Momofuku Milk Bar Layered Birthday Cake

The Super Bowl demands a touchdown dessert. Which is why I went to my source of reliably impressive recipes: the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook. The NYC bakery's desserts are over-the-top sweet, in a candy-induced, sugar-high kind of way. They're fun and frivolous. Colorful. And brightly-hued desserts always draw a crowd. (Think about it: The taste of Funfetti is almost indistinguishable from white cake, yet the sprinkles make it infinitely more appealing.)

The one downfall of Momofuku's desserts is their complexity. Vegetable oil is replaced by rarely used grapeseed oil; ingredients like "glucose" or "citric acid" make repeated appearances. That's why I save their recipes for special occasions. This time, I decided to conquer the Layered Birthday Cake, which requires baking a cake, baking a cake crumble, mixing a whole milk soak, and preparing frosting. Then putting all of that together. I spent a good two or three hours on the endeavor. But, man, was it worth it, even though the Super Bowl isn't really that exciting.

The first slice I ate, shortly after I finished assembling the cake, wasn't that impressive. (My reaction: "Why didn't I just make a layered Funfetti cake?") But after the cake sat overnight (as the directions tell you to do), and the flavors mingled, it was divine. 

In the words of a friend, "it's so good it's almost bad." Bad, because one slice is not enough, even though it may leave you with a dull sugar stomachache. The whole milk soak imparts a density that distinguishes Momofuku's creation from boxed cake, and the frosting has a lightness you won't find in a can (even if you buy whipped!). The crumb gives it a delightful, crunchy sweetness, almost like pieces of sugar cookie mingled in to surprise your taste buds.  

Momofuku Milk Bar Layered Birthday Cake

What you need

For the cake: 
4 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 Tbsp tightly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup grapeseed oil*
2 tsp clear vanilla extract (Momofuku uses McCormick brand) 
2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles
Nonstick spray

*Grapeseed is best, because it's flavorless. But in a pinch, canola oil works just fine.

For the soak:
3/4 cup whole milk 
1 tsp clear vanilla extract 

For the crumb:
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp tightly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 Tbsp rainbow sprinkles
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1 Tbsp clear vanilla extract

For the frosting:
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 oz cream cheese
1 Tbsp glucose*
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 Tbsp clear vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Pinch of baking powder
Pinch of citric acid (often called "sour salt")**

*You'll probably have to order this online. Or simply sub in 2 tsp light corn syrup.
**You can use a few drops of lemon juice instead, if need be. 

  Put it all together

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. To make the cake, combine the butter, shortening, sugar, and brown sugar in a stand mixer; cream on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs, then mix on medium-high for another 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides again.  
3. On low speed, gradually mix in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Increase the speed to medium-high for 4 to 6 minutes, until the mixture is nearly white, double the size of the original mixture, and completely uniform in appearance. (There should be no fatty or liquidy streaks. This can take a while, and that's fine.) Scape down the sides of the bowl.
4. On the lowest speed possible, add the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and 2 Tbsp rainbow sprinkles. Mix for about a minute, just until the batter comes together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
5. Grease a quarter sheet pan (I used a large cookie sheet with rimmed edges) and line it with parchment paper. Spread the cake batter in an even layer across the pan, and spread the remaining 2 Tbsp sprinkles evenly over the top. 
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cake has doubled in size. At 30 minutes, poke the edge of the cake with your finger. It should bounce back slightly, and the center shouldn't be jiggly. If necessary, bake the cake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. 
7. Remove the cake from the oven onto a wire rack, and reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
8. To make the crumb, combine the sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and sprinkles, and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Add the oil and vanilla, and mix again until small clusters form. 
9. Spread the clusters on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes. Break the clusters up occasionally. Don't worry if they are slightly moist when you remove them from the oven. They will harden as they cool. Allow to cool completely. 
10. To make the frosting, mix the butter, shortening, and cream cheese on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes, so the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
11. Set the mixer on its lowest speed, and slowly pour in the glucose, corn syrup, and citric acid. Mix until just incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes. 
12. To make the soak, whisk together the milk and vanilla in a small bowl.
13. Now assemble it all: Place a piece of parchment paper on the counter, and invert the cake onto the parchment. Use a 6-inch cake ring to stamp out two circles from the cake. (I don't have a cake ring, so I just placed a 6-inch bowl upside down on the cake and cut around it with a sharp knife.) These are your two top cake layers, and the scraps are what will make up your bottom layer.
14. Clean the cake ring and place it in the center of a sheet pan lined with parchment. Use a strip of acetate (3 inches wide, 20 inches long) to line the inside of the cake ring. (Again, I don't have a cake ring or acetate. My solution: I constructed the bottom of the cake in a 6-inch skillet, then transferred it to a cake stand.) Place the cake scraps in the ring, using the back of your hand to flatten the scraps into a smooth, even layer.
15. Dip a pastry brush in the cake soak, and generously bathe the bottom layer of cake.
16. Using the back of a spoon, spread a fifth of the frosting evenly over the cake, then sprinkle a third of the crumb over the frosting. Spread a second fifth of the frosting evenly over the crumb.
17. With your index finger, tuck a second strip of acetate between the cake ring and the top 1/4 inch of the first strip of acetate, so you have a clear ring of acetate 5 to 6 inches tall. Set a cake round on top of the frosting, and repeat the process for layer one. (No acetate? Just free hand it!)
18. Nestle the remaining cake round into the frosting. Cover with the last fifth of frosting, and garnish with remaining crumbs. 
19. Transfer the sheet pan to the freezer and freeze for at least 12 hours. (I skipped this. I was dying to try the cake.) At least 3 hours prior to serving, remove from the freezer, pop the cake out of the cake ring, peel off the acetate, and transfer the cake to a platter. Let it defrost in the fridge for at least 3 hours, then slice and serve.

Birthday Cake Batter Cookies

I've never baked a cookie that I liked more than the dough itself. Until now. I've also never regretted making a cookie as much as I regret making these. I seriously can't stay out of them. 

I'm obsessed with three things:

Cookie dough.

Cake batter.

Sprinkles.

These cookies capture the magic of all three in one seriously sweet treat. This might possibly be the best cookie I have ever made. 

The inspiration started with my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I first discovered it in high school, when I was trying to impress my boyfriend with my baking skills. I'm fairly certain those cookies were why he fell in love with me. I eventually dumped him, but I stuck by that recipe for the long haul. It's a no-fail crowd pleaser—the soft, dense type of cookie most people assume could only come from a bakery. 

The irony? The secret ingredient is a basic supermarket staple: instant pudding mix. 

I wanted to create a cookie with the same soft, cake-like texture. But I was afraid pudding mix would overpower the cake batter flavor I sought. So I broke out the milk powder, the secret weapon of Momofuku Milk Bar, one of my favorite NYC bakeries. I combined it with sugar, cornstarch, and a little salt to create my own milk-flavored pudding mix. The powdery mixture contributes creaminess more than it does flavor.

The effect was exactly as I intended. The batter was, as you'd expect, delicious, but the cookies were otherworldly. If I sound like I'm bragging, it's because I am. These cookies were GOOD.

Fresh out of the oven!

Birthday Cake Batter Cookies

What you need
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups yellow cake mix
3 sticks butter, softened
1 ¼ cups brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup white sugar
2 ½ Tbsp milk powder
3 ½ Tbsp white sugar
2 ½ Tbsp cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 ½ Tsp vanilla extract
2 cups white baking chips
½ cup sprinkles

Put it all together

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Beat the butter, brown sugar, and 1/3 cup sugar until well combined. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine the milk powder, 3 ½ Tbsp white sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly beat the mixture in with the butter and sugar.
4. Stir in the eggs and vanilla, then gently fold in the white baking chips and sprinkles.
5. Roll dough into 1" balls, and place on an ungreased baking sheet, about 1 to 2 inches apart. Bake for 13-15 minutes. 

Or, if you really want to get experimental, grill the cookie dough! 

I flattened a ball of dough into a pancake shape, and grilled it on a 350°F griddle. The outside was crispy, the inside gooey. I have no idea if this is safe, since the inside wasn't fully cooked, but I do know it was delicious!

Grilled cookie!

You may also enjoy...

Birthday Cake Oreo Bark

Birthday Cake Cheesecake

Funfetti Pie

Birthday Cake Oreo Bark

I'm well aware that I just made Birthday Cake Cheesecake. But I think my recipe repetition is justified, because I FINALLY found Birthday Cake Oreos! I'd all but given up on tracking down the elusive cookies, assuming they were a very-very-limited-time release. But this weekend, when I was visiting my family in Tennessee, there they were, prominently displayed on a shelf in Walmart. Naturally, I snagged two packages. (Which means they'll be appearing in a few more recipes in the near future.) 

       I considered making truffles, but it was nearly 9 o'clock when I started baking, so I wanted something simple (and instantly rewarding). My solution: Oreo bark. It doesn't require baking, it hardens quickly, and it's so sweet I only need one piece to satisfy my sugar craving. 

       I incorporated cake batter into the recipe, which, as my boyfriend so kindly commented, made it taste like frosting. I think he (with his pitifully weak sweet tooth) intended that as an insult, but I consider it a compliment—I could eat frosting by the spoonful. Now I don't even need the spoon.

Birthday Cake Oreo Bark

What you need
12 oz almond bark candy
1/3 cup yellow cake mix
12 Birthday Cake Oreos, crumbled
Sprinkles

Put it all together

1. Break up the almond bark candy, and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat until melted, about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. 
2. Stir the cake mix into the melted candy, then add the crumbled Oreos and gently combine. 
3. Spread mixture to 1/4" thickness on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and greased lightly. Top with sprinkles. Allow to harden completely. (It should take about half an hour.)
4. Cut into squares and serve!

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Birthday Cake Cheesecake
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Birthday Cake Cheesecake

I've been really grumpy lately. It seems that all I do is flit from social obligation to work to buying MORE cat food, and I'm just worn out. (It's a tough life, really. I miss summer break.) Fortunately, there's respite in my kitchen. When I'm grumpy, nothing makes me feel better than experimental baking. I'm normally not one to brag. But this may very well be my most delicious creation ever. 

I made the crust out of crushed vanilla wafers, and folded birthday cake crumb—crispy and cookie-like, with plenty of sprinkles—into the cheesecake batter. (It's the same stuff coating Momofuku Milk Bar's birthday cake truffles.) The crumb is like Funfetti in cookie form; it contributes the flavor of birthday cake, without compromising the density of the cheesecake. Rather, it adds a welcome layer of texture. The pairing of the smooth sponginess of the cheesecake with the crunch of the crumb is to-die-for. In fact, I consider this a viable option for my last meal if I'm ever on Death Row. Not that I plan to be. I've just been watching Manson documentaries. (Creeped out yet? I am.) 

The best part of all: Since it's made with Neufchâtel cheese and marshmallow fluff, this colorful cake is not nearly as caloric as a normal slice of cheesecake. Unless, of course, you eat half the cake in one sitting. I came close.

Birthday Cake Cheesecake

What you need:

Birthday Cake Crumb
From Momofuku Milk Bar
½ cup sugar
1 ½ Tbsp light brown sugar, packed
¾ cup cake flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp rainbow sprinkles
¼ cup grapeseed or canola oil
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
 
Crust
32 vanilla wafers, crushed
2 Tbsp butter, melted
 
Cheesecake
2 packages (8 oz each) Neufchâtel cheese, softened
7 oz marshmallow fluff
1 egg
2 Tbsp rainbow sprinkles
 
Put it all together:

 1.    Preheat the oven to 300°F.
 2.    Combine the sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and sprinkles in a bowl. Mix on low speed until thoroughly combined.
 3.    Add the oil and vanilla. Mix the ingredients until small clusters form.
 4.    Spread the clusters onto a baking pan covered with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes. The crumbs should feel slightly moist when you take them out of the oven. (They will dry and harden as they cool.) Allow the crumb to cool completely.
5.    Preheat the oven to 350°F.
6.    Combine the butter and crushed vanilla wafers, and press firmly into the bottom of a 9" springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool for 10 minutes.
7.    Beat the softened Neufchâtel and fluff with a mixer until smooth. Add the egg, and mix until combined. Stir in the birthday cake crumbs, and pour the batter over the cooled crust 8.    Bake for 2o to 25 minutes, until the center is set. Distribute sprinkles around the edges of the cheesecake, patting them gently to embed them into the cake. Cool the cheesecake completely, then refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.

 

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Birthday Cake Oreo Bark
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Funfetti Pie
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Best of the Bake Sale: Funfetti Pie!

My cat, Samson, generously donated his plate for this photo.

As a general rule, I don’t like cake. I find it unsatisfying—it lacks the density of cookies and the oozing sweetness of pie. But there’s one exception: Funfetti cake mix. I’m childishly drawn to the boxed stuff, sort of like I’m attracted to glitter or hot pink. And inexplicably so. The colorful confetti of sprinkles adds little beyond visual appeal—no flavor, no texture—yet I find myself eagerly whipping up any Funfetti-containing recipe. (Or happily blowing my diet on Truffula Chip Pancakes.) First, it was Momofuku Birthday Cake Truffles. Then it was Funfetti Chex Mix (aptly called “crack” by my coworker). Now, it’s Funfetti Pie.

I made the pie for a charity bake sale—a bit risky, but appropriate, I thought. The recipe combines the best of the bake sale: flaky piecrust, sugar cookie dough, Funfetti cake, and buttercream frosting. In other words, enough sugar to send me into a diabetic coma. In a good way, of course.

Funfetti Pie

Adapted from: Cake Spy

What you need

Pre-made flaky piecrust, thawed

Sugar cookie dough

Funfetti cake mix

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

Sprinkles

Frosting

1.5 cups powdered sugar

1 c butter, softened

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ Tbsp whipping cream

Naked.

Put it all together

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Press an even layer of sugar cookie dough, about ½” thick, into the bottom of the pie crust.
3. Prepare the Funfetti cake mix according to package directions, using the water, oil, and eggs. Pour it into the pie crust, until it’s about two-thirds full. (You will have leftover cake mix.*)
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. The cake should be golden brown. Remove from oven, and let cool completely.
5. To make the frosting, use a stand mixer to blend the butter and powdered sugar. Start on low speed, then once it’s fluffy, crank it up to medium speed for 3 minutes.
6. Add the vanilla and whipping cream, continuing to mix on medium speed for 1 more minute. Spread frosting on completely cooled pie, then decorate with sprinkles.

*I suggest eating it by the spoonful, since calories don’t count while you’re baking. Or make cupcakes. Whichever.

 Sorry, iPhoto blemish remover wouldn't hide my cutting-board mess.

The results

Critic #1: "Just what I needed. It was delicious, and exactly what you'd think Funfetti pie would taste like."

Critic #2: "Just like you: different, interesting, irresistible, and not TOO sweet." 

I'm still deciding if I need therapy after comment #2.