it was all very amy sedaris: a pink cake with pink frosting and edible glitter!  i must admit to having worn a polk-a-dot apron while baking and sipping seltzer from a champagne flute: very fancy. i was equally tickled by the idea that for one night between february 12th and february 13th my refrigerator was filled with nothing but porkies-in-a-snuggie (speaking of snuggies, can anyone answer the question of whether or not pajama-jeans are jeans that feel like pajamas or pajamas that look like jeans?), a pink cake, and some leftover strawberry milk!

as small children, my parents used to allow my sister and i to drink strawberry milk only on vacation.  one year at the famed sagamore hotel, my sister and i drank exclusively strawberry milk. this was the summer i realized i was lactose intolerant and that was the sad end of my strawberry milk phase.  until valentines day!

strawberry milk cake!  i might not be able to drink the drink, but i can sure eat cake that tastes like it!

recipe: strawberry milk cake (adapted from apartment therapy)

for this cake, i combined the cake recipe of a scalded strawberry milk cake, and the idea of a momofuku chocolate malt cake, layering cake, strawberry milk jam, milk crumbs, and strawberry-milk whipped cream.  many parts, but not as intense as it sounds.

ingredients:

cake:

2 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup scalded strawberry milk
1/4 cup butter

strawberry milk jam:

1/2 cup strawberry milk
1/3 cup strawberry jelly (*i used jam, but had to strain out all the seeds…easier to use a clear jelly)

milk crumbs: (adapted from momofuku via bon appetite)

3/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 tbs sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp coarse kosher salt
6 tbs (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

strawberry-milk whipped cream:

1 package cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cups strawberry milk
2 tbs (or to taste) melted strawberry jelly (strained)
food coloring (optional)

cake:

1.  preheat oven to 350°f. butter and grease two 6 inch cake pans, set aside.
2.  beat the eggs, vanilla and sugar until fully combined. in a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. add flour to egg mixture, mixing until just combined.
3.  in a small sauce pan, heat milk until almost boiling (there will be a little steam and a few small bubbles on the side of the pan), add butter and turn off heat, stirring until butter is fully melted.
4. pour scalded milk/butter into the batter, stir until combined.
5.  pour into cake pans and bake for about 35 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. cool cake on wire rack.

milk crumbs:

1.  preheat oven to 275°f. line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
2.  combine milk powder, flour, sugar, cornstarch, and coarse salt in medium bowl; toss to mix evenly. add melted butter; stir with fork until clusters form.
3.  spread mixture evenly on prepared sheet. bake until crumbs are dry and crumbly but still pale, about 10 minutes.
4.  cool milk crumbs completely on sheet

strawberry milk jam:

1.  scald strawberry milk on stovetop.  add jelly and swirl until homogenous mixture has formed.
2.  set aside until time to put the cake together

strawberry-milk whipped cream:

1.  in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and until smooth.
2.  with the mixer on medium speed, slowly pour in the heavy cream and strawberry milk. whip until the cream holds a soft peaks, about 3 minutes.
3.  slowly pour in melted strawberry jelly to taste.
4.  lastly, add the food coloring if using. whip until cream holds stiff peaks.

assemble cake:

1.  cut the top off each cake.  then cut each cake layer in half horizontally to create 4 cake layers.
2.  in a 6″ springform pan layer one layer of cake. brush cake layer generously with strawberry milk jam. cover layer with strawberry-milk whipped cream and sprinkle with milk crumbs. repeat 3 more times finishing the top layer with the rest of the whipped cream.
3.  let rest in refrigerator over night.
4. when ready to serve remove from springform and sprinkle with edible glitter!  garnish with strawberries as desired.
5. eat and enjoy!