Last week I tried making a cake similar to Epcot’s Sunshine Season’s Strawberry Shortcake. The recipe I used was close, but the cake wasn’t quite as yellow and didn’t have the same crumb, leading me to try a few more variations. I finally found one similar to the Sunshine Season’s cake and will post it soon, but I wanted to share another one I discovered along the way — a basic and very versatile hot milk sponge cake.
This recipe is from my friend Bev, who has a background in pastry and tons of great recipes. She’s been making this cake for 30 years and says its one of her favorites. I can see why! It wasn’t very much like the Disney cake in color or crumb, but it was good in its own right and not so dry that it required soaking. You could serve it with frosting, with a little berries and cream or do what I did and turn it into Boston Cream Pie.
Hot Milk Sponge Cake Boston Cream Pie
You can make it in a variety of sizes. For the Boston Cream Pie, I made 3/4 of the recipe, baked it in a 9 inch round springform pan, then filled it with pastry cream and topped it with my favorite ganache glaze.
Bev’s Hot Milk Sponge Cake Recipe and Boston Cream Pie
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour or 2 cups all-purpose flour (260 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (114 grams)
- 1 cup milk whole or 2% okay
- 1/2 teaspoon salt Reduce to a pinch of using salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and place the rack just below center.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs for 5 minutes or until they’ve tripled in volume. Add sugar and beat for 10 minutes longer. While the sugar and eggs are beating, sift together the flour and the baking powder.
- Combine the butter, milk, and salt in a large glass measuring cup or saucepan and heat just until mixture boils and butter is melted Add the vanilla extract and set aside.
- With mixer on low speed or by hand, mix the flour mixture into the whipped egg mixture.
- Remove about 2 cups of batter and put it in a separate bowl. Stir the hot milk mixture into that batter, then add it all back into the main mixing bowl and stir until combined.
- Pour the batter into your chosen pans (or pan) and bake until done.
- — 9 inch round pans will take about 30 minutes, a 9×13 pan will take about 40 minutes, a jelly roll should only take about 16 to 18 minutes. But watch closely and go buy appearance.
Anna
Linda, glad you tried it! I’ll let Bev know you liked it (or maybe she’ll see the comment). It’s weird how you and I always seem to be baking the same thing. I just made a yellow cake this afternoon.
Linda
This is one great cake! I wanted a nice simple cake , just something to snack on. I made this in a 13×9 pan.and ended out not even put frosting on it. The top gets a nice crust, and the cake texture was airy but firm. I can see how it would be perfect for Boston Cream Pie.
Rena
can I use buttermilk instead of regular milk?
Anna
I still love hers, but this one’s a bit lighter and springier. I just wish I could settle on a pastry cream! I made Shirley’s again for this cake, but it came out a tad bit lumpier than the last time I made it.
Xiaolu (6 Bittersweets)
Looks yummy! Is Shirley’s still your favorite BCP?