Myprotein
Birthday Cake
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A genuinely cake‑like, multi‑layered bar with a noticeable crunch, delivering 20g of blended soy‑and‑dairy protein with only 2g of sugar. It aims for dessert-level satisfaction while performing like a protein snack.
When to choose Myprotein Birthday Cake
Best for a sweet‑leaning post‑workout bite or 3 p. m.
pick‑me‑up if you prefer a lighter, crunchy bar over a dense chew. Not ideal if you’re vegetarian (it contains gelatin) or sensitive to sugar alcohols.
What's in the Myprotein bar?
Baking a birthday cake into a protein bar takes some serious food engineering—and you can see it on the label.
Protein is a blend led by soy isolate, backed by whey and casein for quality, with a little hydrolysed collagen for chew—together delivering 20 grams, which sits near the high end for bars.
Sweetness leans on maltitol, glycerol, and chicory-root fibers, keeping sugar to 2. 1 grams, while refined starches (tapioca, rice, potato) help create that cake-like bite.
A mix of palm-based fats with high-oleic sunflower and canola gives “frosting” structure without much total fat, and butter, milk powders, and natural flavorings round out the bakery notes; the confetti colors come from carmine, lutein, and fruit-and-veg concentrates.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 21 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Calories
- 208
Protein
2015HIGHProtein comes from a blend: soy protein isolate leads, joined by milk proteins—whey (concentrate and hydrolyzed) and casein—and a bit of hydrolysed beef gelatin. The dairy proteins bring top-tier amino acid quality; gelatin helps texture but isn’t a complete protein, so the soy–dairy combo covers its gaps. With 20 grams, it lands near the high end for bars.
Fat
69LOWFat is modest (5.6 grams) and comes from a mixed bag: palm and palm kernel oils (more saturated, for structure), balanced with rapeseed/canola and high-oleic sunflower oils (mostly monounsaturated), plus a little butter. Functionally that yields creamy, stable layers without trans fats; nutritionally it’s a blend of saturated and heart-friendlier fats rather than a simple olive-oil style profile.
Carbs
2120MIDMost of the 21 grams of carbs aren’t from whole grains; they come from sugar-reduced sweeteners and binders like maltitol (a sugar alcohol made from starch), glycerol (a plant-derived humectant), and chicory-root fibers (inulin/oligofructose), with smaller amounts of refined starches such as tapioca, rice, and potato. This mix is gentler on blood sugar than straight sucrose, though the quick starches are still present—and polyols and prebiotic fibers can bother sensitive stomachs. Expect steadier energy than a candy bar.
Sugar
24MIDOnly 2.1 grams of sugar register because sweetness leans on sugar alcohols (maltitol), glycerol, and chicory-root fiber rather than table sugar. The small amount of sugar comes mostly from added sugar/caramelised sugar and lactose in milk ingredients, not fruit. It’s kinder to blood sugar, though polyols can cause gas or bloating for some people.
Calories
208210MIDAt 208 calories, it sits around the middle of the pack for bars. Most energy comes from protein and carbohydrate, with fat playing a smaller role. Some of the listed “carb” calories are from sugar alcohols and soluble fiber, which contribute fewer calories than sugar and help keep the total in check.
Vitamins & Minerals
No standout vitamins or minerals exceed 10% Daily Value. Dairy ingredients (milk protein concentrate, whey, skim milk powder) contribute small amounts of calcium and B vitamins, and the sunflower-family oils add a touch of vitamin E. Consider any micronutrients here as bonuses, not the main event.
Additives
To pull off the layered “birthday cake” effect, this bar relies on a fair number of helpers: emulsifiers (soy/sunflower/canola lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, sorbitan tristearate) for smooth coatings, pectin for set, and natural colors (carmine, lutein, fruit and vegetable concentrates) for the confetti look. These are highly refined functional ingredients used in tiny amounts—they don’t add nutrition, but they do hold sweetness, structure, and appearance together.
Ingredient List
Corn or wheat
Vegetable oils and animal fats
Chicory root
Defatted soybean flakes
Cow's milk
Cow's milk
Bovine hides and bones
Chicory root
Oil palm fruit
Rapeseed
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“Also the layered bar from MyProtein is super delicious. Tastes like cake and not as thick and chewy as lots of other bars. 10/10 recommended.”
“Myprotein bars taste pretty good. If you’re afraid to commit to one type of bar, I recommend you buy the assortments in a box.”
“But free delivery over £20 so 1kg of whey and you get free bars and trust these bars are insane”
Main Praise
Flavor and texture are the headline acts. Across reviews, people keep calling out how this bar tastes like cake without the dense, taffy‑like chew that turns many protein bars into a chore.
The layered build brings a crisp snap and a creamy finish, a combo both magazine testers and everyday buyers singled out as unusually enjoyable for a high‑protein snack.
The 20g of protein at around 208 calories hits a sweet spot for recovery or a substantial snack, and multiple tasters noted it dodges the chalky aftertaste that haunts many bars.
If you grew up loving rice‑crispy‑meets‑frosting treats, this scratches that itch while still reading as “protein first. ”
Main Criticism
Sweetness is polarizing. Some find it candy‑bar sweet; others wish it were sweeter—a reminder that palates vary widely and flavors differ across the range.
A few buyers mention a faint “chemical” aftertaste, which can happen with reduced‑sugar formulas that lean on sugar alcohols and flavor systems. Those same sugar alcohols (here, maltitol) and prebiotic fibers can cause gas or bloating for sensitive stomachs, especially if you’re new to them or eat more than one bar.
Zooming out to the brand, there are scattered complaints about flavor oddities in specific variants (a matcha bar that smelled off to one Redditor) and old quality‑control chatter unrelated to this SKU.
Practically speaking, it also isn’t vegetarian—it contains gelatin—and it’s not labeled gluten‑free.
The Middle Ground
So where does the truth land? If you want a dessert‑style protein bar with an actual crunch and you’re tired of dense, pasty textures, this one delivers on the fun factor and the 20g protein promise.
Independent testers have repeatedly praised Myprotein’s layered builds for avoiding chalkiness, and everyday reviewers echo that it’s light and easy to eat.
On the flip side, sweetness and aftertaste are subjective battlegrounds: one person’s “too sweet” is another’s “needs more sprinkles,” and formulas that keep sugar to 2g often rely on sugar alcohols that not all guts adore.
The Reddit story about a fishy‑smelling matcha flavor looks like a flavor‑specific outlier, not a pattern—unless your idea of birthday cake comes from the sea, it’s not especially relevant here. The more durable caveats are structural: this is a modern, engineered bar (not a short‑ingredient, whole‑food option), it contains milk and soy, and it isn’t vegetarian.
If those boxes are fine for you, the experience tilts rewarding; if not, no amount of confetti will change your mind.
What's the bottom line?
Myprotein’s Birthday Cake bar is a party trick that mostly sticks the landing: cake‑like layers, a clean, crisp bite, and 20g of protein in 208 calories with just 2g of sugar. It’s designed to feel indulgent without eating like a brick, and that’s exactly how most fans describe it. The trade‑offs are clear.
Sweetness and aftertaste won’t please everyone, and the sugar‑alcohol/soluble‑fiber combo can rumble sensitive stomachs—so start with one bar and see how you do. It’s also not vegetarian (gelatin) and contains milk and soy.
If you’re comfortable with a more “engineered” protein snack and you want a dessert‑leaning bar that actually tastes like one, this is a strong pick for post‑workout or an afternoon save. If you’re chasing a minimalist ingredient list or you avoid polyols, look elsewhere and let someone else keep the candles lit.