As we near the grand finale of our romantic meal inspired by Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, we reach Course 5: “Shake It Off Sweetly.” Picture this – a charming ending to your evening, filled with laughter, love, and a slice of joy in the form of Milk Bar’s Birthday Cake. This dessert is a symphony of vibrant flavors and playful colors, much like the spirit of “Shake It Off” itself. Join us as we dive into creating this delightful masterpiece, ensuring your romantic date night is sweetly memorable.
Tips and Tricks:
- Quality Ingredients: To achieve the best results, invest in high-quality ingredients. The fresher the eggs, the more vibrant the cake’s color, and the better the flavor.
- Precision is Key: Baking is a science, and measuring your ingredients accurately is crucial. Use a kitchen scale for precise measurements.
- Patience is a Virtue: Let the cake layers cool completely before assembling. This prevents the frosting from melting or slipping.
- Chill for Success: The cake and frosting both benefit from some time in the fridge. Allow the cake layers to chill before frosting, and let the assembled cake sit for a few hours to develop its best flavor.
- Creativity Abounds: Feel free to get creative with your cake’s appearance. Customize the cake’s look with various sprinkles, or even add a personal touch to make it uniquely yours.
Substitution Ideas:
- Flour Alternatives: If you have dietary restrictions, you can experiment with gluten-free flour or almond flour for the cake layers. Keep in mind that this might slightly alter the texture and taste.
- Dairy-Free Options: For a dairy-free version, consider using plant-based milk, vegan butter, and dairy-free cream cheese in the frosting.
- Egg Replacers: If you’re vegan or allergic to eggs, try egg substitutes like applesauce, mashed bananas, or commercially available egg replacers. Be sure to follow the recommended substitutions on the product’s packaging.
- Less Sugar: If you prefer a less sweet cake, reduce the amount of sugar in both the cake and frosting. Taste as you go to find your perfect level of sweetness.
Equipment You’ll Need:
- Two 6-inch (or 8-inch) round cake pans
- Parchment paper
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Offset spatula
- Cake turntable (optional but helpful for frosting)
- Cooling racks
- Cake leveler (optional for even cake layers)
Milk Bar’s Birthday Cake
As we near the grand finale of our romantic meal inspired by Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, we reach Course 5: "Shake It Off Sweetly." Picture this - a charming ending to your evening, filled with laughter, love, and a slice of joy in the form of Milk Bar's Birthday Cake. This dessert is a symphony of vibrant flavors and playful colors, much like the spirit of "Shake It Off" itself. Join us as we dive into creating this delightful masterpiece, ensuring your romantic date night is sweetly memorable.
Equipment
- Two 6-inch (or 8-inch) round cake pans For baking the cake layers.
- Parchment Paper For lining the cake pans.
- Stand mixer or hand mixer For mixing the cake batter and frosting.
- Mixing bowls For preparing ingredients.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons For precise ingredient measurements.
- Offset spatula For frosting the cake.
- Cake turntable (optional but helpful for frosting) For easy cake frosting.
- Cooling racks For cooling the cake layers and crumbs.
- Cake leveler (optional for even cake layers) For leveling cake layers.
Ingredients
For the Birthday Cake:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter Butter At room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar Granulated Sugar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar Light Brown Sugar Tightly packed
- 3 large eggs Eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk Buttermilk
- 1/3 cup grapeseed oil (or any neutral oil) Grapeseed Oil
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract Clear Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups cake flour Cake Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder Baking Powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon salt Salt
- 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles Rainbow Sprinkles
Instructions
Preparing the Cake Layers
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 6-inch (15cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.2 cups cake flour Cake Flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder Baking Powder, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon salt Salt
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set this dry mixture aside.2 tablespoons light brown sugar Light Brown Sugar, 3 large eggs Eggs
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the unsalted butter until it's creamy and smooth.
- Gradually add the granulated sugar to the butter and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, which should take about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the clear vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk and vegetable oil.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry mixture (from step 2) in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk-oil mixture (from step 6) in two parts. Begin and end with the dry mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in the rainbow sprinkles and jimmies using a spatula.
- Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 15 minutes, then remove them from the pans and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Creating the Birthday Cake Frosting
- In a medium saucepan, heat the granulated sugar and corn syrup over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
- Stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow it to boil for exactly one minute.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the clear vanilla extract and almond extract.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the unsalted butter until it's creamy and smooth.
- Gradually add the cooled sugar mixture while continuing to beat. Beat for another 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Assembling the Cake
- Level the tops of your cake layers using a serrated knife, if necessary, to create an even surface.
- Place one cake layer on a serving platter or cake stand.
- Spread a layer of birthday cake frosting over the top of the first layer.
- Continue to stack the cake layers on top of each other, adding a layer of frosting between each layer.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting, creating a smooth finish.
- Decorate the cake with additional rainbow sprinkles on the sides and the top, as desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 3gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 260mgPotassium: 60mgSugar: 28gVitamin A: 15IUCalcium: 6mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
