and let cool to slightly about room temperature; an instant read thermometer should register between 80 and 85 degrees. You want the milk and butter to remain incorporated, so whisk the mixture occasionally and vigorously while it is cooling and up until you add it to the batter.

5. In the top pan of a double boiler or in a bowl for a bain marie, whisk together the sugar, eggs,a nd vanilla. Git the top pan or bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in the bottom pan or a saucepan and gently warm the mixture, stirring, just until the sugar is dissolved and the thermometerregisters 110 degrees, about 10 minutes. Pour the egg mixture through a medium mesh sieve into the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy and has cooled to slightly about room temperature, (80 to 85 degrees), about 10 minutes.

6. Stop the mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix on low until just incorporated. The batter should be smooth. Check the milk mixture to make sure it is fully cooled, then slowly pou it into the batter, whisking on low speed. Stop mixing as soon as the batter is well blended and smooth. Remove the bowl from the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl again, and fold by hand a few times with a spatula. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bkae until the cakes are golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 mintues.

7. Transfer to wire racks and let cool in the pans for about 20 mintues. When the cakesa re cooled enough to handle the pans but still atad warm to the touch, carefully run an offset spatula around the edges of the pans to loosen them, then invert the cakes onto the racks and remove the pans. Let cool for about 30 minutes longer. Wrap the cakes tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate to ensure taht the interiors are completely cooled before decorating, at least 1 hour or for up to 3 days. To freeze, wrap tightly in a second layer of plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.