Vanilla-Meyer Lemon Hot Milk Cake is beautifully sweet, slightly tart, fluffy and rich. Imagine all of that with a delicate, lemon-y glaze drizzled on top. This is lovely for dessert or for a sweet afternoon snack with coffee or tea. 
This post is sponsored by the California Milk Advisory Board, written by me and as always, all opinions are 100% my own.
A few weeks ago I told you about the fantastic trip I took with the California Milk Advisory Board to the Bootsma Dairy Farm. Remember? I was hanging out with some very happy cows?
When I wasn’t riding around on a hay stack, checking out what the cows were eating, or talking with Essie Bootsma about how shocked I was that a dairy farm with about 1,800 cows was practically silent — new and delicious recipes using dairy were brewing.
With the happy Californian cows and their superior milk in mind, the baking began.
I’d been wanting to make a hot milk cake for a while — it always looked so divine to me, and I’d never even tasted one.
I was intrigued.
What is Hot Milk Cake?
- Hot Milk Cake is old fashioned, simple cake. (Although it’s a bit more complex when it becomes Lemon Hot Milk Cake.)
- This is a Depression Era cake. And as with many Depression Era recipes, Hot Milk Cake was a result of having very limited ingredients.
- The name comes from the scaled milk in the batter.
- This was traditionally a two layer cake with mocha frosting.
The flavor and texture of my version, Vanilla-Meyer Lemon Hot Milk Cake, turned out exactly as I’d hoped.
And oh my goodness, those butter-crisped sides and bottom — it was all I could do not to slice it all off and eat it! Beyond delicious!
The batter was just so beautiful along the way, that I couldn’t help but stop to capture it.
Have you ever thought a cake batter was beautiful?
This cake would not only be lovely after dinner, but I’m also picturing it beside my perfect cup of coffee in the morning.
Oh, and remember . . . . .
L o o k f o r t h e S e a l s!
And of course, I hope you enjoy this dreamy Vanilla-Meyer Lemon Hot Milk Cake!
Vanilla-Meyer Lemon Hot Milk Cake is beautifully sweet, slightly tart, fluffy and rich. Imagine all of that with a delicate, lemon-y glaze drizzled on top. This is lovely for dessert or for a sweet afternoon snack with coffee or tea.
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 (approximately 6-inch) vanilla bean
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened, plus 1 teaspoon for the pan
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- zest of 2 Meyer lemons
- 2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
- 1 tablespoons whole milk
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups powdered sugar sifted
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, and adjust a rack to the center.
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Add the milk to a small saucepan, and use 1 teaspoon of butter to grease the sides of an (approximately 9 X 9 X 3-inch) cake pan -- square or round. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
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Use a paring knife to slice open the vanilla bean, lengthwise. With the back of the knife, scrape the vanilla into the saucepan with the milk and add the emptied pod as well.
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Place the saucepan over low-medium heat, and bring it to a simmer. Almost as soon as it begins to simmer, turn the heat off and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then remove the pods and add the vanilla extract. Stir to blend. Set aside.
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In a mixing bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and salt. set aside.
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In another (larger) mixing bowl, and using an electric mixer (or strong arm and a spoon), mix butter and the sugar until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice and mix just to blend.
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While continuing to mix, slowly add dry ingredients until combined.
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Then, still mixing, drizzle in vanilla-milk and mix until a smooth batter forms.
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Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean about 1 hour.
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Let the cake cool slightly, then invert onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Then invert it again onto a cake plate.
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Melt the butter in a small sauté or saucepan. With the heat on low, gently whisk in the lemon juice, milk and vanilla. Turn the heat off and carefully add the sifted powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth. If there are any lumps, pour it through a fine mesh strainer.
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Poke holes with a toothpick or skewer in the cake and then pour the warm glaze over it. (You can also pour a bit over each serving individually.)
Ken Downing says
January 29, 2015 at 11:39 amI hope you meant a 9 x 13 cake pan maybe??
valentina says
January 29, 2015 at 12:27 pmThanks so much, Ken, for pointing that out! I actually meant a 9 X 9 X 3-inch. I’ll edit that in the recipe ASAP! 🙂
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
January 29, 2015 at 6:17 pmI’m intrigued! Hot Milk Cake is new to me and sounds fabulous. Especially with Meyer lemon and lots of eggs, dreamy!
valentina says
February 1, 2015 at 11:19 amThanks so much, Deb. Aren’t eggs and lemon always so lovely? 🙂
Sippitysup says
January 30, 2015 at 6:12 pmI’m curious if you tasted raw milk while you were there. I did a similar trip in WI and we had to sip serendipitously! GREG
valentina says
February 1, 2015 at 11:18 amGreg, no, but I wish I had! 🙂
David says
January 31, 2015 at 8:51 amLooks womderful and – I think you are right – it would be perfect this morning with a cup of cocoa (or coffee, for you!).
valentina says
February 1, 2015 at 11:20 amThanks, David. Now you’ve got me wanting cocoa. Maybe a mocha would do it. 😉
erin says
February 1, 2015 at 8:33 amThank you Valentina for the perfect dessert for every occasion! Everyone in my family LOVED it. It’s not easy to make a cake that is delectable to all tastes – – and this is it! If freezing, how would you recommend doing the glaze, before and/or after defrosting?
valentina says
February 1, 2015 at 11:21 amThank YOU Erin! So happy you all enjoyed this cake! 😀 I’d do the glaze after it’s defrosted. You can make ti ahead and refrigerate it. Just melt it before drizzling. xo
Christina says
February 12, 2015 at 7:23 pmI don’t want to make this cake, I NEED to make this cake! And then eat it with a big glass of milk! Delicious!!
valentina says
February 14, 2015 at 3:08 pmA compliment from you about a cake is music to my ears. Thank you, Christina! XO