I made a homemade version of Momofuku’s Milk Bar Birthday Cake that tastes just like it! Follow these directions for a layered funfetti cake with sweet vanilla buttercream frosting and crunchy sprinkle cake crumbs on top! Clear your calendar because it takes all day to make, but it’s worth it! Make it for a loved one (or yourself!) on their special day!
Homemade Momofuku Milk Bar Cake
I live in NYC so we’re spoiled by having Milk Bar dangerously close. If you haven’t tried Milk Bar, they have the most delicious treats like cereal milk soft serve, salty milkshakes, compost and confetti cookies, and the #1… Birthday Cake.
Milk Bar Birthday Cake is probably one of the best birthday cakes you’ll ever have in your life. There I said it. It’s kinda perfect. For the last many (many many) years, my husband and I have been buying each other one for our birthdays, down to the point that it’s tradition now.
But when my oldest daughter had a birthday coming up I decided to show my love for her in cake form. The girl loves sprinkles, so I knew I needed something rainbow and with sprinkles. And then it hit me: Milk Bar Birthday Cake!
This recipe makes a 5 layer 6″ cake that can serve 8-10 people.
I’m not gonna lie. This cake is not easy. If anyone tries to sell you on a easy Milk Bar birthday cake, don’t believe them. Here’s a simple small 6 inch birthday cake if you want to make one, or how about these sprinkle birthday cake muffins or birthday cake truffles? But this cake? Nope. It’s time consuming. There’s lots of steps. It needs some special ingredients.
But when you taste it, or even better, the person you made the cake for tastes it, it will all be worth it! Hope you give it a try!
Facts About Making This Damn Cake
Clear your calendar, here’s the truth about making this cake.
- Other recipes call for a jelly roll pan (like a sheet cake pan) and then cutting the circular cakes out of that, but I just use 6 inch cake pans to make things easier.
- Other recipes call for cake collars to help the layers look more clean and sharp, but I found this unnecessary, save your money.
- Milk Bar Birthday Cake cakes do not have frosting on the side of the cake, instead showing the cake and layered frosting, but we love frosting so I frosted the sides. This is up to you!
- It took about 16 hours to make, including chilling overnight in the refrigerator. Please plan ahead!
- It will be stressful to make. Make a Spotify playlist with relaxing tunes. I almost cried twice. Ok, 3 times. Key word being almost.
- You will be SO DAMN PROUD OF YOURSELF after you make this cake. Seriously, take a bow!
Special Ingredients and Supplies for Milk Bar Birthday Cake
There’s a lot of ingredients you need for this birthday cake, but this is a list of the special ones that I didn’t have in my kitchen so you can easily prep in advance!
- Cake flour, easy to find, but I don’t usually have it in my pantry.
- Grapeseed oil, has a special taste that really gives it the authentic Milk Bar taste, don’t skip it!
- Clear Vanilla Extract, not the brown vanilla, this helps keep the frosting and cake bright in color.
- 6 inch cake pans, I use these all the time now for cakes.
- Rainbow sprinkles that don’t melt and keep their bright rainbow colors.
- A good frosting spatula.
How to Make a Milk Bar Birthday Cake
The full recipe is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card and since it’s a long one, I wanted to quickly lay out the steps so you can review to understand the process before you dive in.
You will bake (5) 6 inch cakes and allow them to cool.
Using a sharp knife (I like using a bread knife), carefully cut the tops so they are level.
Make the crunchy cake crumbs that sit on top and layers each cake. I dare you to not eat at least one of these right away!
You will make the best vanilla buttercream frosting that is SO SWEET and spread this out on each cake, layering them on top of each other.
Frost the sides of the cake (optional). Add sprinkles on the side and top of cake, gently patting them to stick.
Place in the refrigerator or freezer to let set overnight.
Now the best part, time to serve! Enjoy the birthday cake!
How to Store Leftover Birthday Cake
Refrigerator: Store birthday cake either in an airtight container (you will need to cut into slices), or cover the cake with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezing: To store for months wrap in plastic and freeze cake. Frozen cake usually lasts for 2-3 months for optimal taste and freshness.
Pin for later:
OMG, I made the Momofuku Milk Bar Birthday Cake
PrintIngredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles divided
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup grapeseed oil
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 large eggs
For the cake crumbs:
- 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
- 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (this equals 1 cup), softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons clear vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray (5) 6 inch pans with nonstick spray and set them aside.
- In a large mixing bowl mix together cake flour, baking powder, salt and ¼ cup sprinkles.
- In a small bowl mix buttermilk, grapeseed oil and clear vanilla together.
- In a medium bowl mix sugar, brown sugar, vegetable shortening, butter and eggs together until mixture is fluffy.
- Add small and medium bowls into the large flour bowl, using a hand mixer to mix well until well combined.
- Pour cake batter into the prepared pans and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sprinkles on top, patting down gently with a spatula to even out.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow cakes to cool completely.
Make the cake crumbs:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl mix together cake flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and sprinkles.
- Add in grapeseed oil and clear vanilla, mixing at a low speed until a crumbly mixture forms.
- Use your hands and form small and large crumb balls and add to baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven, stirring occasionally, until birthday cake crumbs are light golden brown and crunchy, about 10-12 minutes. When you remove them from the oven, they will still be a little moist – that’s ok as they will harden as they cool.
Make the frosting:
- In a large bowl mix together butter, vegetable shortening and cream cheese with a electric hand mixer for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is fluffy.
- Add in corn syrup and clear vanilla and continue to mix until frosting mixture looks glossy.
- Add in powdered sugar, salt, baking powder and lemon juice, mixing until completely smooth.
Assemble the cake:
- Remove the 5 cakes from the pans and look at the top of each one. If they are not level, carefully trim rounded tops off cakes to level them. This will make layering the cakes easier and look more clean. I do this with a sharp bread knife.
- On a piece of parchment paper, place the bottom cake layer. Spread 2 tablespoons of frosting in an even layer over the cake.
- Take a couple of the baked cake crumbs and crumble them on top of the frosting, patting gently to stick to the frosting.
- Continue to do this for layer 2, 3 and 4, stacking them on top of each other.
- Add the top layer cake, and use half of the remaining frosting to spread on top. Optional: Spread the remaining frosting on the sides of the cake, Milk Bar does not do this, but I do, if you don’t want to, then just add more frosting to the other layers.
- Top the cake with remaining cake crumbs in preferred design, leaving them whole or crumbling them up. Add rainbow sprinkles to the top and side, gently pressing them to stick.
- Place cake in the refrigerator or freezer overnight to completely set. If you are placing in the refrigerator, remove 30 minutes before serving. If you are placing in the freezer, remove 3 hours before serving and let it defrost in the refrigerator.
- Cut into slices and enjoy! You did it! You made a Milk Bar Birthday Cake!Storing and Freezing: Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, either covered with plastic wrap or cut into slices in an airtight container. To freeze, wrap slices in plastic wrap and place in freezer bag. Frozen cake is good for 2-3 months.
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