Taco Bell is bringing birthday cake to the drive-thru, and its latest dessert collaboration might be one of its sweetest creations yet. The fast food giant is teaming up with celebrity pastry chef Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar to introduce the Birthday Cake Empanada, a limited edition treat arriving nationwide on October 15, 2026.
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According to Taco Bell’s official announcement, the new dessert combines a crispy, golden pastry shell with a sweet cake batter-flavored filling inspired by Milk Bar’s signature Birthday Cake. Each empanada is finished with pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles, bringing a bakery-style twist to the popular fast food chain.
The Birthday Cake Empanada will cost $3.49 at participating locations while supplies last. It also comes in custom packaging designed specifically for the collaboration.
There is another perk for Taco Bell Rewards Members celebrating their birthdays. From October 15 through October 28, eligible members can choose between a free Birthday Cake Empanada or a regular Mountain Dew Baja Blast Freeze as their birthday reward. Customers must have their birthday listed in their Rewards profile, and redemption restrictions apply.
For Milk Bar founder Christina Tosi, the collaboration is another opportunity to turn an everyday dessert into something unexpected.
“Our Birthday Cake has always been about making people feel celebrated, so getting to dream up a totally new way for fans to experience it with Taco Bell was such a fun creative challenge,” Tosi said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.
“What I love most is seeing a flavor people know so well show up in a way they never expected,” she added. “The best part is you don’t need a birthday to enjoy it. It’s the perfect treat whether you’re celebrating something big or small, and we can’t wait for fans to try it.”
While the Birthday Cake Empanada is getting the spotlight, this is not the first time Taco Bell and Milk Bar have joined forces.
Their partnership began in 2022 with the Strawberry Bell Truffle. According to Taco Bell’s original release, the dessert featured strawberry-soaked vanilla cake, a sweet corn fudge center, and a coating containing crushed pieces of Taco Bell’s crunchy taco shell. The unusual combination debuted through a limited test in California and at select Milk Bar locations.
The two brands reunited in February 2025 for another memorable release: Milk Bar Birthday Cake Churros.
Per Taco Bell’s 2025 announcement, the warm, crispy churros were filled with birthday cake frosting and covered in pink confetti sprinkles. Customers could purchase one for $1.99 or two for $2.99 during the limited promotion.
However, one of Taco Bell’s most recognizable dessert throwbacks remains its Caramel Apple Empanada.
The crispy pastry, packed with warm apples and creamy caramel filling, developed a loyal following before disappearing from the regular menu. Taco Bell brought it back in November 2024 as part of its Decades Menu, giving customers another chance to revisit the nostalgic favorite.
The company also revived the dessert in September 2025 through its Decades Y2K promotion, demonstrating how strongly nostalgia continues to influence its menu.
Taco Bell has experimented beyond pastries, too. In September 2024, the chain introduced a limited-edition Mountain Dew Baja Blast Gelato, transforming its popular tropical lime-flavored drink into a frozen dessert exclusively offered through its Rewards program.
Then came the Mountain Dew Baja Blast Pie in November 2025. According to Taco Bell, the $19.99 whole pie featured a creamy filling inspired by the iconic beverage, a graham crumb crust, and whipped cream. The limited release offered an unexpected addition to Friendsgiving celebrations.
Now, the Birthday Cake Empanada brings Taco Bell’s dessert experimentation back to familiar pastry territory while adding Milk Bar’s signature flavor.
