Birthday Layer Cake

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JILL

When I got the Facebook invite to one of my best friend’s birthday-get-together, I immediately made it clear that I would make her birthday cake. Ever since I bought the Milk Bar cookbook, I’ve been waiting for an occasion to whip up this delight. This is a childhood classic Funfetti cake, three layers deep with frosting that tastes heavenly. What more could a birthday girl ask for?

 

I find that a lot of the Milk Bar recipes are rather…involved. It doesn’t scare me away or discourage me. In fact, it kind of makes me want to try it even more. Or, they require equipment that I do not own, and could not find at my local Michael’s or kitchen store. So I was forced to improvise, and still had success. In this case, I could not find a cake ring to save my life, nor could I find acetate. So, I just used a regular 6″ round cake pan, and used a knife to basically trace the pan to cut the round layers. In the absence of acetate, I opted for parchment and duct tape (in hind sight, my silpat may have done the job too). It wasn’t as sturdy as acetate, but for the most part, I got the same results as those who had some on hand. Next time, I will be sure to track some down.

If  you’re familiar with the recipes from the Milk Bar cookbook, then you know all about “crunches” and “crumbs”.  Christina Tosi likes to incorporate flavorful textures into her recipes, and this cake was no exception.  The crumb created a nice crunch between the layers, and made for a nice cake topper too!  The recipe calls for grapeseed oil to make them, but I find them to be boring and bland when made that way.  Instead I used butter.  Why not, right?

1 batch birthday cake soak (recipe below)
1 batch birthday cake frosting (recipe below)
1 batch birthday cake crumbs (recipe below)

**I recommend making the crumbs first, then the cake, icing and then the soak.

Directions  (Step by step photos are great here)

Invert the birthday cake onto a sheet of parchment paper or silpat, and peel off the parchment paper backing. Using the 6-inch cake ring, stamp out two circles from the cake. These will be the top and middle layers. The remaining cake “scrap’ will come together to make the bottom layer of the cake.

Clean the cake ring and place it on a sheet of parchment paper or silpat atop a baking sheet. Use one strop of acetate to line the inside of the cake ring. Put the cake scraps in the ring and use the back of your hand to press the scraps together into a flat even later.

Dunk the pastry brush in the birthday cake soak and give the layer of scraps a good, healthy bath of half of the soak.

Spread one fifth of the birthday cake frosting over the base layer. Then sprinkle with one-third of the birthday cake crumbs evenly over the top of the frosting. Use the back of your hand to anchor them in place. Top with another fifth of the birthday cake frosting, carefully spreading it so that it is even, but without disturbing the crumbs.

With your index finger, gently tuck the second strip of acetate between the cake ring and the top 1/4 inch of the first strip of acetate, so that you have a clear ring of acetate 5-6 inches tall- high enough to support the height of th finished cake. Top with a full circle of cake (save the nicest one for the top layer), brush the rest of the cake soak over this layer, top with another one fifth of the frosting, one third of the cake crumbs, and another one fifth of the frosting.

Nestle the remaining cake round into the frosting. Cover the top of the cake with the last fifth of the frosting. Give it volume and swirls, or opt for the perfectly flat top. Garnish the frosting with the remaining birthday crumbs.

Freeze the cake for at least 12 hours to set the cake and filling. (And to make the unmolding much easier.)

Three hours before serving, pull the pan from the freezer, and using your fingers and thumbs, pop the cake out of the cake ring. Gently peel off the acetate and transfer the cake to a platter or cake stand. Let it defrost in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours. (wrapped well in plastic, it can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

Birthday Cake

2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup + 2 tbl rainbow sprinkles
4 tbsp (1/2 stick) salted butter, at room temp
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp light brown sugar, tightly packed
3 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup  grapeseed oil –  or canola or vegetable oil
2 tsp clear imitation vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare a rimmed quarter sheet pan by spraying with cooking spray and covering the base with a sheet of parchment. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and 1/4 cup 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 sugars on medium-high speed 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.

With the mixer on low speed, add the wet ingredients (buttermilk, canola oil, and imitation vanilla) in a steady stream. Increase the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for another 4 to 6 minutes. The mixture should double in size and turn practically white. Don’t stop mixing until the mixture is completely homogeneous, with no visible streaks of oil or fat.

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients, and mix for another minute or so until the ingredients are just combined.

Pour out the batter into the prepared sheet pan, spreading it out into an even layer.  Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tbsp of 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.

Birthday Cake Crumb

* I used about 6-8 tbsp of butter, melted instead of oil because I find it flavourless without it.

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar, tightly packed
3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp rainbow sprinkles
1/4 cup grapeseed oil – or canola or vegetable oil
1 tbl clear imitation vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 300 and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or piece of parchment.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugars, flour, baking powder, salt, and sprinkles. Mix on low speed until combined.

Stream in the oil and the imitation vanilla on low speed and continue beating the mixture until the ingredients clump and form small clusters.

Carefully spread the clusters in a thin layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake them for about 20 minutes, breaking up occasionally. They will be slightly moist but will harden as they cool. Let them cool completely before using.

Birthday Cake Frosting

* I didn’t fully read the recipe, and dumped in the whole 8 ounces of cream cheese, and ended up using 2 cups of icing sugar (instead of 1 1/4 cups) to balance the flavor.

8 tbl (1 stick) salted butter, at room temp
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temp
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1 tbsp clear imitation vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
pinch baking powder
pinch citric acid

In the bowl of a stand 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.

Add the glucose, corn syrup, and vanilla, and beat the mixture on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and glossy white.

Add the powdered sugar, baking powder, and citric acid on low speed until just combined. Set the mixer to high speed and beat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is stark white and fluffy.

Birthday Cake Soak

1/4 cup milk
1 tsp clear imitation vanilla extract

Whisk together the milk and vanilla in a small cup or bowl.

Recipe from Momofuku Milk Bar