Milk And Cereal Cake Recipe (2024)

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Ah, milk and cereal. They’re a match made in heaven, and nostalgic as heck. I can remember many a Saturday morning curled up in front of the TV with a bowl of milk and cereal in hand – it was a true staple in my childhood diet. The idea of translating those flavors into a cake didn’t occur to me until a year ago, when a friend of mine was having a cereal-themed birthday party. I thought it was such a fun and playful idea for a cake, and although I didn’t start testing flavors just then, I added it to my list of future cake ideas and the dream was alive.

Fast forward to present day, I found myself wandering the cereal aisle to find the perfect flavors to finally bring my milk and cereal cake dreams to life. I decided on Froot Loops, mainly because they taste good and they’re so pretty, but this recipe can be created with just about any cereal your heart desires (we all have our favorites!). I’ve made it successfully with the wheat pieces in Lucky Charms and I’m sure just about any cereal would be tasty.

Milk And Cereal Cake Recipe (1)

Creating the perfect milk and cereal cake recipe definitely took some trial and error. My first go-round I ended up crushing up Froot Loops by hand and folding them into the cake batter, and while the result was pretty to look at (like rainbow funfetti!) the taste was off because the cereal got super chewy after the baking process. After trying some different approaches and conducting a few blind taste tests, I’ve refined the recipe to make this milk and cereal cake taste just as heavenly as it looks.

Milk And Cereal Cake Recipe (2)

The secrets to the taste are: using actual cereal milk in place of regular milk (made by soaking the cereal in whole milk) and also adding finely ground cereal into the cake batter instead of just crushed up cereal pieces. To keep the cake moist and fluffy I’ve also incorporated sour cream and cake flour, which I swear by for all of my vanilla-based cakes.

Milk And Cereal Cake Recipe (3)

If you’ve seen this cake on my Instagram, you’ll also see that the design concept really helps sell the premise of the cake. Some credit has to be given to my husband on that, because he totally helped come up with the idea of creating a “milk splash” out of white chocolate for the topper! Side by side, we sketched out the concept art before I took to the kitchen to figure out how to make it happen. Don’t worry, I’ve even created a full tutorial on the white chocolate milk splash in case you want to get the look!

Milk And Cereal Cake Recipe (4)

Milk And Cereal Cake Recipe (5)

4.83 from 17 votes

A moist and fluffy cereal-infused cake with cereal milk buttercream.Pairs perfectly with Saturday morning cartoons!

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Prep Time:35 minutes mins

Cook Time:45 minutes mins

Total Time:1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

Cereal Milk

  • 2 Cups whole milk
  • 2 Cups Froot Loops (or cereal of your choice)

Milk And Cereal Cake

  • 1 Cup finely ground Froot Loops or cereal of your choice (equals about 3 cups of whole cereal)
  • 3 3/4 Cups (398g) cake flour, sifted before measuring
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 1/8 Cups (254g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 Cups (410g) granulated sugar
  • 5 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla
  • 1/2 Cup (112g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 Cups (360ml) cereal milk, room temperature

Cereal Milk Buttercream

  • 2 Cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 7 Cups (840g) powdered sugar
  • 4 Tbsp (59ml) cereal milk, room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Instructions

Make The Cereal Milk

  • Pour the whole milk over cereal and let sit for 15 minutes. Strain out the cereal and reserve the milk to use in the cake and buttercream recipes.

Make The Milk And Cereal Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350˚F and prepare three 8-inch or four 6-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting a parchment or wax paper circle to the bottom of each pan.

  • In a food processor, grind up Froot Loops (or cereal of your choice) into a fine powder. Keep in mind that 1 cup of finely ground cereal equals about 3 cups of whole cereal. Place into a medium sized bowl and add the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter for one minute on high. Scrape down the bowl and paddle and add the sugar. Cream together on high for two minutes, scraping down bowl and paddle once in between. Turn mixer to low and add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl and paddle as necessary. Once all eggs are added, turn the mixer to high and beat for three minutes.

  • Add vanilla and sour cream and continue mixing for one minute. Turn the mixer to low and add all of the dry ingredients at once until just combined, then add the cereal milk all at once. Scrape down the bowl and paddle once more and mix on low for about 30 seconds. Do not overmix.Pour batter into prepared pans (about ⅔ full).

  • Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes for five minutes before releasing from the pan and continuing to cool on a baking sheet or wire rack for several hours.

Make The Cereal Milk Buttercream

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter until fluffy and light (almost white) in color, about 7 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle twice during the process. Add powdered sugar a few cups at a time and beat on medium, scraping down the bowl and paddle after each interval. Add the cereal milk, vanilla, and salt and continue to mix on medium for two minutes.

Assembly

  • After torting the cake layers to the desired height, fill and frost them with cereal milk buttercream. Decorate with crushed up cereal and a white chocolate milk splash crown.

Notes

The cake layers can be made ahead, wrapped in plastic, and stored at room temperature for up to two days before frosting. Alternatively, you can wrap the cake layers and store them in the freezer for up to two months before thawing.

The buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and then re-whip with your stand mixer to bring back the original consistency.

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What’s your favorite cereal? If you substituted it into this recipe I want to know how it turned out! Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear.

Milk And Cereal Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What happens if I add too much milk to cake mix? ›

Adding too much moisture to your cake, like milk, buttermilk, or oil, can cause it to fall apart. There won't be a proper balance between the wet and dry ingredients. This will cause the structure to not be able to stay together because there is too much moisture in the batter.

What does adding milk to box cake mix do? ›

Boxed cakes often call for water, but swapping it out for equal amounts of milk, coffee, or even soda will give you a moister, more tender, and flavorful cake. For white cake mix, you can use whole milk or your favorite non-dairy milk.

How much milk for 1 cup of cereal? ›

For the lighter cereals, I would do 1/3 c. of milk for every cup of cereal. For heavier, 1/2 cup for every cup of cereal.

What does substituting milk for water in a cake do? ›

“Cake Mix can usually be used with either water or milk. When using milk, however, you can probably expect better results because it can make the cake become more moist and rich in flavor.

What makes a cake more moist, water or milk? ›

One common ingredient swap that is known to help make cakes remarkably moist is using milk instead of water. Try switching out any water in your recipe for full-fat milk or buttermilk for a moist, decadent texture. Another ingredient that can enhance the moisture of your cake is mayonnaise.

How do you make a box cake taste like it came from the bakery? ›

More Fat, More Flavor

Most box cake recipes call for vegetable or canola oil. The only trouble is, these oils have almost no flavor. Replace the oil with an equal amount of melted butter (and a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter), to boost richness. For an extra decadent cake, add two tablespoons of mayonnaise.

What does adding an extra egg to cake mix do? ›

Because eggs help build the cake's structure (don't use them and you're looking at a gooey mess), adding an extra egg yolk makes the cake batter denser. Translation: you'll have a moister confection. Conversely, she suggests an extra egg white for a fluffier cake.

How to make box cake fluffier? ›

To make a box cake mix rise higher, try using a smaller pan, adding an extra egg, using milk instead of water, adding baking powder, mixing for longer, using room temperature ingredients, baking at a higher temperature, or using cake strips.

What is the cereal to milk ratio? ›

The ratio should be 80% cereal to 20% milk. The cereal HAS to stay crunchy. Once it has achieved lift-off you know there is enough milk in the bowl.

Which comes first, milk or cereal? ›

Cereal first, milk second. Any other way is the wrong way. Pouring the cereal first allows the eater to portion out how much they actually want to eat. And then once the milk is poured, the cereal has absorbed enough of the milk by the first bite to be absolute perfection first thing in the morning.

Can you use powdered milk for cereal? ›

Here are seven ways to enhance the nutrition of your family meals with dry milk powder: Cooked cereals such as oatmeal or grits. Add ½ cup non-fat dry milk powder to each cup of dry cereal. Use the same amount of water as called for in the package directions when cooking the cereal.

Is box cake better with oil or butter? ›

The directions on the back of the box will tell you to add vegetable oil; for a denser crumb and bigger flavor, swap in unsalted butter. Melted butter can be used in the same quantity and manner as the fat called for in any boxed cake recipe.

How does the number of eggs affect a cake? ›

Eggs also contain a variety of proteins that create the structure of a cake, and when beaten, they can act as a leavening agent by adding air to the cake batter. However, if you add too many eggs to your cake batter, then your end result could be spongy, rubbery, or dense.

What is the best milk for baking cakes? ›

The more fat you have in milk, the more the texture of the bake will change. You want bakes to be moist, so this means you should choose milk with a higher fat content to achieve this. Therefore the best milk to use during baking is in most cases whole milk.

What to do if you add too much liquid to cake batter? ›

If you've added to much oil or water to your mix then you'll need to compensate with extra dry ingredients. You'll need to add some additional flour to even out your mix. About a tablespoon per unit of flour you added should do. Check the consistency to make sure it's not too runny and then bake them.

What happens if cake mixture is too runny? ›

If you make a cake batter too thin, several things can happen when you bake it: Excessive spreading: The thin batter will have a higher liquid content, causing the cake to spread more during baking. This can result in a flat and dense cake with a wider surface area.

What effect does too much liquid have on a cake? ›

When it comes to baking, balancing your ingredients is key. If you have too much liquid or too much fat in your cake batter, this can result in a cake with a weak structure which can cause it to sink in the middle.

How does milk affect cake? ›

One of the main roles of milk in baking is to provide moisture. It can help to keep baked goods from becoming too dry and crumbly, and can also add tenderness to the texture. In addition to adding moisture, milk can also help to create a softer crumb in breads and cakes.

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