Friday, February 5, 2010
Good advice / Party Mix Liberated from The Tyranny of Birthday Cake
Posted by Nicki Wood on Fri, Feb 5, 2010 at 10:59 AM
For two years, we had Maggie Moo Better Batter cakes with chocolate icing. Awesome except for the icing. And last year's Oreo birthday cake with strawberry filling from Publix was very good and beautifull executed, ending our time under the cultural thumb of cake on a high note.
But from now on, something else must take cake's place. Cakeballs. Cupcakes. But these are still cake, and subject to degrading.
It has to be a treat, and symbolic. Other ideas: a make-your-own sundae bar. A candy shop. You all are outside the box, too --- what else can take the place of cake?
Comments (17)
Showing 1-17 of 17
My husband always makes me a birthday cobbler, at my request. I like it much, much more than cake. Mine is a summer birthday, so there's always a good selection of fresh fruit to choose from. I usually go for berries, or maybe peaches. Sometimes both, mixed together. Mmmmmmm, cobbler!
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I am not a birthday cake person at all, so this is a paradigm shift I can embrace. Having a summer birthday, I prefer Key Lime Pie with real whipped cream, or the famous Icebox Cake made with, once again, real whipped cream. I layer Nabisco Famous Wafers on a cake stand (usually about 8 to a layer) and fill each layer with lots of the whipped goodness...I end with a layer of cream on top, then shave dark chocolate, white chocolate and sprinkle on some cocoa powder. It ends up looking festive and no one can beleive how easy it is. Another favorite not-a-birthday-cake treat are brownies...even better made into a sundae with homemade vanilla ice cream and hot fudge.
I usually get a trifle...strawberries, fresh whipped cream, lemon curd, angle food or lady fingers, etc. My mom makes it for me.
Why pie of course! Pie beats cake anytime in my book. Any flavor, any style. According to my "Blue Ribbon Pie" cookbook, pies actually taste better after aging a day or two.
My daughter's bday is always around Mardi Gras, so we get a King Cake! Fun and different, and the kids like to search for the baby Jesus. Also, for an adult idea--the Mashed Potato Martini bar....not dessert, exactly, but indulgent for sure. Assortment of toppings, etc. And of course the bday person still gets a candle in theirs.
Pie is preferred at our house by a wide margin. My daughter gets chess, wife gets fried peach pies, as per their requests. Son gets pizza as he is not into dessert...
Here's another thought and while it's not pie, it sounds absolutely divine - Creme Brulee Cake. It's cake, but with Creme Brulee on top!! What could be better. From King Arthur Flower's Baker's Banter Blog: http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2010/02/01/hot-stuff-creme-brulee-cake/
Our birthdays are all about a block of cheese, crackers, & wine. And just maybe some fruit.
Famous Chocolate Wafer Icebox Cake -- I could live with that.
Mashed Potato Bar -- that could be a hit, especially if there wer shrimp and wasabi and chili.
I thin Alwayshungry's trifle sounds like da bomb. Festive and unusual. Yes please!
Maybe if you got your birthday cake from Alpha Bakery there wouldn't be a paradigm problem.
/Just sayin'
Blasphemers! The only thing better than birthday cake is a tall "lemonade" served on a beach.
My 11 year old son is not a birthday cake lover either. For the past 6 years, he has had a watermellon, cut in half with the candles pushed into the fruit. You should see the eyes of his buddies (and their parents) when we bring this out. Luckly, he's a July birthday so it's pretty easy to accomidate. Unlike the Christmas he asked Santa for a Watermellon! Yes, you can find a watermellon in December in Nashville. Not very tasty, but Santa came through!
