If you’re anything like I was when I first started my journey, you look at complicated dessert recipes and sigh, thinking, “I just don’t have the time or the talent for that.” Well, I’m here to completely change that thought! I believe incredible, soul-satisfying food shouldn’t be complicated at all. That’s why I am absolutely thrilled to share what might just be the greatest secret in my baking arsenal: the Easy 4-Ingredient Condensed Milk Cake. Trust me when I say this basic condensed milk cake delivers that rich, sweet, and unbelievably moist homemade cake texture we all crave, proving you don’t need tons of ingredients—just the right ones—to find pure joy in baking. I’ve spent years honing simple recipes, and you can read more about my philosophy over at our about page.
- Why This Easy 4-Ingredient Condensed Milk Cake is the Ultimate Dessert
- Gathering Ingredients for Your Condensed Milk Cake
- Essential Equipment for a Perfect Condensed Milk Cake
- Step-by-Step Instructions for the Simple Milk Cake Recipe
- Expert Tips for the Best Condensed Milk Cake Results
- Exploring Variations: Beyond the Basic Condensed Milk Cake
- Storage and Make Ahead Desserts with This Condensed Milk Cake
- Frequently Asked Questions About Sweetened Condensed Milk Baking
- Nutritional Snapshot of Your Simple Condensed Milk Cake
Why This Easy 4-Ingredient Condensed Milk Cake is the Ultimate Dessert
When I talk about easy dessert recipes few ingredients can deliver, this cake is what I hold up as the gold standard. Seriously, who has time for ten bowls and three types of expensive extracts? This recipe is proof that you can achieve an incredibly moist cake with almost zero effort. It hits that sweet spot every single time.
- It’s truly a quick 4 ingredient cake that uses pantry staples.
- The texture is out of this world—I’m talking soft, sweet, and melt-in-your-mouth.
- It’s totally foolproof, which makes it perfect for your first time baking from scratch! Check out more of my easy baking adventures right here.
Key Benefits of Our Condensed Milk Cake
The biggest thing you get here is time back. You mix it, you bake it, and you devour it. Because we only use those four core ingredients, you get that signature sweetness directly from the condensed milk, which equals the most beautiful tender crumb cake you’ve ever seen. It’s the simplest way to look like a baking genius without stressing the process. That sweet, buttery flavor is pure comfort!
Gathering Ingredients for Your Condensed Milk Cake
This is where the magic of simplicity truly shines, folks. Remember I said four ingredients? That’s it! When you’re making the Ultimate Condensed Milk Cake, you don’t need fancy grocery store trips or loads of expensive specialty items. You probably have most of this stuff sitting in your pantry right now. It’s the definition of an easy sweetened condensed milk cake.
- One (14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk—make sure it’s the full-fat stuff!
- One cup of regular all-purpose flour.
- Two large eggs.
- One teaspoon of baking powder.
See? Four things! It doesn’t get much better than this for a simple baking for beginners recipe.
Essential Equipment for a Perfect Condensed Milk Cake
Since this is a no mixer cake recipe (hallelujah!), you only need the real basics. You absolutely must have an 8×8 inch baking pan ready to go—make sure you grease and flour it well, or we’ll have a sticking crisis later! Then, just grab a medium bowl for the wet stuff, a small bowl for the dry ingredients, and a good old-fashioned whisk. Oh, and naturally, a toothpick for checking doneness. That’s the whole toolkit!
Step-by-Step Instructions for the Simple Milk Cake Recipe
Now that we have our tiny ingredient list ready, let’s get this magnificent condensed milk cake into the oven! Timing is everything here, but since there’s no complicated creaming or chilling, we fly through this. First things first: set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Yes, 350 degrees is perfect for this. While that warms up, get your 8×8 inch baking pan greased and floured really well. I always tell my readers who are just learning the fundamentals that prepping that pan is half the battle won!
Mixing the Batter for Your Sweet and Buttery Cake
We start wet, then dry! In one bowl, whisk the can of condensed milk and your two eggs together until they look happy and combined—no streaks allowed. In the second, smaller bowl, just give that flour and baking powder a quick whisk to distribute the lift. Now, slowly add those dry ingredients into the wet. My biggest tip? Stop mixing the second you don’t see any big white streaks of flour left. Overmixing is the enemy of the tender crumb cake!
Baking and Testing the Ultimate Condensed Milk Cake
Pour that little bit of batter into your ready pan and slide it into the preheated 350°F oven. It won’t take long—usually 25 to 30 minutes. You know it’s done when the edges start to look slightly golden and pull away from the pan just a hair. The classic test is a toothpick right in the middle: if it comes out clean, you’re golden. If it has wet batter, give it five more minutes.
Expert Tips for the Best Condensed Milk Cake Results
If you want to take this already amazing Easy Sweetened Condensed Milk Cake and make it just that touch more special, I have a few secrets from my own testing that I use all the time. First off, even though it calls for just four things, I highly recommend adding one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract to your wet ingredients. It just rounds out that sweet flavor profile so nicely. It really makes a difference in that overall sweet and buttery cake taste.
Another thing—don’t serve it boring! While this cake is great warm right out of the oven, it looks much prettier if you let it cool a bit and then dust it with powdered sugar. You can find more little time-savers and inspiration on my main blog page. A simple dusting gives it that bakery look without any fuss. Storing the leftovers is key if you want to keep that moisture locked in too!
Exploring Variations: Beyond the Basic Condensed Milk Cake
Okay, so this four-ingredient base is my go-to, but once you master the simple magic of Sweetened Condensed Milk Baking, you absolutely have to experiment! That rich, sweet batter takes incredibly well to additions. If you are craving something bright and tangy—my absolute favorite is turning this into a Tropical Pineapple Condensed Milk Cake. You just fold in about a half cup of well-drained crushed pineapple right before baking. It makes the cake even moister, if that’s even possible!
And forget those complicated coffee cakes you see everywhere! We can make a lovely Coffee Cake with Condensed Milk by adding two tablespoons of instant espresso powder directly to the dry ingredients. The sweetness handles the bitterness perfectly. For more simple loaf ideas similar to this, check out my post on cinnamon apple bread.
Making a Simple Condensed Milk Pound Cake
If you want that taller, denser look—like a classic Condensed Milk Pound Cake—there’s a super easy fix. Just pour this batter into a greased and floured loaf pan instead of the square pan. Since the batter is deeper, you’ll need to add 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time. It comes out looking so elegant!
Storage and Make Ahead Desserts with This Condensed Milk Cake
One of the best surprises about using sweetened condensed milk is how amazing this cake is for leftovers! It truly shines as one of your best make ahead desserts because the sugar locks in all that moisture. You bake it today, and it tastes just as good tomorrow—maybe even better!
Keep your slices in an airtight container at room temperature. I’m talking tightly sealed, no peeking! It stays perfectly soft and delicious for up to three days. For more make-ahead inspiration, you really need to check out my tips on freezing breakfast burritos, which uses similar storage logic. This little cake proves you don’t have to stress about baking right before serving!
Frequently Asked Questions About Sweetened Condensed Milk Baking
I get so many great questions after people try their first batch of this sweet treat! It’s always fun chatting with you all over on my Facebook page. Here are a few things I hear most often about mastering the sweetened milk dessert ideas with this recipe. Don’t hesitate to reach out through my contact page if your question isn’t here!
Can I substitute evaporated milk for sweetened condensed milk in this condensed milk cake?
Oh, please don’t try it! This is really important for a successful moist homemade cake. You absolutely cannot swap evaporated milk for sweetened condensed milk here. Evaporated milk is thin and doesn’t contain the massive amount of sugar that gives this specific condensed milk cake its structure, moisture, and sweetness. If you use evaporated milk, you’ll end up with very sweet, very runny soup instead of a proper batter.
Is this the easiest dessert recipe few ingredients can offer?
I truly believe it is! When we talk about easy dessert recipes few ingredients can provide that level of satisfaction, this hits the mark perfectly. We’re only looking at four core components! This makes it fantastic for simple baking for beginners because there’s very little room for complicated error. You mix it, you bake it, boom—delicious dessert!
Nutritional Snapshot of Your Simple Condensed Milk Cake
I always include this, just so we know what we’re dealing with here. Since this is such a pure, simple recipe, the nutrition breaks down pretty straightforwardly—mostly sugar, which is exactly what we expect from an amazing sweet and buttery cake! Remember, these numbers are just estimates based on the four core components we used, so they might shift slightly based on the brands you keep in your pantry. For the full site disclaimer, you can always check here.
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 22 grams (That sweetness!)
- Fat: 5 grams
- Protein: 5 grams
- Carbohydrates: 37 grams
See? It’s a sweet treat, perfect for when you need that little pick-me-up. Enjoy every bite of your hard-earned satisfaction!
PrintEasy 4-Ingredient Condensed Milk Cake
You can make this incredibly moist and sweet cake with just four simple ingredients. This recipe delivers a tender crumb and satisfying sweetness, proving that great desserts do not need to be complicated.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour an 8×8 inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and eggs until they are fully combined.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the flour and baking powder together.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.
- Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For an extra layer of flavor, you can add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the wet ingredients.
- This cake is excellent plain, but you can dust it with powdered sugar before serving for a finished look.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days to keep the cake moist.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 110
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 2
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 37
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 45



