Ingredients
Makes one 9 inch square cake, about 9 squares. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the cake
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk (120ml)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the broiled topping (optional)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (42g)
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (100g)
- 2 tablespoons whole milk (30ml)
- 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut or chopped pecans (40g coconut or 55g pecans)
Room temperature eggs whip up thicker and higher than cold ones. If yours are straight from the refrigerator, set them in a bowl of warm tap water for 10 minutes before you start.
How to make hot milk cake
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees (175°C). Grease a 9 inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment, or grease and flour it well.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer on high for about 1 minute. Add the sugar gradually and keep beating for 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick, pale and falls from the beaters in a slow ribbon that sits on the surface for a moment.
- Beat in the vanilla. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the eggs and fold it in gently with a spatula, just until no dry flour shows.
- Put the milk and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the butter is melted and the milk is steaming hot, with tiny bubbles around the edge, about 180 degrees (82°C). Do not let it boil.
- Pour the hot milk into the batter in a slow stream while stirring gently, until smooth. The batter will be thin and pourable. That is right.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden, the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center, and a toothpick comes out clean.
- For the plain cake, cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes before cutting. For the broiled topping, stir the softened butter, brown sugar, milk and coconut or pecans together, spread it gently over the hot cake, and broil 4 inches from the heat for 1 to 3 minutes, watching every second, until bubbling and golden. Cool 20 minutes before cutting.