Recognize Christina Tosi's iconic Milk Bar Birthday Cake? Well, if you did, good job, if you didn't you're about to find out. This cake may look like your average funfetti or birthday cake, but inside, there's a soak, cake crumble, and frosting. The soak contains just a simple milk and vanilla extract mixture to help soften your cake. The cake crumble is almost the same as the cake base but, it's more of a cookie and obviously in balls. Lastly, for the frosting, I just made another frosting recipe that was a lot easier and faster.
For the crumbs I made two versions: one that's shaped into a ball, the other is a crumble with relatively small chunks of cookie.
Your best bet is to cut three circles with a 6" cakering. If you don't have one, you can improvise and just layer them. It won't look as finished but it will certainly work!
I used Preppy Kitchen's frosting, but I will definitely recommend adding a little more buttermilk.
The original recipe said to chill for 12 hours, but I found that 1-3 hours works just fine.
This cake works well for obviously birthday parties, get togethers and so much more!!! 🎂
Level: 👩🏽🍳👩🏽🍳👩🏽🍳
Serves: 8
Time: 2 hours
Tip: Make ahead the cookie crumble so it's out of your way.
RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 + 2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour
1 1/3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles _____
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
_____
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
_____
4 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
4 tablespoons buttermilk (this may vary, add more if needed)
STEPS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line/grease a baking sheet.
In a fitted stand mixer with a paddle attachment beat together butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Very slowly add in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Beat on high until it doubles in size. Finally slowly mix in the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and sprinkles. Pour into the pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.
In a small bowl whisk the milk and vanilla extract, set aside.
In your mixer beat the sugar's, bake flour, baking powder, salt, and sprinkles. Slowly add in the oil and vanilla extract to form a cookie like dough. Pour into another baking sheet (make sure it's pretty crumbly, also note: if you want to have a circle of crumb balls, make some shaped as ball's separately), and bake at 300 F for 15 minutes.
While your cake and crumbs are baking, cream together butter, sugar, and salt on medium high. Pour in the buttermilk until spreadable.
Finally to assemble: Cut three 6" cakes and place one on your final plate. Brush the milk/vanilla soak onto the cake and add 1/5 of your frosting to the base. Sprinkle 1/3 of your crumble and add another 1/5 of your frosting. Repeat for the second layer. For the last layer: brush your soak onto the cake and layer with frosting. Place your seperate crumb balls in any shape you want. Add your sprinkles if desired.
Enjoy!
- The Bored Baker 👩🏽🍳
This recipe is inspired by: https://milkbarstore.com/blogs/recipes/birthday-cake and https://preppykitchen.com/vanilla-buttercream/