Densified composites of a metal such as copper or aluminum with a titanium-silicon-carbide or titanium-aluminum-carbide ceramic material are prepared by forming the ceramic material into a body, and infiltrating the body with the molten metal. The metal is able to rapidly penetrate into void spaces, between grain boundaries and even into the crystal structure of the ceramic grains to form a composite. The starting ceramic material may be previously densified, in which case various types of gradient structures can be produced easily. The process can be operated at low pressures, and so the hot pressing methods that normally must be used to densify these ceramic materials can be avoided.