Former Cardiff City goalkeeper Tom Heaton and £11m striker Matej Vydra were in a powerful Burnley team who took on the young Bluebirds at Turf Moor in Lancashire.
Vydra, signed from Derby County last week, scored for Burnley in a 4-1 Professional Development League win.
This was a first under-23 league match of the season for both teams and it was played behind closed doors.
Burnley also included Ben Gibson, a £15m signing from Middlesbrough during the close season, and he partnered Kevin Long in defence.
Cardiff fielded a young team including a number of trialists who have been with the club over the last few weeks.
Dan Agyei fired Burnley ahead after seven minutes, tapping home from close in following a corner and Vydra made it 2-0 with 17 minutes gone when he collected a pass from Christian N’Guessan and finished clinically.
Jack McKay went close for City just before the half hour, while the home team almost added a third of their own when Dwight McNeill fired against a post.
Vydra was quickly onto the rebound and Cardiff defender Ciaron Brown produced an outstanding clearance.
Goalkeeper Matt Hall, signed from Bangor City this summer, saved superbly from Agyei just before half-time and Burnley led 2-0 going into the second period.
Brayden Shaw, who is on trial from Bangor, pulled a goal back for City after 48 minutes, slotting into the bottom right corner from an acute angle.
Heaton saved a shot from Cardiff defender Jack Bodenham and the goalkeeper also cut out a dangerous cross from Shaw.
With almost an hour gone Agyei went through on goal and was denied by an outstanding Paul McKay tackle.
Olatunde Bayode added Burnley’s third goal, firing into the top left corner after running at the City defence.
Ali Koiki then made it 4-1 two minutes from time.
The next match for the young Bluebirds is against Barnsley at Cardiff City Stadium next Monday (7pm).
Cardiff City: Matthew Hall, Ryan Pryce, Paul McKay, Jamie Veale, Ciaron Brown, Jack Bodenham, Cameron Coxe, Jacob Evans, Jack McKay, Dylan Summer, Brayden Shaw. Subs: Laurence Wootton, Warren Burwood (gk), Dan Martin.
Burnley: Heaton, Dunne, Gibson, Long, Koiki, Bayode, Goodridge, N’Guessan, McNeil, Vydra, Agyei. Subs; McMahon, Perkins, Blair, Cropper, Massanka.