Milk Bar Birthday Cake feels like a warm hello from my kitchen to yours. I remember the first time I tried to recreate that tender, party-ready funfetti cake at home — I talked out loud to myself, laughed when my sprinkles scattered, and felt the kind of cozy pride that only baking can bring. This copycat version leans on butter, plenty of vanilla, fluffy cake flour, creamy Greek yogurt, and joyful rainbow sprinkles to give you a nostalgic slice that is both comforting and festive. If you love textures that mix soft cake with crunchy crumbs and an ultra-creamy vanilla frosting, you are in the right place.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy to prepare with straightforward techniques
- Uses simple, accessible ingredients you probably already have
- Perfect for birthdays, weekend parties, or any season when you want something cheerful
- Comforting, satisfying, and impressive on the dessert table
What makes this version unique is the homemade version of Milk Bar style crumbs folded into layers, plus a rich but balanced vanilla buttercream that is not overly sweet. I built this recipe to boost your confidence in the kitchen: you will learn how to create even layers, a milk soak that keeps the cake tender, and crunchy funfetti crumbs for texture. The result is a nostalgic, reliable cake you will want to make again and again.
Ingredients Needed
Cake components at a glance
Cake batter – makes a tender, buttery sheet cake base
Crumb mix – bakes into the crunchy “cookie” crumbs that give Milk Bar cakes their signature texture
Vanilla buttercream – silky, stabilized, and scoopable
Milk soak – a little luxury to keep layers moist
Cake batter
- 230 grams (1 cup or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened – room temperature butter helps trap air when creamed
- 200 grams (about 1 cup) caster sugar or fine granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided – keep some for the milk soak and crumbs if you like
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature – makes the batter silkier and helps it emulsify
- 315 grams (2 and 1/4 cups) plain or all-purpose flour, sifted
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of fine salt
- 240 ml (1 cup) full fat or whole milk, room temperature
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream, room temperature – adds tenderness and a little tang
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) funfetti sprinkles – use rainbow jimmies, not nonpareils, to avoid bleeding
Crumb mix (for the crunchy filling)
- 105 grams (3/4 cup) plain or all-purpose flour
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornflour or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 grams (1/4 cup) butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 3 tablespoons funfetti sprinkles
Vanilla buttercream and finishing
- 230 grams (1 cup or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature and roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract plus an extra 1/2 teaspoon, divided – see notes on why we split it
- 500 grams (about 4 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 to 2 tablespoons full fat or whole milk, room temperature, plus 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk divided – use as needed for texture
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder – keeps the buttercream light and stable
Notes on the list above
- Fresh vs frozen: All ingredients here should be fresh; do not use frozen butter. Use room temperature eggs and dairy for best emulsion.
- Substitutions: For a lighter crumb, try a light olive oil swap for a portion of the butter in the crumbs, or use oat milk or a neutral plant milk if you need dairy-free alternatives for the soak and frosting. If using dairy-free butter, the texture will change slightly.
- Sprinkles: Use jimmies or bakery-quality sprinkles; tiny nonpareils may “bleed” color into batters.
In this list I kept everything grouped so you can shop quickly. If you prefer a printable shopping list format, I find tidying groups into “batter, crumbs, frosting” on a single page helps.
I often pair this cake-making afternoon with a lighter breakfast recipe like Blueberry Buttermilk Pancake Casserole when I am feeding a crowd the same weekend. It is a nice flow from morning to dessert.
Ingredients & Equipment Notes (Optional)
- Baking pan: You will bake the cake in a quarter sheet pan, approximately 9 by 13 inches. Grease and line it with baking or parchment paper so the edges do not tear when you remove the cake.
- 6-inch cake ring or round cutter: Required for cutting three 6-inch layers from the sheet cake. If you do not have a ring, use a steady knife and a cake board to cut concentric circles, or bake in 6-inch pans instead and adjust baking time.
- Electric mixer: A stand or hand mixer makes the creaming and buttercream steps faster and more consistent.
- Spatulas and mixing bowls: Flexible rubber spatulas will help you fold in sprinkles gently.
- Wire rack: For cooling the cake completely before cutting.
- Baking tray for crumbs: Use a rimmed tray lined with parchment to bake the crumbs evenly.
A short note on why tools matter: a metal offset spatula helps level the batter and spread frosting smoothly, and acetate strips inside the cake ring give you clean edges. If you are missing a ring, chilling the assembled cake a little longer will help you get neater slices.
Instructions – How to Make “Milk Bar Birthday Cake”
- Prepare your pan and preheat the oven
- Grease a quarter sheet pan (9 by 13 inches) and line it with parchment so two edges overhang. Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) standard, or 160 C (320 F) fan-forced.
- Why this matters: Lining makes it simple to lift the cake out cleanly for cutting, and the temperature balance gives the cake a tender crumb without overbrowning.
- Cream butter and sugar
- In a large mixing bowl, add 230 grams softened butter, 200 grams caster sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale, light, and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Visual cue: The mixture should lighten in color and fluff up, leaving faint trails when the whisk is lifted.
- Tip: Scrape the bowl once so everything stays evenly incorporated.
- Add eggs one at a time
- Add the 3 large eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until each egg is absorbed.
- Why a step matters: Adding eggs slowly keeps the mixture emulsified and prevents curdling, giving you a stable batter.
- Whisk dry ingredients separately
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 315 grams sifted plain flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
- Mini tip: Sifting removes lumps and helps aerate the flour for a lighter texture.
- Combine dry mix and milk in stages
- Add half of the flour mix to the creamed butter and eggs, then pour in all of the 240 ml room temperature milk. Beat on low speed until combined.
- Add the remaining dry mix and the 60 ml Greek yogurt or sour cream and continue mixing on low until just combined and a thick, creamy batter forms.
- Visual cues: The batter should be smooth, thick, and glossy. Do not overmix or you will develop gluten and toughen the cake.
- Why it matters: Alternating dry and wet ingredients helps avoid lumping and ensures even hydration.
- Fold in sprinkles gently
- Use a spatula to gently fold in the 50 grams funfetti sprinkles. Be delicate to avoid dye bleed or overmixing.
- Tip: Fold two or three times until they are distributed; a few streaks are okay.
- Bake the sheet cake
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Visual cue: The top will spring back slightly and edges will be lightly set.
- Cooling: Set the baked cake on a wire rack to cool completely. Do not attempt to cut while warm.
- Make the funfetti crumb topping
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard if it has cooled down.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 105 grams flour, 50 grams sugar, and 1 tablespoon cornflour. Pour the melted 60 grams butter over the dry mix along with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and stir briefly.
- Add 3 tablespoons sprinkles and stir until it forms wet crumbs that look like wet sand.
- Spread the crumb mix onto a baking tray lined with parchment, spreading it into an even single layer. Bake for about 10 minutes, until set but not browned. Leave to cool completely; crumbs will crisp as they cool.
- Why this matters: These crumbs give the cake a satisfying crunch between layers and mimic the Milk Bar texture.
- Prepare the vanilla buttercream
- Place 230 grams room temperature butter in a large bowl and beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth and pale.
- Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 125 grams (about 1 cup) of the sifted icing sugar. Beat on low to combine, then turn speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.
- Add 250 grams (2 cups) sifted icing sugar along with 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt. Beat on medium until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the final 125 grams (1 cup) sifted icing sugar, along with 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk and 1/8 teaspoon baking powder. Beat on medium until the frosting is fluffy, light, and scoopable. If needed, add up to the reserved 60 ml milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach your desired consistency. Add extra 1/2 teaspoon vanilla at the end if you like a stronger vanilla finish.
- Visual cues: The frosting should be smooth, airy, and hold soft peaks without being runny.
- Tip: If your kitchen is warm and the buttercream softens, chill the bowl for 10 minutes and rewhip briefly.
- Remove cake from pan and cut layers
- Gently lift the cooled cake from the pan and peel off the parchment. Using a 6-inch cake ring, cut three 6-inch layers from the sheet cake. You will typically get two whole rounds and two halves, depending on the layout.
- Assembly technique: Place a 6-inch cake ring on a cake board or plate, and line the inside with a strip of acetate if you have it. Arrange the two half pieces as the bottom layer and press down firmly. Use cake scraps to fill any holes and press to make one even layer.
- Why this matters: Pressing the base pieces into one smooth layer ensures even stacking and no gaps filled with air.
- Make the milk soak
- Combine about 60 ml milk with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl. This is your milk soak.
- Tip: The soak is optional but recommended – it adds moisture and a gentle vanilla hint between layers.
- Assemble the cake
- Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the milk soak over the first cake layer so it is lightly moistened but not soggy.
- Add a few tablespoons of vanilla buttercream and spread into an even layer. Scatter over a handful of the cooled cookie crumbs – you want texture, so do not fully bury the crumbs under frosting.
- Add another cake layer and press down firmly. Repeat the milk soak, buttercream spread, and crumb scatter.
- Place the final cake layer on top, press down and add the remaining buttercream. Scatter the final crumbs over the top and sides as desired.
- Chill the assembled cake in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set and make slicing neater.
- Mini tip: Use a warm knife between cuts for cleaner slices – wipe the blade between slices.
- Final presentation
- Once set, remove the cake ring and acetate. If you used acetate, peel it away slowly for clean sides.
- Garnish with a few extra sprinkles on top or a sprinkle of crumbs for contrast.
Serving Suggestions & Storage Tips
Serving ideas
- Serve slices at room temperature for the best flavor and frosting texture. You can take the cake out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
- Pair with light tea or a bright lemon curd to cut through the richness, or keep it simple with fresh berries for contrast.
- For celebrations, add fresh edible flowers or a scattering of extra funfetti around the base for a festive look.
Presentation tips
- Use a cake board that fits the 6-inch ring for a tidy base.
- For clean slices, use a long serrated knife and warm it under hot water, then wipe dry before slicing each piece.
- If you want a rustic look, skip the acetate and gently press crumbs into the sides using your hands or an offset spatula.
Pairings
- A light citrus salad or a bowl of macerated strawberries balances the buttercream sweetness.
- For brunch-style events, this cake complements dishes like scrambled eggs, fruit salads, or an overnight bake.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep it in an airtight cake carrier or wrap with plastic wrap to maintain moisture.
- Freezer: You can freeze individual slices wrapped tightly in plastic and then foil for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before serving.
- Do not leave frosted cake at room temperature for more than 4 hours in warm climates.
Best reheating methods
- If you want a warm slice, remove a piece from the fridge and microwave for 8 to 12 seconds at medium power, checking frequently to avoid melting the frosting.
- Alternatively, thaw a frozen slice in the fridge, then pop it into a 150 C (300 F) oven for 5 to 8 minutes to revive the crumb without drying it.
Helpful Notes & Variations
Ingredient substitutions
- Dairy-free: Substitute dairy-free butter and full fat plant yogurt for the Greek yogurt to make the cake dairy-free, though texture will vary slightly.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend for the cake and crumb. Expect slightly different crumb and absorption; add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum if your blend does not already contain it.
- Lower sugar: Reduce the cake sugar by up to 25 grams if you prefer less sweetness. Do not reduce frosting sugar too much or the texture will suffer.
Dietary adaptations
- Egg-free: Use a commercially available egg replacer or try 3 tablespoons applesauce per egg as a starting point; note texture will be denser.
- Vegan: Use vegan butter, aquafaba for egg replacement, and plant-based yogurts and milk.
Flavor add-ins
- Citrus twist: Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon or orange zest to the batter and buttercream to brighten the flavor.
- Chocolate swirl: Fold 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder into a small portion of batter and spoon dollops to create a marbled effect.
- Extra crunch: Add chopped toasted almonds or hazelnuts between layers with the crumbs.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Overmixing batter: Mix until just combined. Overmixing leads to a chewy cake.
- Warm buttercream: Beat butter well but keep an eye on kitchen temperature; if frosting becomes too soft, chill briefly and rewhip.
- Soggy layers: Use the milk soak sparingly. It should moisten, not saturate.
Experience-based tips
- Make the crumbs ahead: You can bake the crumbs a day in advance and store them in an airtight container.
- Chill for clean slicing: A chilled cake slices much neater, so plan to chill the assembled cake at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
- Keep sprinkles to the end: Add sprinkles to the batter last and fold gently to prevent melting or bleeding.
I also like to contrast this celebratory cake with robust flavors on other baking days, such as the deep notes from a Guinness Chocolate Cake with Irish Buttercream, for a different crowd-pleasing dessert.
Conclusion
This Milk Bar Birthday Cake recipe brings the childhood glee of sprinkles, soft butter cake, crunchy crumbs, and a lush vanilla buttercream into your home in a reliable, do-able way. It stands out because it balances nostalgia and technique: a tender sheet cake that you cut into perfect rounds, a milk soak that keeps each bite moist, and signature funfetti crumbs that add the surprise crunch we all love. If you follow the steps, you will end up with a celebratory cake that looks impressive, tastes delicious, and makes any gathering feel special.
For official Milk Bar products or inspiration, you might enjoy browsing the original Birthday Cake Delivery – Milk Bar to see how the brand presents the signature treat. If you want another copycat take, I found a helpful adaptation at Milk Bar Birthday Cake (Easy Homemade Version) – Sweetest Menu that complements this approach. For a trace of the original recipe ideas and techniques, check the Milk Bar recipe notes at Birthday Cake Recipe – Milk Bar. Try the recipe, leave a star rating, and share a photo on Pinterest or your favorite social channels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes. You can bake the sheet cake and make the crumbs a day ahead. Store the cooled cake wrapped in plastic at room temperature for up to 24 hours, and keep crumbs in an airtight container. Make the frosting and assemble the day before serving for the best slices.
How should I store leftovers and how long do they last?
Store leftover slices or the whole cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze individual slices tightly wrapped and stored in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
What is the best way to reheat or serve this recipe after storage?
For room temperature service, remove the cake from the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. For a warm slice, microwave a single piece for 8 to 12 seconds at medium power, or briefly warm in a low oven around 150 C (300 F) for 5 to 8 minutes.
Can I adjust or substitute ingredients to fit my preferences?
Yes. Swap full fat dairy for plant-based alternatives for dairy-free versions, use a gluten-free flour blend if needed, or reduce sugar slightly in the cake. Be cautious reducing frosting sugar or the texture may suffer. For egg-free options, use a commercial egg replacer or apple sauce substitutes but expect a denser crumb.
Do you have tips to ensure the best texture and flavor every time?
- Use room temperature butter and eggs for a smooth emulsion.
- Alternate dry and wet ingredients to avoid overmixing.
- Fold sprinkles gently and avoid using tiny nonpareils that bleed.
- Chill the assembled cake before slicing for clean cuts.
- Taste and adjust vanilla in the frosting to match your preferred intensity.
Enjoy baking this joyful Milk Bar Birthday Cake, and if you give it a try please leave a comment and a rating so others can bake along.
Milk Bar Birthday Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Grease a quarter sheet pan (9 by 13 inches) and line it with parchment so two edges overhang. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) standard, or 160°C (320°F) fan-forced.
- In a large mixing bowl, add softened butter, caster sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale, light, and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until each egg is absorbed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together sifted flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add half of the flour mix to the creamed butter and eggs, then pour in the room temperature milk. Beat on low speed until combined.
- Add the remaining dry mix and the Greek yogurt or sour cream and continue mixing on low until just combined and a thick, creamy batter forms.
- Gently fold in the funfetti sprinkles.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Set the baked cake on a wire rack to cool completely. Do not attempt to cut while warm.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) standard if it has cooled down.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and cornflour. Pour the melted butter over the dry mix along with vanilla extract and stir briefly.
- Add the sprinkles and stir until it forms wet crumbs that look like wet sand. Spread the crumb mix onto a baking tray lined with parchment, spreading it into an even single layer. Bake for about 10 minutes, until set but not browned. Leave to cool completely.
- Place room temperature butter in a large bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth and pale.
- Add vanilla extract and 125 grams icing sugar. Beat on low to combine, then turn speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.
- Add additional icing sugar along with Greek yogurt. Beat on medium until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the remaining icing sugar, along with milk and baking powder. Beat until fluffy, adding more milk if necessary for texture.
- Gently lift the cooled cake from the pan and peel off the parchment. Using a 6-inch cake ring, cut three 6-inch layers from the sheet cake.
- Combine about 60 ml milk with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to make your milk soak.
- Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the milk soak over the first cake layer, then add buttercream and cookie crumbs. Repeat with additional layers.
- Top with crumbs and chill the assembled cake for at least 1 hour to set.
- Remove the cake ring and acetate, if used. Garnish with sprinkles or crumbs as desired.
