This Canned Addition Makes Homemade Pound Cake Easy

Craving the flavors of Grandma's homemade pound cake but haven't got the time to weigh out the ingredients? There might be a canned item languishing in the back of your pantry that can come to the rescue: condensed milk.

A simple combination of milk and sugar that's cooked down until thick and creamy, condensed milk is fantastic for sweetening spiced chai or pouring over a tres leches cake. However, this ambrosial liquid is also a useful ingredient for making effortless pound cakes. Simply whisk it into beaten eggs until smooth before stirring in some self-raising flour to make a hassle-free batter that rises beautifully and develops a golden color. As the condensed milk is already sweetened, you won't need to measure out any sugar. This means that instead of spending time creaming butter and sugar together until light and fluffy in a stand mixer and adding in the eggs one by one, you can combine all the ingredients in a single bowl with a hand whisk.

Much like other dairy ingredients, such as yogurt or heavy cream, that are often added to classic cake recipes to lend them moisture and flavor, condensed milk produces a loaf with a tender crumb without the need for additional butter or oil. The proteins in the milk also support the structure of the cake, helping it to retain its lofty rise (along with the baking soda already present in the self-raising flour).

While making a pound cake with condensed milk is an awesome shortcut, it doesn't sacrifice flavor. When the sugar in the condensed milk is cooked down, it not only changes its color from white to a pale yellow, but it also suffuses the milk with a yummy caramelized note. This syrupy liquid imbues the finished cake with a sweet and buttery quality that mimics the nostalgic taste of a classic pound cake. Plus, the batter itself is incredibly flexible. For instance, you can flavor it with vanilla, add in a handful of chocolate chips, or stir through some lemon zest for variety. Alternatively, adorn your pound cake with a delicate dusting of confectioner's sugar for an elegant touch, or serve it sliced with whipped cream and strawberry preserve for a twist on a Victoria sponge.

Condensed milk is the key to totally upgrading your boxed cake mix too! You can substitute it for the liquid ingredients, like water and oil, to produce a richer bake, or pour it over the surface of the cake once it's baked as a sweet and sticky glaze. As it's a basic mixture of milk and sugar, condensed milk is perfect for making ice cream as well.