The Benefits Of Soaking Your Cake In Milk

One of the things bakers are always worried about when making a cake is that it will turn out dry. Not only is a dry confection unappealing visually, the flavor tends to be muted and the texture is crumbly. Fortunately, there is a fix. Instead of throwing the dessert away and starting over, try soaking it in a little bit of milk. 

Though you might think this will lead to a mushy mess, we're not suggesting you submerge it in a gallon of milk. What you can do, however, is to take a few tablespoons of dairy and brush it onto your baked good. As the surface of a cake is relatively porous, it will absorb the moisture that it was lacking when it came out of the oven. Keep in mind, whole milk and buttermilk will provide more moisture than low-fat kinds. This type of dairy addition can also enhance the flavor and texture of your confection.

One of the best demonstrations of milk's power is when it's used in tres leches cake. A recipe of Mexican origin, it's an airy confection that is then soaked in a mixture of three different types of milk. Those milks are evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. The mixture plays a special role in developing the flavor and texture of this unique cake. 

Once the batter is made and cooled, several holes are poked into it with a fork in order to open up the dessert's surface and create channels for the milk mixture to travel through. The blend is then poured over the cake and allowed to soak in for several hours. As the baked good is sponge-like, it will absorb the mixture without becoming soggy. The result is a dessert that is light, moist, creamy, and rich. 

This technique of bringing flavor and texture into cake also needn't be limited to just sponge cakes. All confections can benefit from this treatment in varying degrees, though you wouldn't go as heavy on the mixture with a pound cake. But if you find yourself with dried-out baked goods, a little milk goes a long way toward improving moisture, flavor, and texture.