Learn how to make the famous Momofuku Milk Bar birthday cake from Christina Tosi's recipe from the Milk Bar cookbook. This birthday cake is a play on the quintessential funfetti birthday cake loaded with rainbow sprinkles (jimmies).
This recipe has a lot of steps but isn't too difficult. Spread out the work over a couple of days, and you'll be fine!
The Milk Bar birthday cake from Christina Tosi's new book Milk Bar available on Amazon is THE celebration birthday cake everybody wants to make and eat.
Christina Tosi is the genius behind the Milk Bar pie, compost cookies, compost pound cake, among others. She is one to follow for nostalgic, yet innovative baked goods.
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I think this is the perfect cake to say goodbye to my twenties, and to greet my thirties. It's fun, and maybe a little whimsical, full of brightly coloured sprinkles, and birthday cake crumbs. I'd suggest you make an extra batch of the Momofuku Milk Bar birthday cake crumbs so you can make these birthday cake truffles with the cake scraps. Just sayin'.
Everything you will need to make the Christina Tosi's Milk Bar birthday cake
Christina Tosi's birthday cake recipe, like most of her layer cakes, requires a lot of special ingredients and tools that most of us home bakers don't have. It's a fact. Before you make the Milk Bar birthday cake, you will most likely need to buy the following items.
Special ingredients to make the Milk Bar birthday cake
- liquid glucose: you may find it at Bulk Barn or your local bulk ingredients store, or restaurant/baking supply stores in your area. If not, you can Wilton brand glucose from Amazon.
- citric acid: you may find it at Bulk Barn or your local bulk ingredients store. If not, you can order citric acid from Amazon.
- rainbow jimmies: the sprinkles used for this cake recipe are rainbow jimmies, which kind of look like tiny coloured grains of rice. Your grocery store will most likely have rainbow jimmies that you can buy. If not, order them on Amazon.
- cake and pastry flour: cake and pastry flour has a lower protein content than regular all-purpose, which will help you achieve a fluffier, more tender cake. You can find it on Amazon if your grocery store doesn't have it.
- grapeseed oil: grapeseed oil is a flavourless oil. If you don't want to buy grapeseed oil, Tosi recommends using canola oil. If you feel like buying grapeseed oil, you can buy it on Amazon.
- imitation vanilla: Christina Tosi recommends using artificial or imitation vanilla for many of her recipes because imitation vanilla tends to have a more pronounced vanilla flavour that is very nostalgic. Use a clear imitation vanilla extract if you can find it. You can also buy it on Amazon. You can also use real vanilla extract if you prefer, but the flavour won't be the same.
Special equipment to make the Milk Bar birthday cake:
- stand mixer: Christina Tosi has a very specific way of mixing cake batters and they require a ton of beating. Unfortunately, this means using a hand-held electric mixer is a terrible option for this recipe (as is a wooden spoon for mixing by hand). Your best bet is to use a KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart mixer. If you don't have one and you want to bake more, I highly recommend getting one on Amazon.
- 6-inch cake ring: I actually used the ring of a 6-inch springform pan from Amazon to build my cake, but it was not ideal because of the rim/seam on the springform which made it extra hard to unmold. Buy a cake ring from Amazon if you can.
- acetate: when I made this cake, I didn't know where to buy acetate, so I used acetate sheets from an office supply store. No clue if it's food grade. Don't do that. Buy a roll of acetate from Amazon.
- mini offset spatula: I love my mini offset spatula from Ateco and I use it all the time when I am making cakes. You can buy it on Amazon! Tosi actually uses a spoon that she's bent to assemble cakes. That's another option if you don't mind bending one of your spoons.
- quarter sheet pans with rims: I like these Nordic Ware quarter sheet pans on Amazon.
The recipe for the Milk Bar birthday cake is brilliant and inspiring, but if you want to bake this cake (or anything from the Momofuku Milk Bar book), you will need to start baking ahead of time. Here are a few important things to note before you get started:
- How long does it take to make the Milk Bar birthday cake? I made this cake a day ahead, and it took me about half a day to make, so it's really not more time-consuming than any other cake recipe, once you have all the ingredients and equipment
- Can you make the Milk Bar birthday cake ahead? Christina Tosi's layer cakes, like the Milk Bar birthday cake, are made ahead and this is an integral part of the process. So you absolutely can make this cake ahead of time. I froze the assembled cake overnight to set the layers, then unmolded it and placed it on a cake stand in the fridge for san entire day to slowly defrost.
- When you cut into it, use a giant chef's knife to make quick, clean slices, otherwise, you will end up with a mess as the cake crumbs will tear through the delicate cake.
How to store this cake
Given this sprinkle birthday cake is made with cream cheese frosting, it's best to store it in the fridge. If you've cut into the cake, just cover the cut edges with pieces of parchment to prevent them from drying out. Place the cake in the fridge until the frosting is firm and cold, then cover the whole thing with aluminum foil. You can store this cake for up to a week, or freeze slices for later.
For a detailed explanation, read about how to store cake.
The instructions are not identical to those in the book because there are certain things that I do differently. Still, if you love making cakes, buy the book on Amazon. It's a great investment full of insight and tips. If you want to try another Momofuku Milk Bar style cake, try this gorgeous blackberry almond cake recipe.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Milk Bar Birthday Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Birthday cake crumbs
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 25 grams light brown sugar
- 90 grams cake flour
- 2.5 mL baking powder
- 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 20 grams rainbow sprinkles
- 40 grams grapeseed oil
- 15 mL pure vanilla extract
Birthday cake
- Pam or vegetable oil for preparing the pan
- 245 grams cake flour
- 7.5 mL baking powder
- 3.75 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 50 grams rainbow sprinkles
- 55 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 60 grams vegetable shortening
- 250 grams granulated sugar
- 50 grams light brown sugar packed
- 3 large egg(s)
- 110 grams buttermilk (1 % fat)
- 65 grams grapeseed oil
- 10 mL pure vanilla extract
- 25 grams rainbow sprinkles
Birthday cake soak
- 55 grams whole milk (3.25 % fat)
- 5 mL pure vanilla extract
Birthday cake frosting
- 200 grams icing sugar
- 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 1 pinch baking powder
- 1 pinch citric acid
- 115 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 50 grams vegetable shortening
- 55 grams Philadelphia cream cheese (full fat, regular)
- 15 mL Wilton glucose
- 15 mL corn syrup
- 15 mL pure vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the birthday cake crumbs
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or a piece of parchment.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugars, flour, baking powder, salt, and sprinkles and mix them on low speed until they are evenly mixed.
- Add the oil and the vanilla and continue beating the mixture until the ingredients clump and form small clusters.
- Carefully spread the delicate clusters in a thin layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake them for about 20 minutes. They dry and harden as the cool into crispy crumbs. Let them cool completely before using them. By the time you’ve made the cake and frosting, they will be ready to be used anyways.
To make the cake layers
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (use an oven thermometer to verify the temperature). Prepare a rimmed quarter sheet pan (mine is a 10-x15-inch pan with a 1-inch rim) by spraying it all over with Pam and then covering the base with a sheet of parchment. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and 50 grams of sprinkles in a small bowl. Set the dry ingredients aside for later.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, shortening, and the sugars on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs (all at once) and then beat again on medium-high for another 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
- In a 1-cup measurer, weigh out the buttermilk, grapeseed oil, and vanilla. With the mixer on low, add the wet ingredients in a steady stream. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for another 4 to 6 minutes. The mixture will double in size almost, and will appear light and fluffy. There will be no trace of oil left.
- With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients, and mix for another minute or so until the ingredients are all combined.
- Pour out the batter into the prepared sheet pan, spreading it out into an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining 25 grams of rainbow sprinkles.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until the cake bounces back slightly when gently pressed in the corner. The center of the cake should no longer jiggle when the pan is shook. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack.
To make the birthday cake soak
- Whisk together the milk and vanilla in a small cup or bowl. Set aside for later.
To make the birthday cake frosting
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, salt, baking powder, and citric acid in a medium bowl. Set aside for later.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, shortening, and the cream cheese for 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the bowl periodically.
- Add the glucose, corn syrup, and vanilla, and beat the mixture on medium-high again, for 2 to 3 minutes until it is silky smooth and a little glossy. Scrape down the bowl a few times.
- Now add the whisked dry ingredients and incorporate them on low speed. Increase the mixer speed to medium–high and beat the frosting until it is creamy and fluffy, just like the kind that comes in a can.
To assemble
- Cut the sheet cake into two 6-inch circles plus two half-circles using your cake ring as a template. Use a spatula to gently loosen and lift (carefully!) the circles and set them aside.
- Place the cake ring on a baking sheet lined with the 8-inch square of parchment. Line the inner rim of the ring with acetate to form a collar.
- Fill the bottom of the ring with the two half circles of cake. Press them slightly so that they are even. If there are any holes, fill them with the rest of the cake scraps.
- Brush half the birthday cake soak over the base of cake.
- Spread about 100 mL (one-fifth) of the birthday cake frosting over the base layer. Then sprinkle with one-third of the birthday cake crumbs, pressing them gently into the frosting. Top with another 100 mL (another fifth) of the birthday cake frosting, carefully spreading it so that it is even, but without disturbing the crumbs.
- Top with a full circle of cake, brush the rest of the cake soak over this layer, top with more frosting, cake crumbs, and another layer of frosting.
- Squeeze in the other strip of acetate between the inner rim of the ring and the first acetate strips (you are essentially making your cake ring taller at this point). Top with the last circle of cake. and the remaining frosting, spread evenly. Top with the remaining cake crumbs.
- Freeze the cake as is for at least 12 hours to set everything and making the unmolding process much easier.
- Three hours before serving, retrieve the pan from the freezer, and gently push the cake through the ring. Place it on a cake stand or cake plate. Now gently pull off the acetate ribbons.
- Let the cake defrost in the fridge before serving. Cut neatly with a large chef's knife.
Nutrition
Since in my early twenties, I had a soft-spot for cake mix vanilla and sprinkle cake topped with a generous swirl of that sprinkle frosting in a can, this was the perfect recipe for me. The cake was designed to taste like the typical "funfetti" birthday cake that many of us ate to celebrate the years of our youth. This recipe brings cake from a box and frosting from a can to a whole other level. With every bite, you can pick out the sweet, salty, and sour notes. The crumbs bring a surprising crispy element to the usual creamy texture of frosting.
Please note this post contains affiliate links for Amazon. If you buy a product I recommend, I will get a small commission, and the price you have to pay will not change in any way.
JoLea says
Hi! I want to make this cake and am really wondering why I can’t just assemble it like any other cake? What is the point of the acetate and everything? Can’t I just build the cake on a cake stand?
Janice says
Hi,
I totally understand that the acetate and cake ring seem like a little much. The goal with these is to achieve perfect, straight sides and to really showcase the layers. For this birthday cake, you could skip the acetate and the ring, and even the freezing step, without too much impact on the texture or the look. I think it will work just fine and I'm sure many stack it like a "regular" layer cake.
Marie Townsend says
This recipe is not accurate. Take a look at the original recipe, the mixing in of ingredients, weight of some ingredients. Cake will not turn out as well as the original.
Janice says
Indeed! If you want the original, best to buy the book. As I mentioned above, there are a few things I did a little different to make the cake shown in the photos. The recipe I've published here includes those changes. It wouldn't be right for me to show pictures of a cake made with a different recipe, so it only makes sense to publish the recipe as I did it. Hope that makes sense!
Anders says
Hello
Are the dimensions of your 10x15 sheet pan the internal or external dimensions? I'm finding it quite hard to find the right size pan.
Thanks
Anders
Janice says
I know, pan sizes vary so much from one company/brand to another.
If I measure the pan on the bottom, outside, the pan is about 9 3/4" x 14 3/4" .
If you have a pan that is even 9x13 on the bottom, you should be okay. The cake batter fills almost all the way to the top. Just note that if you use a glass pan, the baking time will differ. And depending on the pan size you use, you might have thicker or thinner layers of cake.
I hope this helps!
Janice says
I'm pretty sure this is the pan I use on Amazon
Pimm says
Hi, I'm you fan from thailand and i'm loving your blog already. My mouth is drooling watching the thread. I've never heard of milkbar cake before but since i've got to know it i can't help but buying the book online (which takes about 3 weeks to deliver to my place). I love your photographs also, they look soooooooooo good.
But on my first attempt today i'm having a problem. My cake didnt rise properly and wasn't double in size. I mean i even tried making second and third batches after that and the cake seems so dense and doesnt look as good as yours.
I guess it is because of this stage
In a 1-cup measurer, weigh out the buttermilk, grapeseed oil, and vanilla. With the mixer on low, add the wet ingredients in a steady stream. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for another 4 to 6 minutes. The mixture will double in size almost, and will appear light and fluffy. There will be no trace of oil left.
After adding in the wet ingredients, the recipe suggests that you should beat until the mixture is light and fluffy (and white?) Mine batter was too liquidy then and it doesnt seem like it is going to be creamed and light like the sponge cake batter nor the normal butter cake batter. I left the machine beating for like 8 minutes. And after i add in dry ingredients the batter became so thick. Do you have any good suggestions? Thank you so much in advance.
Janice says
Hi Pimm,
Thank you for your kind words about my blog! I appreciate the support 🙂
About this cake recipe, the cake will settle a bit when it comes out of the oven, and shrink down slightly, but it does sound from your description that something is wrong because the final cake layers are quite light.
First off, I'd like to make sure you are using a good, digital kitchen scale. This is very important.
Are you sure that before adding in the buttermilk mixture that you have beaten the mixture sufficiently? At every stage of the recipe, you incorporate more and more air, so as of the first step creaming the fats and sugars, already you are aerating the mixture. Make sure you beat even the first step for long enough.
My other thought is are you streaming in the buttermilk mixture? If you add it too fast, it will affect the emulsion and also the air in the batter, causing it to collapse.
My last question: when you add the flour mixture, are you careful not to overmix? Overmixing could lead to a denser cake.
I hope this helps and please, if you have more questions, feel free! Good luck!
Mike Ya says
Thanks for posting this.
For the life of me I can't find a 6" springform pan or ring mold. So I'm going to give it a shot in a 7" square springform pan.
It should work...maybe a little shorter.
Any suggestions or tips?
Janice says
Hi Mike! You can order a 6" cake ring or springform on Amazon, but I guess it's probably too late for that. Like this one. Otherwise for a 7-inch square ring, you will definitely have to scale up the amount of cake you make (because from one sheet pan, you will only get about 2 cake layers), and even the frosting a little. There's going to be some math, but if you don't mind doing math, and are careful to not skip doing the math on an ingredient, then you should be able to.
Good luck!
S. E. says
Is there any reason that you can't bake your cake in three, 6-inch cake pans? And if so, how would you adjust the batter, if at all? Thanks so much for putting this online. 🙂
Janice Lawandi says
Hi S. E.
If you made this cake in three 6-inch pans, you would definitely have thicker layers. I think one of the reasons that Milk Bar makes their cakes like this is that they really want to see the inside of the cake layer+the crumb (as opposed to the browned edge of a cake), and also, part of their process is turning the leftover cake trimmings into their cake truffles. Very smart. I would be difficult to guesstimate how much less batter you'd need to bake the layers in cake pans. You'd have to do some math, but it's not impossible (area of the sheet pan vs area of three 6-inch pans, assuming height of cake is constant therefore don't count it in the math, then scale down the recipe according to that number). Good luck 🙂