News Food News Food Brands Milk Bar Teamed Up On a Layer Cake With...Cheetos? Cheddar cheese and salty snacks meet birthday cake, and it's better than it sounds. By Merlyn Miller Merlyn Miller Title: Social Media Editor, Food & WineLocation: New York, New YorkEducation: Merlyn graduated with a bachelor's in anthropology from Cornell University. While at Cornell, she centered her studies on the role that food plays in human culture and archaeology.Expertise: sustainable food systems, food history, Southern and Cajun cuisines, food media trends.Merlyn Miller is a social media editor and writer with a love for the ever-changing modern food culture. She curates visual directions for social media, identifies topics and content that appeal to a brand's audience, and follows new trends in food media.Experience: Merlyn Miller began her tenure in food media by working with Mold, a publication about the future of food. She developed a social media strategy for Mold, wrote about food design and sustainability, and edited the work of others. After her stint there, Merlyn moved over to Cook Space Brooklyn, a cooking studio that hosted recreational cooking classes. She was responsible for keeping tabs on food trends, managing the brand's Instagram, and curating classes for students. Merlyn subsequently worked with cast iron cookware brand Field Company, where she managed the company's social media accounts, wrote about cast iron care, and even developed a few recipes. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 14, 2023 Photo: On behalf of Milk Bar As the saying goes, “don’t knock it ’til you try it.” That’s especially true for the new Cheetos x Milk Bar cake. In honor of Cheetos’ 75th anniversary, the brand teamed up with Milk Bar to make one epic birthday cake. When I first heard about the cake, I was skeptical and intrigued. The Best Cake Delivery Services Make Getting Dessert a Piece of, Well, Cake I mostly tried the bright orange confection for entertainment value, but I was pleasantly surprised on first bite. The salty snack and sweet frosting pair together better than you might think — so good, in fact, that I finished my whole slice. And considered seconds. It immediately had me convinced that more desserts should include cheddar cheese, or at least cheddar cheese dust. Christina Tosi, pastry chef and founder of Milkbar, says she will occasionally dip Cheetos in vanilla frosting when she wants “something sweet and cheesy,” and while that’s not a craving I can say I identify with, I give the pastry chef credit for making the flavor combo work. Yes you can pair sugar with savory snacks (hello, ice cream with potato chips or pretzels), but adding in cheese brings a more uniquely umami flavor that you don’t typically find in a dessert. Best-Ever Birthday Cake The Cheetos x Milk Bar cake comes layered with a cheesy cheddar frosting, which is slightly tangy and reminiscent of traditional cream cheese icing. The frosting is indeed flavored with Cheetle, the name for that iconic Cheetos dust, which gives it a vivid orange hue along with the cheddar-y taste. The towering cake layers are composed of the classic Milk Bar birthday cake sponge, complete with sprinkles throughout, and is as moist, fluffy, and delicious as any one of the bakery’s other creations. But the most unexpected part of this dessert is the actual Cheetos layered throughout and included on top, which adds crunch without being overly salty or cheese-forward. The cake is available for nationwide shipping, or you can pick it up in person at Milk Bar locations in New York and Los Angeles. But you have to hurry, as this cake is as limited-edition as they get. Too late to snag one? Then you might just have to experiment with making a Cheeto-infused cake at home. See more about the cake at milkbarstore.com. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit