Making hot milk cake has proven to be a huge challenge for me in the past. Every damn time I would make it, the cake would come out like a hockey puck. And then I realized that I was an idiot, and I did not use NEARLY enough leavening. Most cakes would require about 1 teaspoon of baking powder to every 1 to 2 cups of flour. For hot milk cake, you require 2 teaspoons of baking powder minimum for 2 cups of flour. So about twice the amount. This is because the ratios for everything else to the flour is so much higher. There is a near 1 to 1 ratio of milk, and a 1 to 1 ratio for sugar. For the other layers of the cake, we have a golden raisin syrup, fresh blueberries, and citrus curd. Super simple, almost summery, and completely out of season. Whoops.

For the hot milk cake:
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 stick unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of lemon zest
a pinch of orange zest

Melt down butter into heavy cream. Pour into cold milk to bring down the temperature. In a bowl, whip the eggs with sugar until thick and glossy. Sift flour and baking powder. Combine ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees F in a lined baking tray for about 25-30 minutes. Cool completely.

For the syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup golden raisins
a pinch of salt

Simmer down the raisins with the water and salt until they are completely plump. Pass through a sieve, pressing, to release as much juice as possible.

For the curd:
juice and zest from 2 oranges
juice and zest from 2 lemons
1/4 cup cornstarch
8 oz mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt down cornstarch into the citrus juice. Stir over medium heat with the sugar, zest, and salt until thickened. Pass through a strainer and then combine with mascarpone and vanilla. Chill down completely.

For assembly:
Cut out 6 6-inch rings of the cake. Line the ring mold with parchment. Toss the blueberries into the syrup. Layer blueberries and curd between each layer of cake. Allow the cake to cool in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.