Ingredients

CAKE:

2 cups malted milk powder

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for coating the cake pans

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda, aluminum free

3 large eggs

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil, plus more for coating the cake pans

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups whole milk

FROSTING:

3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup malted milk powder

1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup malted milk balls, coarsely chopped, for decoration

Preparation

CAKE:

  1. Heat the oven to 325°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
  2. Coat 2 (8-inch) cake pans with oil and flour, and tap out any excess flour. Set aside.
  3. Sift together the malted milk powder, measured flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl and set aside.
  4. Combine the eggs, sugar, measured oil, and vanilla in an electric mixer’s bowl and whisk until combined and smooth.
  5. Add a third of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until just incorporated.
  6. To this, add half of the milk and whisk until smooth.
  7. Continue with the remaining flour mixture and milk, alternating between each and whisking until all of the ingredients are just incorporated and smooth.
  8. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
  9. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the cakes start pulling away from the sides of the pans, about 45 to 50 minutes.
  10. Remove the cakes from the oven and cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.
  11. Run a knife around the perimeter of each and turn the cakes out onto the rack to cool completely.
  12. Spred frosting and decorate with crushed malt balls, or whole ones.

FROSTING:

  1. Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with a paddle attachment, and beat on low speed until sugar is incorporated.
  2. Increase speed to medium high and beat until mixture is light and whipped, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  3. Add remaining ingredients and return to low speed until ingredients are incorporated.
  4. Increase speed to medium high and continue whipping until frosting is evenly combined and light, about 3 minutes.