a milk bar cake “update”

a milk bar cake “update”

Sharing a Milk Bar cake “update” today!

Over the last few years I’ve received a LOT of questions about the actual construction of the Momofuku Milk Bar cakes I’ve shared on the blog. Namely the Chocolate Malt Cake and the much-loved Birthday Layer Cake.

And since I make the latter Every. Single. Year. for Chelsea’s birthday, I took the opportunity this year to take a few more “step-by-step” photos of the process, with the hopes of making things a bit clearer. This is one of those recipes that – on a first go around – can be a bit unclear and confusing. But once you’ve made it the subsequent attempts are so much easier. As I love to bake – and have been baking for decades – I’m comfortable with challenging recipes, but never want to assume that you are as well.

I went back and forth a bit on the best way to show you the steps – should I put the pictures in the original posts, or create a brand new one?

So I asked a few friends and they suggested a new one – and that you print out the recipe so that you can look at both recipe and pictures side-by-side while you work.

Here goes!

birthday cake crumb/soak/frosting/cake

cake circles cut out – save the scraps for the bottom layer!

scraps go in first – pressed in and brushed with the “soak”

close-up view of the first acetate ring

first frosting/crumb/frosting layer

second acetate strip (tucked between the cake ring and the top of the first strip), followed by the second cake layer

another close-up – this one of the second acetate strip

final layers – frosting/crumb/frosting, third cake layer,  frosting/crumb

So what do you think? Was this helpful? Please let me know – there will be another cake next year for sure (but if you’re not inclined, at the very least make Crack Pie!)!

Related posts:

cookie jar: a quick (and important!) update milk bar chocolate malt cake! milk bar birthday layer cake