Milk Cake
Milk Cake is a delicious, mouthwatering dessert. This is a unique quick and easy “cake” made with just a few ingredients, primarily milk and sugar and has a touch of sourness to it.
- 6 cups whole milk
- 3 tbsps lemon juice, use as needed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/8 tsp cardamom crushed
- 2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
- 1 tbsp pistachios sliced (for garnishing )
Grease a 6-inch plate and set aside.
In a large, wide and heavy saucepan bring the milk to a boil over medium high heat. And let it boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice to the milk, it will begin to curdle. Use minimum amount of lemon juice to just start the curdling process and prevent the whey (milky water) from completely separating immediately.
- Boil for 5 minutes and remove approx. 1 ½ cups of the whey. This will help reduce the tartness from the cake.
- Continue to cook and stir occasionally until the milk is a grainy consistency and the whey is evaporated. This will take an additional 15-20 minutes.
Add sugar and cardamom and keep stirring until the mixture starts coming together. This should take approximately 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook for another 4-5 minutes until mixture changes to a slightly golden brown color.
- Transfer mixture to the greased plate and press firmly into a square shape, approximately 1 inch high. As an option, sprinkle sliced pistachios on top.
- Let sit for at least an hour before slicing into individual pieces.
Tips
this wonderful dessert can be prepared ahead of time and stored at room temperature for a few days.
It is generally a few inches tall and has different shades of color throughout. However, this recipe will make an even colored cake that is approximately 1 inch thick. The taste of this Milk Cake is identical to what I have grown up enjoying as a delicacy in our home.
Milk Cake Recipe: How To Make Milk Cake
Milk Cake, also known, is a traditional Indian sweet made from milk, sugar, and cardamom. This delectable dessert has a rich, creamy texture and a delightful sweetness that makes it a favorite during festivals such as Diwali, Holi and Janamasthami.What is a Milk Cake:
It is a dense, fudge-like Indian sweet made by simmering milk and sugar for a long time until it thickens and reduces. It has a grainy texture and a caramelised milky flavour. Milk cake is often cut into squares and served at festivals and special occasions.Variations of Indian Desserts:
- Paneer Kheer with Strawberry: Paneer Kheer with Strawberry is a delightful dessert. This Paneer and strawberry dessert is a sure winner when you want to serve a unique paneer delicacy.
- Flax Seed Burfi: One can call Flax Seed Burfi to be even a health bar. As during winters it's a great hit for it being high in protein and a good source of vegetarian omega 3. This Burfi is vegan, gluten free and tastes great.
- Coconut Dream Dessert: Coconut Dream is a vegan delight, it is flavored with cardamom and saffron, very soothing and refreshing. Adding Agar-agar sets this dessert like jelly. It is super easy to make and taste great. I like to serve Coconut Dream chilled.
- Chum Chum: Chum Chum is a popular Bengali (East Indian) sweet dish that is made with Paneer, (home-made cheese). It is a versatile dish that can be served in many different variations.
Tips for Making Perfect Milk Cake:
Use Full-Fat Milk: For the richest and creamiest Milk Cake, use full-fat milk or whole milk. The higher fat content contributes to a smoother texture and a more indulgent flavor. Avoid using skim or low-fat milk, as they may result in a less creamy consistency. Stir Constantly: When cooking the Milk Cake mixture, stir it constantly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning. Use a heavy-bottomed pan to distribute the heat evenly and minimize the risk of scorching. Add Sugar Gradually: Add sugar to the Milk Cake mixture gradually, tasting as you go to achieve the desired level of sweetness. Some people prefer their Milk Cake less sweet, while others enjoy it more sugary. Adjust the amount of sugar according to your taste preferences. Let it Set Properly: Allow the cooked Milk Cake mixture to cool completely and set before cutting it into squares or slices. Refrigerate the Milk Cake for a few hours or overnight to firm up the texture and enhance the flavors.FAQs about Milk Cake:
How long does Milk Cake last?
Milk Cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. However, it's best enjoyed fresh within the first day or two for optimal taste and texture.Is Milk Cake Vegetarian?
Yes, it is traditionally a vegetarian dish. As its is made from milk and uses vegetarian ingredients.Can I make Milk Cake without condensed milk?
While condensed milk is commonly used to make Milk Cake, you can make it from scratch using whole milk, sugar, and cardamom. Simmer the milk until it thickens and reduces, then sweeten it with sugar and flavor it with cardamom before setting it.Is Milk Cake gluten-free?
Yes, Milk Cake is naturally gluten-free, as it doesn't contain any wheat flour or gluten-containing ingredients. However, be cautious of cross-contamination if using any pre-packaged ingredients or equipment that may come into contact with gluten. Milk Cake is a delightful dessert that's cherished by all for its creamy texture, subtle sweetness, and comforting flavors. Whether enjoyed as a festive treat or a simple indulgence, Milk Cake is sure to evoke feelings of joy and satisfaction and happiness with every bite. With its endless variations and simple preparation, Milk Cake is a timeless classic that's beloved by dessert enthusiasts around the world. Milk Cake is an Indian dessert savoured by every person who has a sweet tooth as happiness is its deep root.Comments
Leave a CommentComment policy: We love comments and appreciate the time that readers spend to share ideas and give feedback. However, all comments are manually moderated and those deemed to be spam or solely promotional will be deleted.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
kusha kapoor
July 20, 2020 at 4:37 amDear Manjula Ji
I tried making this but end up making rabdi barfi kinds which is not solid even after keeping it in Fridge. could you suggest what else can i use it for?
Regards
Kusha
Neelam Sangar
November 17, 2017 at 4:14 pmHi Manjula ji,
When you say whole milk does it mean 3.25% milk? Because in Canada we don’t get whole milk with full butter fat.
Manjula Jain
November 20, 2017 at 5:18 pmNeelam, yes 3.25% milk
Vimy
November 9, 2017 at 7:08 pmI tried many recipes before but no luck. With your recipe, for the first time Kalakand came out perfect. Thank you very much.
Manjula Jain
November 10, 2017 at 12:14 amVimy, thank you, always good to hear that.
CakenGifts
April 24, 2017 at 3:09 amAwesome cake recipe.Not only tasty but so quick and easy
Manjula Jain
April 24, 2017 at 7:43 amThank you
pamela kisun
January 20, 2017 at 9:15 pmJust made this and it turned out great. Thank you aunty
santhi syam
December 19, 2015 at 1:11 pmhi manjula aunty garu,
this is santhi syam. I’m trying your milk cake recipe it was very nice recipe and I use some saffron in that recipe it will give nice colour and taste also. I’m daily trying ur maximum recipies and I’m success in maximum recipes and I’m taking complements also. thank you madam. is there any suggestions to me madam.
Manjula Jain
December 21, 2015 at 9:33 amsanthi syam, Thank you
Radovan
December 15, 2015 at 5:53 amDear Manjula,
thanks a lot for sharing your fantastic recipes. Anyhow I had some issues making milk cake according your instructions. The mixture never came together as could see in your video, but stayed grainy. Do you have any idea what could go wrong? European milk is different than Indian milk?
Thank you very much.
Best regards,
Radovan
Manjula Jain
December 19, 2015 at 1:00 amRadovan, may be you have used too much lemon juice, that can make it dry
Sweeti Thakur
July 29, 2015 at 12:17 amHello mam,
Can u plz tell me 6 cups of milk is how much in liters
Waiting for ur reply mam
Manjula Jain
July 29, 2015 at 8:34 pmSweeti Thakur, one cup milk is 8oz
Vimy
November 9, 2017 at 7:15 pmI used 1 cup = 250 ml. (1 cup = 8 oz i.e. 236 ml is correct measurement)
So 6 cups = 1.5 liter and still milk cake turned out excellent.
Have you tried this recipe yet?
Naimisha
July 25, 2015 at 4:53 amcan I use toned milk?
Manjula Jain
July 25, 2015 at 10:54 pmNaimisha, toned milk for this recipe don’t work
sweetshubh
March 6, 2015 at 6:34 pmI tried this recipe and it was tasty but the only problem was it wasn’t as hard as it should be.
khushi
January 5, 2015 at 1:26 amHi Manjula aunti.. first of all i would like to tell you that your website is so nice and secondly i really like your dishes and very soon going to try this mouth watering dish… Thanks a lot
Kavya Vardarajan
December 11, 2014 at 5:32 pmHello Madam,
I tried doing Milk Cake and followed your steps. It came out very well.
Each every step you mention is so apt and I went accordingly including the timings you had mentioned. I am very happy and so was my husband as this is his favourite dish.
Thank you,
Kavya
Chandana
October 5, 2014 at 8:24 pmHello aunty,
Can I use evaporated milk for this recipe?
Thanks.
kushi
August 2, 2014 at 8:16 amvery nice recipe! and simple enough.
tastes so nice just like in my home town Karwar
thanks Manjula jib
devansh
April 12, 2014 at 12:34 amniceeeee
Aminah
February 19, 2014 at 7:05 amHow long does it take to make?
Jill
January 26, 2014 at 2:31 pmI made this and was amazed at how it all came together…….and the taste!! Yum………..Thank you Manjula. I look forward to more of your recipes.
Regards, Jill
anum
December 10, 2013 at 9:24 amGhee is just for greasing or should we add in the milk too? Rest seems so easy recipe with very few ingredients. I will try it for sure. Thanks
Rituparna Bhattacharya
December 10, 2013 at 4:27 amCan I bake this after following your steps?
ismita seeechurn
October 29, 2013 at 10:21 amhello madame,
please can you tell me how much 6 cups of milk does in litre, coz i cannot figure out how much it is
thank you
Maed
March 11, 2016 at 8:19 pmOne cup is 250mls, so 6 cups should be about 1.5 Litres.simple maths haha
Milk and Chocolate Birthday Cake - Stylebees | Stylebees
October 14, 2013 at 11:42 pm[…] Source:manjulaskitchen […]
Shobhna
October 2, 2013 at 2:37 pmHi aunty,
I love your videos..however when you say 6 cups of milk for milk cake, was there any other milk also because you have two bowls of milk and seemed like a whole lot of milk for that one recipe unless you made double amount. Just want to make sure before i start to make it.
Thank you for teaching all yummy recipes.
love
Shobhna
Manjula Jain
October 3, 2013 at 12:35 amI used 6cups of milk
archanavijay
March 28, 2013 at 11:58 amhello manjula aunty after the milk curdles and will become paneer can i take out all the whey water from it and wash the paneer and then make halwa of it??
Smriti
February 19, 2013 at 5:43 pmHi Manjula Aunty,
Thankyou so much for this recipe. It turned out well :), I made it for my husband’s bday.
Your videos are really nice and very helpful.
Thanks again.
love,
Smriti
Charanya
January 29, 2013 at 2:29 pmTried this recipe and loved the sweet. Thanks a lot. Would like to point out a couple of errors in therecipe which were different from the video. It took almost 40 mins for whey to evaporate like mentioned in the video and not 15-20 mins as the recipe states. Also, we have to add butter towards the end which has been skipped in the recipe. But is clearly mentioned in video.
Again, thanks for a wonderful recipe.
Geeta Saini
December 15, 2012 at 11:10 pmManjula Aunty, I agree with all the comments here, you explain things in such a way that you make even a more complicated recipe seem simple! I love your site and the fast video downloads are appreciated. I just tried this fabulous dish on my own, and it tastes divine, but I have a few comments/questions:
1) Do you have to spray non-stick spray so the milk doesn’t stick/burn to the pan?
2) How do you know if you need to add more lemon juice? I had put only maybe 1.5 tablespoon watching your video it seemed you did that, but then after the 20 min cook time, there was still alot of whey, even though I strained 1.5 cups like you said in the beginning, after 5 mins. In hindsight, I think I should probably have added more lemon juice, but how do you know, and is it bad if you add too much to be on the safe side?
3) Can you use regular or apple cider vinegar as substitute for lemon?
4) I added a small twist by adding Kewara, a favorite in my mom’s kitchen that I love to smell and taste in desserts. It turned out awesome! I also subbed almonds for pistachios since I did not have any.
Carol
November 29, 2012 at 12:47 amThanks to you so much Aunty I will be able to make my favourate sweet again, I remember my mama used to make this for me as a child and I always wished I could remember how to make it. 🙂
Preet
November 7, 2012 at 9:05 pmYou are great Manjula Aunty!! Today for my husband’s birthday I prepared milk cake and they came just like yours.Everyone including my two children were happy.
This is the way a sincere person serves humanity in whatever he/she does.You have made many occassions happier with your simple and tasty recipes.Hats off to you!!!
Jayanthi partha
October 5, 2012 at 6:47 amDear manjula, I watch all your recepies. All are very simple to follow. When you show us .how to do any recepie it is very interesting to follow. You are too good. Your method is also extremely good. You are an angel.
Jnt from hong kong
Anita Vimal
August 15, 2012 at 12:23 amI prepared milkcake as per your recipe. It was delicious but was not so soft and grains were scattered.
Kindly suggest what to do ?
Lydia Jayaraj
August 8, 2012 at 12:57 amDear Aunty Manjula,
I have tried this milk cake,,,, it’s really tasty….. easy to do and my family enjoy the cake..
TQ. Aunty
reshma dellwaria
May 30, 2012 at 3:57 amhi manjula
interesting receipe but i dont see when the ghee should be added plse let me know
razi
April 27, 2012 at 11:48 pmcan we use full cream milk instead of whole milk?
Manjula Jain
April 28, 2012 at 12:01 amRazi,
Yes.
Nav
April 17, 2012 at 2:04 amI tried the recipe…but it didn’t turn out well….not grainy. My friend told me to remove all whey and then cook the chhena with milk to make it more grainy….will this work Manjula?
Chiara
April 15, 2012 at 8:53 amDear Manjula, unfortunately I had a little problem with this recipe… The milk never came together forming a sort of dough, it kept a grainy consistency… it tasted really good anyway, but it was not farly as smooth as your cake (actually touching it it fell apart), have you any idea what I might have done wrong?
Thank you
Manjula Jain
April 15, 2012 at 11:56 pmChiara,
Texture for the cake will be little grainy but it should stay togather. I think you added too much lemon juice.
Naddina
February 10, 2012 at 7:08 pmMy family and friends Love this Cake.
All I had was Pecans chopped,so I tossed them in pan with some Ghee, a little salt and sugar then topped cake!
So much fun too make!
Hari Krsna
Naddina
Lyan A.
January 28, 2012 at 10:03 pmI have made your Milk Cakes and I have to say, they were delicious. But I made them in individual pieces, 6 total. Just know that your mixture in the pan, while cooking, will seem different from her’s in the video. 😀
serra
January 14, 2012 at 10:36 amDear Manjula, thank you for the recipe. I first had milk cakes that my husband bought from the only indian store in our city and juct loved them. However the ones he brought had a darker center; as long as the taste will be the same I don’t mind the colour. Would you be able to tell me please if it should be the same?
Thank you
Lyan
January 16, 2012 at 9:56 amIn the Milk Cake description, it says store-bought Milk Cakes are different colours. However, she writes her recipe is made up of one colour.
Mel
January 6, 2012 at 2:57 pmDear Manjula,
This is one of my favorite desserts. While pregnant with second child I craved Indian food (amongst native american and ethiopian as well). Your recipe are so easy to follow. And I love watching the videos of how to do it. You have a great personality and kindness. It’s like seeing my family members cook.and the food is very comforting, especially when I am homesick. Thank you for all you do and have done to help people to make these fantastic food.
Food
January 3, 2012 at 12:20 amGood recipe, i tried it.
sam
December 3, 2011 at 10:30 pmhello dear,
despite i am not indian, but i love indian food, and i loveeeee how humble and great you are…..you kinda brought smile on my face…the way you present your dish….you are amazing and such a sweet and adorable woman……peace be with you 🙂
Shilpa Mishra
October 19, 2011 at 3:39 pmHello Aunty,
When I came to UK this country made me so sick with no good food outside, I was expecting my first baby then, I discovered your videos n recipes. I was all alone without my family till 9th month of my pregnancy but I had you along. Thank You so much, even my baby owes you a lot. There is hardly anything I have not tried in last 1 yr. And now my husband loves calling over people just to treat them with the good food that I make.. All cz you. Love and best wishes.
Shilpa Mishra
Rakhee
October 19, 2011 at 4:27 amHi Masi!
Just discovered your website and Youtube videos, and wanted to say thank you!
I’ve been looking for Indian recipe websites- specifically Gujarati- for aages. I haven’t made anything as yet, but will for my family for Diwali this year.
Thank you so much Masi 🙂
So many recipes to choose from.
jhuma
October 1, 2011 at 5:08 amhi
manjula anty
i tried ur recipe kalakand
very good.thank you.
Ravs
September 24, 2011 at 7:19 pmHello Aunty,
Thanks a lot for sharing this recipe. I tried your recipe for milk cake and it turned out awesome.all my friends liked it a lot.
You are a wonderful cook.
regards
RASHI SHARMA
August 24, 2011 at 11:34 pmHI,
I TRIED YOUR RECIEPES IT BECOMES A VERY GOOD “CAKE”…..
IT BECAME THE BEST RECIEPE N THIS JANMASTHMI AT MY HOME…
MY HUBBY LIKED IT VERY MUCH..
THANX….
pooja
August 24, 2011 at 10:46 amDear Aunty, I tried this recipe n it came out really good. Thank you so much.
I’m a big fan of ur recipe… keep doing good work.
Also it will be great if you can show how to make coconut laddoo.
ta
raj
August 17, 2011 at 2:23 pmhi aunty ji can you please tell do need to drine the milk after u put in the lemon juice thanks?
farhana yasmeen
August 12, 2011 at 6:46 pmheloo
manjula jii,
i tried ur recipe one of them was samosa . i tried to make samosa it was good but it was to hard and samosa did not got the light brown color . So can u say what was the reason?
Liane
August 11, 2011 at 3:16 amI’m not sure who you would want to cook something to three separate levels of “doneness” to obtain a color. Your have some things hard and overcooked to some things undercooked. It doesn’t make sense. I think that you are “mistaking” levels of “doneness” with the layers of colors you are describing in Palang Todh. I wouldn’t recommend you over or undercooking any of it, you might ruin it that way.
Shikha
August 10, 2011 at 7:48 pmHello Manjula Ji,
I was wondering if this recipe of milk cake means the same as ‘Palang Todh’, a sweet available in India. If it is, then over there it was available in a layer of color, from whitish to light brown to dark brown- all together as one sweet. Is there a way I could do that, perhaps by cooking parts seperately eg. 1 part lightly cooked, 2nd a little more cooked and the 3rd cooked further more to a brown colour. Will the make it hard?
farhana yasmeen
August 8, 2011 at 7:02 pmhi manjula ji,
i really like ur recipies. All of ur recipies were delicious and tasty specially samosas .They were really tasty. I tried them in my home and my children loved it
so thanxxxxx for ur recipies
from farhana yasmeen
pradnya
August 5, 2011 at 10:01 amHi Manjulaji,
Thanks for a wonderful reciepe. I had tried this milk cake reciepe and it came out so good. My lit one is a big fan of mithai. He loved this milk cake. Thank you once again.
Kusuma
July 13, 2011 at 2:03 pmHello Manjula aunty,
First of all, you have a great website going here. I often visit to look for recipes and I have tried few too. They always come out very good.
Just a quick question, is there a difference between this milk cake recipe and the Kalakand recipe on your website? Thanks!
Manjula Jain
July 13, 2011 at 4:18 pmKusuma,
Check the method for both, there a difference.
Mani
June 29, 2011 at 2:32 pmhello aunty,
Thanks for he rceipe.I tried with ricotta cheese it turns out good .it takes only
5-7 min ifried the ricotta cheese, then i added the milk few drops of lemon juice
then sugar and cadommom powder finally add ghee cook until it start leaving the sides pour into the plate.
sangeeta
June 21, 2011 at 5:45 ami tried the recipe. i did exactly same as your recipe. but at the end it came out to be very hard. can u tell me what went wrong?
Manjula Jain
June 21, 2011 at 8:40 amSangeeta,
Milk Cake became hard, I can see you asking that cake was too soft this recipe to become hard the only reason I can see, you used too much sugar.
nina
June 8, 2011 at 7:47 amhello ..
can u plz tell how many ml. of milk do we need …i try 6 cups but i got only lilttle
thx u so much 🙂
archana
June 7, 2011 at 3:33 pmThanks manjula aunty,
yesterday i tried this..and it ws hit, it came out awsome, and my hubby thought i bought it from store, i tried with 2% milk, still it came out very well,next time i ll try it with whole milk and i bet it would be a super duper hit.
anyways..thanks, ur recipes are of great help.
Shalu
May 23, 2011 at 11:37 amHello Auntie,
Thanks for the receipe. I have tried the similar receipe but instead of sugar, I have used carnation condensed milk can. I had bought the Nanak Paneer from the store. It looked good in the end but the paneer turned out really hard pieces of milk cake not soft. Can you please tell what went wrong? Do I have to make fresh home made paneer for this receipe? Please advise.
I am fans of your receipe and have tried few of them already. Thank you very much again.
Regards,
Shalu
Manjula Jain
May 23, 2011 at 3:45 pmShalu,
Sorry for this recipe you need fresh paneer.
parshottam mathur
April 20, 2011 at 10:13 pmHI Thankyou for sending this recipes I will try today
reema
April 20, 2011 at 8:14 amHi Manjula,
Thanks 4 ur recipe. I m trying this recipe. Pls tell me the curdle milk is like we get paneer after adding lemon juice in milk or little bit before that we get a milk.
Scott
April 17, 2011 at 4:39 pmDelicious but my mine attempt with this milk cake recipe crumbled when I sliced it and it had to be eaten with a spoon.
What did I do wrong? How do I make it so that it remains solid or holds its mold.
scott
Jaya
April 16, 2011 at 7:05 pmIs milk cake called anything in hindi? Thanks.
Vidhya Jayadeep
April 15, 2011 at 4:29 pmWow this look so delicious and tempting.Who cares about the color as long as its tasty.Thank you for sharing yet another wonderful recipe.
Sonia
April 15, 2011 at 12:50 pmThis is a nice dessert. However, there is a shorter method using Ricotta cheese.
http://showmethecurry.com/desserts/milk-cake-eggless-dessert.html
Sanyukta
April 15, 2011 at 11:21 amWow..the pieces hv come out perfect aunty…my mouthwatering…amazingly drooooolworthy milk cake..yummmm
Sanyukta
Archana
April 15, 2011 at 10:37 amLooks very tasty.
Mary
April 15, 2011 at 7:29 amIf we use paneer, I think it would be kalakand, and this recipe of milk cake is a lil different from kalakand.
Srilakshmi
April 14, 2011 at 7:39 pmHi aunty,
Milk cake looks very tasty. Can i use paneer instead of curdling the milk as we don’t do that process in our home.