Taco Bell And Milk Bar Are Bringing Birthday Cake Empanadas To The Menu

I’ve eaten birthday cake in plenty of forms. Regular cake, cupcakes, ice cream, the occasional spoonful of frosting straight from the tub. But I can’t say I’ve ever considered putting birthday cake inside an empanada.

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Fortunately, someone at Taco Bell has been thinking about exactly that.

The fast-food chain is teaming up with Milk Bar to launch a new Birthday Cake Empanada, inspired by the bakery’s famous Birthday Cake. It’s filled with cake batter-flavored goodness, topped with pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles, and coming to Taco Bell restaurants nationwide on October 15.

What’s Inside Taco Bell’s New Birthday Cake Empanada?

The new Milk Bar Birthday Cake Empanada takes the general idea of Milk Bar’s signature Birthday Cake and gives it a Taco Bell makeover.

Instead of layers of cake and frosting, you get a crispy, golden empanada filled with a cake batter-flavored filling. On top, there’s pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles, because it wouldn’t be a birthday cake dessert without a few sprinkles scattered everywhere.

Although I have to wonder how you’re supposed to eat this thing without getting pink frosting all over your fingers. Empanadas are usually fairly convenient to eat on the go. Adding frosting and sprinkles feels like deliberate sabotage.

Not that I’d let a little frosting stop me.

And if you’re familiar with Milk Bar’s Birthday Cake, you’ll know the bakery isn’t shy about sprinkles. Its signature cake is famous for its colorful layers and birthday cake flavor, so this collaboration seems right at home with the rest of its desserts.

Taco Bell And Milk Bar Have Worked Together Before

This is actually the third time Taco Bell and Milk Bar have teamed up.

Their first collaboration came in 2022 with the Strawberry Bell Truffles, which combined elements of Taco Bell’s Crunchy Taco shell with Milk Bar’s cake truffle concept.

Then, in 2025, they reunited for Birthday Cake Churros, bringing Milk Bar’s signature Birthday Cake flavor to Taco Bell in churro form.

So the new empanada isn’t the first time they’ve played around with birthday cake. They’ve already put it inside a churro, and now they’re putting it inside an empanada.

I’m beginning to wonder what they’ll fill with cake next.

There’s also something I quite like about Taco Bell choosing an empanada for this collaboration. The chain has a history of sweet empanadas, so filling one with birthday cake flavor feels like a fun way to bring that idea back.

And unlike an actual birthday cake, you don’t need a plate, a fork, or anyone to sing to you before you can eat it. No awkward standing there while you wait for them to finish.

When Can You Get the Birthday Cake Empanada?

The Milk Bar Birthday Cake Empanada launches October 15th at participating Taco Bell locations nationwide. It’ll cost $3.49 and will only be available for a limited time.

There’s also a little birthday bonus for Taco Bell Rewards Members.

From October 15th through October 28th, Taco Bell Rewards members celebrating a birthday during the promotion can choose a free Birthday Cake Empanada or a regular Baja Blast Freeze. Just make sure your birthday is saved to your Rewards profile, as the offer is redeemed through the Taco Bell app.

My birthday isn’t in October, unfortunately, so I’ll have to pay the $3.49 like everyone else. But I’ve spent more money on less interesting desserts, and I’ve certainly never had one that attempted to combine birthday cake and an empanada.

Whether it tastes more like cake or pastry remains to be seen. Either way, I wouldn’t complain about having an excuse to eat birthday cake when it isn’t anybody’s birthday.