Is this birthday cake a project? Yes, it certainly is. But you can tackle it one component at a time and work well in advance of party day. Watch the video here.
Ingredients
Makes one 6" layer cake Servings
Cake:
2
1½
¾
¼
½
⅓
2
1¼
⅓
4
3
3
Crumbs:
¾
½
2
2
½
½
¼
1
For the frosting and assembly:
½
¼
2
2
1
1¼
½
¼
⅛
¼
Special equipment:
6
2
Preparation
Cake:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13x9" rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with nonstick spray; set aside.
Step 2
Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and ¼ cup sprinkles in a large bowl. Combine buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl.
Step 3
Using an electric mixer on medium-high, beat granulated sugar, shortening, butter, and light brown sugar in another large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl. Continue to beat mixture, occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl, until almost doubled in volume and very light, airy, and pale yellow, about 4 minutes.
Step 4
With mixer on low, add buttermilk mixture until incorporated. Add dry ingredients, beating until just combined, about 1 minute.
Step 5
Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp. sprinkles. Bake until cake is light golden brown, the center springs back when gently pressed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 30–35 minutes.
Step 6
Remove cake from oven and cool on a wire rack or, in a pinch, in the fridge or freezer (don’t worry, it’s not cheating).
Step 7
Do ahead: Store cooled cake wrapped in plastic in fridge up to 5 days.
Crumbs:
Step 8
Preheat oven to 300°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
Step 9
Combine flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, sprinkles, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add oil and vanilla, and using your hands, mix until no dry spots remain and large clumps form when mixture is pressed together. As though you were making a crumble topping, break mixture up into clusters (some small, some large) and spread onto prepared baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until crumble is light golden brown and crunchy, 10–12 minutes (it will firm up as it cools). Let cool completely.
Step 10
Do ahead: Wrap crumbs tightly in plastic and store at room temperature up to 5 days.
Frosting and assembly:
Step 11
Combine butter, shortening, and cream cheese in large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high until mixture is smooth and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl and slowly stream in corn syrup and 1 Tbsp. vanilla. Beat until mixture is silky smooth and glossy white, about 3 minutes.
Step 12
Scrape down sides of bowl and, with mixer on low, add powdered sugar, salt, baking powder, and citric acid until just combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until you have a brilliant stark white, beautifully smooth frosting, about 4 minutes (it should look just like it came out of a plastic tub at the grocery store!).
Step 13
Do ahead: Store frosting in an airtight container in fridge up to 1 week.
For the assembly:
Step 14
Place a silicone baking mat or piece of parchment on a counter. Invert cake onto mat, then peel off parchment. Use cake ring to punch out two 6" rounds from cake (or, using a springform pan as a guide, cut out 2 rounds using a paring knife). These are your top 2 cake layers (the remaining cake scraps will form the bottom layer of the cake).
Step 15
Line a sheet pan with a clean piece of parchment. Clean cake ring and place it in center of the pan. Use 1 acetate strip to line inside of cake ring. Place cake scraps inside ring and use the back of your hand to press scraps together into a flat, even layer (you never see this layer, so it’s okay that it’s messy—but since it’s the base of the cake, it needs to be flat).
Step 16
Combine milk and remaining 1 tsp. vanilla in a small bowl. Dunk a pastry brush in milk mixture and use half of it to generously moisten the base layer.
Step 17
Use the back of a spoon to spread about 3 Tbsp. frosting evenly over cake. Sprinkle ⅔ cup birthday crumbs evenly over frosting. Use the back of your hand to press them in place. Use the back of a spoon to spread another 3 Tbsp. frosting as evenly as possible over crumbs.
Step 18
With your index finger, gently tuck second acetate strip between cake ring and the top ¼" of the first acetate strip, so that you have a clear ring of acetate 5–6" tall—high enough to support the height of the finished cake. Top with a cake round (if 1 of your 2 cake rounds is less pretty than the other, use it for the middle layer and save the most perfect one for the top). Brush layer with remaining milk mixture. Repeat frosting-crumb layering process.
Step 19
Nestle remaining cake round into frosting. Cover top of cake with remaining frosting. Use an offset spatula to form decorative swirls, or do as they do at Milk Bar and shape it into a perfectly flat top. Top with remaining birthday crumbs.
Step 20
Transfer cake to freezer and freeze at least 3 hours to set cake and filling.
Step 21
At least 3 hours before serving the cake, pull sheet pan out of freezer and, using your fingers and thumbs, pop cake out of cake ring. Gently peel off acetate and transfer cake to a platter or cake stand. Defrost in fridge at least 3 hours.
Step 22
Do ahead: Cake will keep up to 2 weeks in freezer or 5 days in refrigerator.
How would you rate Momofuku Milk Bar’s Birthday Layer Cake?
Leave a Review
Reviews (421)
Back to TopI have made this cake many times. Each time, it’s magical and tastes better than having bought one at a bakery.
Anonymous
Michigan
5/29/2022
Can anyone explain what purpose the baking powder in the frosting serves? I'm just curious. I haven't made this recipe yet.
Steph
North Dakota
10/18/2021
Contrary to the negative comments, this cake is just fun! Granted it isn’t a fancy dessert such as a Paris Brest but it’s an enjoyable Birthday Cake. I’ve made it a few times and always gets the happy reaction ! With the leftover cackle scraps I make cake truffles. It’s just a delightful extra! The cake is super -sweet and goes well with a nice cuppa tea or coffee for the adult and a big glass of milk for children. The addition of the pinch of citric acid to the frosting gives a nice hint of tartness. The cake itself is moist. The crumb is good to munch on. I’ve made many desserts from Tosi’s Milk Bar Cookbook and even my Parisien husband who is EXTREMELY particular about his desserts will indulge in a small slice! Cakes, as people, shouldn’t take themselves too seriously.
Catherine Lartigue
Philadelphia
4/17/2021
This cake is insane. I've made many-a-cake in my day, and while this is not the most elaborate cake I've ever made it is in the top three for sure. I made it for my nephew's birthday last year and WOW is it sweet. Incredibly sweet. I love sweets and candy and anything with sugar but I gotta say, this is hurt your teeth sweet. A few bites is all that most people will want, but kids love it. It's a really fun cake to make and super pretty. Worth giving it a try if you're considering it. I'm going to use the crumb recipe in some birthday cake cookies soon. They're also good in vanilla ice cream!
Kelly
Minneapolis, MN
3/7/2021
Do not make at altitude. I don’t even know why I’m giving this two stars instead of one. I made the cake, crumbles, and frosting earlier today. When I took the cake out of the oven? Devastation. The whole middle, like everything except the two outermost inches, was totally sunken down to a half inch. I thought maybe my baking powder had gone old, so I opened a brand new one. Remade the cake, again following to the letter. Exact same results. I didn’t open the oven until 30 minutes was up, didn’t bang the pan around, just barely incorporated the dry ingredients, whipped for the requisite amount of time... this cake just does not work if you live at altitude, period. I can’t believe I made this garbage twice, and now I have 2 disgusting, sunken, oily-looking cakes, as well as a full batch of icing and crumbles I don’t even want to look at anymore. I invested literally 6 hours of my day to make and remake this cake. Ugh.
Julia
Denver, CO
2/8/2021
All the moving parts make the process a little overwhelming, but in the end the cake came together very nicely. It still looks cute if it's a bit dodgy and it tastes amazing regardless. In fact, this cake was so good that my ex asked his (unsuspecting) new gf to make it for his birthday! But you know what they say - Bake a man a cake, and he'll forever ask his subsequent girlfriends to make the same intricate cake.
Anonymous
WA
1/28/2021
Does anyone have any recommendations as to the measurements so you can make it into a one layer cake instead?
Anonymous
Chicago
7/19/2020
I followed the recipe to a T, and it did not rise at all.
Anonymous
United Kingdom
7/3/2020
I have made this recipe 3 times in the last 2 weeks. I wanted to work on the look of the cake and decide on which type of vanilla is best - also - quarantine. When the cake is completely done, (and frozen & unfrozen), the imitation vanilla taste is best. Even with the video, it took me a minute to really ‘get’ the fact that this is not supposed to be an elevated dessert taste - it’s a party cake. The instructions for this cake may seem complicated at first, but it is really very simple and straightforward. The end result is a cute little cake with lots and lots of sprinkles. It is incredibly sweet, so a little 6” cake can serve 8-10 people. I also ordered myself a set of 6” silicone cake pans for the 3rd attempt which made assembly a snap. The edges are a little chewier this way but it was much less hassle.
Anonymous
Oklahoma City
6/1/2020
I just have to laugh about the person below me complaining about "thin privilege". B*tch??? What? Health, fitness, these are things that you work for. Unless you have some serious health issue preventing you from being thin, there aren't many, weight is not arbitrary. You weren't created fat. Eat less, or stop complaining about it. We know Portland is the capital of being annoying but, please, get over yourself.
Asdasd
New York Baby!
5/27/2020
What is this "fat girl moment" comment about in this video? Do you think that's cute, relevant, or a good idea at all coming from two ladies with thin privilege?
Anonymous
Portland, OR
5/15/2020
As long as you are aware that this cake is WAY too sweet, it's exactly what you'd expect. I made this for a birthday and it was a big hit. Most people loved it, but could only handle a petit slice because of the richness. If I make this cake for my fat self, I prefer to make the cake recipe without the frosting and snack on it or mix it with ice cream. The cake can hold its own without the frosting - it's moist and delicious!
Anonymous
Salt Lake City
3/29/2020
Made this for my bf's birthday and he loved it! The only change I would make is to use all butter instead of half shortening half butter in the frosting
Anonymous
3/19/2020
Based on the comments, this cake is divisive. I thought it was one of the best cakes I’ve ever made. My husband called it a work of art and capital B birthday cake. “If I could have a bite of birthday cake, it would be this cake. If I’m eating a whole piece, I want a different cake.” I beg to differ. Truly amazing.
Anonymous
Atlanta GA
1/6/2020
The spirit of the cake is really fun, but most of the extra ingredients are more to make the cake stable after freezing. I get it, but I find that reverse-engineering the cake into a standard layer cake was more fun than following the directions.
Anonymous
Brooklyn, NY
10/29/2019