Birthday Cake

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Prep Time:
Total Time:
Birthday Cake

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
  • 11/4 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 11/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/3 cup grapeseed oil
  • 2 tsp clear vanilla extract
  • 2 cup cake flour
  • 11/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkle
  • Pam or other nonstick spray (optional)
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 tsp clear vanilla extract

Directions

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Combine the butter, shortening, and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs, and mix on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more.

On low speed, stream in the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and paddle for 4 to 6 minutes, until the mixture is practically white, twice the size of your original fluffy butter-and-sugar mixture, and completely homogenous. Don’t rush the process. You’re basically forcing too much liquid into an already fatty mixture that doesn’t want to make room for the liquid. There should be no streaks of fat or liquid. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

On very low speed, add the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and the 50 g ( ¼ cup) rainbow sprinkles. Mix for 45 to 60 seconds, just until your batter comes together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Pam-spray a quarter sheet pan and line it with parchment, or just line the pan with a Silpat. Using a spatula, spread the cake batter in an even layer in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining 25 g (2 tablespoons) rainbow sprinkles evenly on top of the batter.

Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes. The cake will rise and puff, doubling in size, but will remain slightly buttery and dense. At 30 minutes, gently poke the edge of the cake with your finger: the cake should bounce back slightly and the center should no longer be jiggly. Leave the cake in the oven for an extra 3 to 5 minutes if it doesn’t pass these tests.

Take the cake out of the oven and cool on a wire rack or, in a pinch, in the fridge or freezer (don’t worry, it’s not cheating). The cooled cake can be stored in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 5 days.

For the perfect frosting to top this cake get the Momofuku Milk Bar Birthday Cake Frosting recipe.

This recipe is courtesy of "Momofuku Milk Bar" by Christina Tosi/Random House, 2011.