Milk Bar is known for its signature 3-tier rainbow sprinkle birthday cake and the creation of cereal milk based ice cream (which is now in grocery stores nationwide). But alas summer is coming to an unfortunate end and the sweet gloominess of fall is setting in, making it socially acceptable to consume pumpkin-themed sweets and fancy lattes.
Naturally, I had to make a trip to my local Milk Bar store to see this for myself. I hopped on the train with excitement and prepared myself for the gorgeous sugar rush that awaited me. I arrived at the heavenly spot and ordered a slice of cake, three truffles, and a small milkshake
The Cake:
The Apple Cider Doughnut Cake slice — served up in a small cardboard box like all other cake slices — did not look the most appetizing. It was a bit messy, with the brownish layers of doughnut cake mixing with off-white frosting. I can’t say I was excited. But after trying my first bite, I forgot all about how the cake looked. With layers of cream cheese frosting and apple chunks sandwiched between moist, spiced doughnut base cake, all topped off with more frosting and sprinkled powdered sugar, the cake undoubtedly tastes like fall. The cinnamon crunch with the tanginess of apple cider worked together seamlessly to create a delightful experience. This cake was carefully engineered and worth every cent.
The Truffle:
Milk Bar’s adorable truffles are presented in a transparent plastic sleeve in groups of three. While I knew they’d probably blow my mind, they were underwhelming to look at. The Apple Cider Doughnut truffles were explosions of flavor: pumpkin, apple cider, cream cheese, and cinnamon. Their texture was smooth and had a similar vibe to cheesecake. Somehow they taste eerily similar to the cake and it was apparent that all of the fall products were crafted to work together in harmony, placing the customer in a magical apple orchard.
The Milkshake:
The fall milkshake (and soft serve) flavor is the only one of the three that does not incorporate apples, but still has a clever name: Funnel Cake Shake. To me, funnel cakes remind me of nights at the county fair with friends and family, memories full of laughter and covered in powdered sugar. I was interested in seeing how Tosi would attempt to incorporate such a specific flavor — fried dough and sugar — into an ice cream base. The shake looked like a plain vanilla shake but was full of surprises. The milkshake was thick and full of flavor, capturing the experience of fried dough covered in sugar- being both salty and sweet at the same time. It was creamy, unexpected, and made me feel like a little kid, at the county fair, with powdered sugar all over my face.
I love Milk Bar because of the company’s focus on quality, flavor, and childish spirit. While some of the products might not be as appealing as another fancy dessert brand, I know my eyes will widen with happiness upon my first bite or sip of a Milk Bar product. Focusing on apple cider and funnel cake as fall flavors is a unique take on the traditional autumn exclusives from other brands, totally discarding pumpkin. The focus is on creating experiences by evoking traditional American memories, like the sacred spaces of apple orchards and County fairs, all associated with joy from childhood. I think these fall products focus on togetherness, experience, and the pure bliss of autumn.
The cake and truffles are available for purchase and shipping online, but the milkshake and soft serve are available in stores only. Try it out for yourself!