Copycat 'Milk Bar' Red Velvet Cake

The Milk Bar cookbook is what raised me. I learned how to make an apple pie layer cake before I learned how to make a classic apple pie. I want every cookie I make to have pie crumb in it. Or marshmallows. The word “goo” is an official baking term. I love all of the steps and processes and components that go into these recipes. They allow creative freedom and inspire fun combinations. Of course, all of their new releases blow up my social media feed, and I wish I had an actual Milk Bar Bakery close to me! I was able to visit the flagship store, in NYC, a few years ago. I had to purchase an embarrassing amount of baked goods, because there was no way I could narrow down what I needed to try. I am a huge fan of red velvet cake, so when I saw this one come out on the Milk Bar menu as a seasonal item, I had all of the cravings, and had to try to make it at home. It follows the format of how to cake the Milk Bar way; layers of moist, dense, milk-soaked cake, stacked with cookie crumbs, liquid cheesecake and buttercream!  The result is delicious, always addicting, and my friends and family couldn’t get enough! If you are new to making cakes this way, there are a lot of steps that can be made ahead, to save time when you are assembling. This is a project. Also allow time for cake to set in freezer before serving!

Red Velvet Cake Ingredients:

1 1/4 stick (150g.) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cup (260g.) Granulated sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. Apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

180 ml. (about 3/4 cup) Full fat buttermilk, well shaken, then measured out

1 tbs. Red velvet emulsion (or as needed, I like LorAnn’s)

220 g. Self-rising flour (such as White Lily’s)

40 g. Natural cacao powder, unsweetened

1/2 tsp. Baking soda

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Chocolate Crumb (from Momofuku Milk Bar Book) *can make ahead:

105 g./ 2/3 cup All purpose flour

4 g./ 1 tsp. Cornstarch

100 g./ 1/2 cup Granulated sugar

65 g./ 2/3 cup Black cocoa powder (to create an “Oreo” type crumb, I like this one)

1 tsp. Pink himalayan salt

85 g./ 6 TBS Unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake Layer (slightly adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar Book, liquid cheesecake) *can make ahead:

225 g. Cream cheese (8oz)

150 g. Granulated sugar

6 g. Cornstarch (1 TBS)

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. Chocolate extract

2 tbs. Whole milk

1 large egg

Chocolate milk soak:

1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

1 tsp. Chocolate extract

1 tsp. Red velvet emulsion (optional)

Vanilla Buttercream:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

2 tsp. Red velvet emulsion

2 tbs. Heavy cream, at room temperature

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

First, prepare the cake batter.

We are going to bake this in a single cake layer, 9x13. We will cut out our layers from the sheet cake. Grease a baking dish and line with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using the mixing bowl of the stand mixer, cream the butter and the sugar together, with the paddle, on high speed for about 3 minutes. Scrape down the paddle and bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating in for a full minute after each egg. Scrape sides as needed. After the last egg, beat on medium high to ensure it’s well mixed.

In a measuring cup with a spout, whisk the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract and red velvet emulsion (or red food coloring).

In a separate large mixing bowl, sift in the flour and cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk them together. Set aside.

With the mixer on low, stream in one third of the buttermilk mixture into the butter/ sugar mixture. Then slowly add one third of the flour mixture. Repeat these additions until all has been incorporated into the mixer bowl. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again for 30 seconds. Don’t over mix.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish, and smooth across the top, into an even layer. Use an offset spatula to help. Bake for 30-35 minutes. The cake should bounce back in the center when lightly pushed and be firm around the edges. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Prepare the chocolate crumb:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stove.

In the large mixing bowl of the stand mixer, combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, cocoa powder and salt and paddle on low speed until they are mixed.

Pour the butter into the bowl and mix again on low speed until the crumbs are all moistened and beginning to clump. Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape the sides down with a spatula. Use your fingers to form small clusters and then spread the crumbs onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes and leave to cool on a cooling rack. The crumbs will last at room temperature, in a zip top bag or container, for a week ahead of time. They can also be stored in the freezer or fridge for up to a month.

Prepare the cheesecake layer:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Grease well with baking spray a 6x6 dish or 8x4 loaf pan.

Using the stand mixer, mix the cream cheese on low, with the paddle attachment, for about two minutes, until smooth. Add the sugar and beat on medium low speed until sugar has been incorporated. Scrape around the bowl and the beater. Mix again for 30 seconds on low.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the salt. Slowly stream the milk into the bowl, while whisking, and then add the egg. Whisk until everything is well blended.

Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly stream in the egg mixture. Increase speed to medium low and beat for 3-4 minutes. Scrape the bowl and mix again to make sure you have a smooth and well - combined batter.

Pour into prepared pan. Smooth the top and bake in the oven for about 15-16 minutes, depending on pan size. After 15 minutes, check the center of the cheesecake. It should still be pretty loose and jiggly. The edges will be firmer. If it’s still too jiggly everywhere, put in for 5 more minutes. This will remain underbaked, so don’t leave in the oven longer than 25 minutes. If it starts to brown, remove immediately.

Allow to cool completely in the pan. The cheesecake should still be of a spreadable consistency, because it will be used as a cake filling. This can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, well wrapped.

Prepare the milk soak by whisking the extracts into the milk, right before assembling the cake.

To assemble cake:

The first step is to invert the cooled cake onto a large cutting board or baking mat, and peel off the parchment paper. Using a 6 inch cake ring (or you can cut out a 6 inch circle from parchment and cut around with a sharp knife), stamp out two cake layers and set them aside. Gather the larger scraps of remaining cake. Prepare a small baking sheet, that can fit in your freezer, by lining it with a sheet of parchment or a Silpat. Clean off the cake circle and place it on the baking sheet. Line the inside of the cake ring with a strip of clear cake band or make one with parchment. Smush the cake scraps inside the cake circle to create the bottom cake layer. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just make it as level as possible. Dip a pastry brush or spoon into the milk soak and spread 1/3 of it over this cake layer. Next, spread half of the cheesecake batter over the cake. Sprinkle that layer with the chocolate crumb. Then do your best to spread a third of the frosting over the crumbs. It can be messy, it’s all good. (See note*) Stack the next cake layer on top and press it down. Using some tape, add a layer of cake band to the first one, making a taller band, to help support the height of the cake, as you layer it.

Repeat the layering on top of the second cake layer. Add the top layer of cake, using the bottom of the cake layer, as the top of the cake, so it’s smooth and flat. Finish the cake with frosting and crumbs and however you would like to decorate it! Make it fun!

It’s important to now freeze the cake for at least 12 hours!! It needs to set. You can freeze it for up to 2 weeks. At least 3 hours before you want to serve the cake, remove it from freezer. Push the cake circle off of the bottom of the cake while it’s still frozen. The cake band should help it to slide off. Then peel off any cake band or parchment. Let it defrost, in the fridge, on a cake platter, but let it sit out for a bit, at room temperature, before slicing/ eating/ devouring.

Chef snack!

*Note: when I photographed this cake, I had accidentally forgotten to spread vanilla buttercream in between the cake layers, over the cookie crumb layer, EEEEEKKKKK!!! Sooo, there should be a red frosting layer in there... More pics to come.