Cookbook:Hot Milk Cake

| Dessert

Hot milk cake is a traditional two-layer cake, possibly from the Mid-Atlantic States. It can be frosted with mocha icing. The cake can be fabulous, but the recipe is not for the timid. Expect a couple attempts that fail to rise before getting it right. Beating the eggs very well is important.

Ingredients

 * 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
 * &#189; cup (120 ml) butter
 * 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
 * 2 cups (480 ml) cake flour or, 4 T (60 ml) cornstarch and enough all-purpose flour to equal 2 cups
 * 2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
 * 1 pinch of salt
 * 4 large eggs
 * 2 cups (480 ml) white granulated sugar

Procedure

 * 1) An hour before baking, take eggs and butter out of the refrigerator to reach room temperature.
 * 2) Heat together milk and butter until butter melts. Cool to just warm, then add vanilla.
 * 3) If you sift the flour, do so after measuring. Combine dry ingredients.
 * 4) In a large bowl whip the eggs until light and lemon-colored—this could take 5–10 minutes.
 * 5) Add sugar slowly, beating well.
 * 6) Add the dry ingredients.
 * 7) Add milk mixture very slowly, folding it in by hand toward the end.
 * 8) Divide the batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch (230 mm) round cake pans.
 * 9) Bake about 30 minutes at 350 °F (175 °C).
 * 10) Cool on racks for 10 minutes (you may need to run a knife around the edge first), then turn out to cool completely.
 * 11) Frost with mocha icing, other icing, or with strawberries.