Milk Bar Birthday Layer Cake
The ICONIC Milk Bar Birthday Layer Cake is not at all hard to make - and totally worth it!
Equipment
Ingredients
Birthday Cake Crumb:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar (25 grams)
- 3/4 cup cake flour (90 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles (20 grams)
- 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
Birthday Cake:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup vegetable shortening (60 grams)
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (250 grams)
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar (50 grams)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup grapeseed oil
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
- 2 cups cake flour (245 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles, divided (50 + 25 grams)
Birthday Cake Soak:
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
Birthday Cake Frosting:
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening (50 grams)
- 2 ounces cream cheese (55 grams)
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar (200 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Pinch baking powder
- Pinch citric acid
Instructions
Make the crumb:
- Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer combine both sugars, flour, baking powder, salt and sprinkles. Beat on low speed till well combined.
- Add the oil and vanilla and beat till ingredients are totally incorporated, and small clusters form.
- Spread the clusters on your prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 - 20 minutes, using a fork to break them up every 5 minutes. Do NOT overbake. My sweet spot is between 10 and 12 minutes; you want to take them out when they are light - golden brown. The clusters will be moist to the touch when removed from the oven and will dry as they harden. Cool completely and use immediately (can be stored for 1 week at room temperature in an airtight container, or in the fridge or freezer for up to a month).
Make the cake:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a quarter sheet pan with a non-stick cooking spray (such as Pam). Line with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer, combine the butter, shortening and both sugars. Beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides, add the eggs and beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides.
- On low speed, add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 4-6 minutes. Scrape down the sides.
- Add the cake flour, baking powder, salt and 1/4 cup of the sprinkles. Beat on low speed for about a minute, or just till the batter comes together. Scrape down the sides.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread evenly, using a small angled spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sprinkles evenly over the top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or till the cake bounces back when lightly pressed and is no longer jiggly in the center.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack. Remove from the pan and use immediately, or wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Make the soak:
- Whisk the milk and vanilla in a small bowl.
Make the frosting:
- In the bowl of your mixer combine the butter, shortening and cream cheese. Beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides.
- Add the corn syrup and vanilla. Beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides.
- Add the confectioner’s sugar, salt, baking powder and citric acid – beat on low speed till ingredients are just incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Assemble the cake:
- Place a sheet of parchment paper (or a Silpat) on your counter. Invert the cake over it and peel off the parchment from the bottom of the cake.
- Using the cake ring, “stamp” two circles out of the cake. DO NOT DISCARD THE SCRAPS!
- Layer #1: Clean the cake ring and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Line the inside with one of the acetate strips. Put all of the cake “scraps” in the ring and press into an even layer, using the back of your hand. Using a pastry brush, soak the cake with half of the cake soak.
- Use the back of a spoon to spread one-fifth of the frosting evenly over the cake.
- Sprinkle one-third of the birthday cake crumbs over the top of the frosting, using the back of your hand to press them firmly into place.
- Use the back of a spoon to spread one-fifth of the frosting evenly over the crumbs.
- Layer #2: Gently tuck the second acetate strip in between the cake ring and the top 1/4" of the first strip – you should have an acetate ring that is about 5-6” tall. Gently place one cake round (use the less pretty of the two) on top of the frosting. Repeat the soak/frosting/crumb/frosting steps from layer #1.
- Layer #3: Place the remaining cake round on top of the frosting. Spread with the last fifth of the frosting and garnish with the remaining crumbs.
- Place the cake – still on the sheet pan – in the freezer and freeze for at least 12 hours (or up to 2 weeks).
- Serve: At least 3 hours before serving, take the cake out of the freezer, and – using your fingers and thumbs – pop the cake out of the ring. Gently peel off the acetate and place in the fridge. If not serving that day, wrap well in plastic and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
If you are using a scale to weigh your ingredients, weigh the frosting and crumbs as well. You can then easily divide into equal portions.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 592kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 6gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 458mgPotassium: 86mgFiber: 1gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 498IUCalcium: 80mgIron: 1mg
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