A Tale of Two Cakes

This morning began with the patter of feet running from Charlotte's bedroom to mine.  My door is thrown open and Charly is grinning as she peeks to see if I am up.  I've been up for an hour reading a book on my iPad.  As always, we wave at each other excitedly.  I can't think of another way I'd like to wake up.  She trots over to the bed.  "Good Morning!" I whisper.  "Good Morning" Charly sweetly replies.  "What else do you say, Mom?"  I am not sure, but given her eating demands of late, I figured the next thing Charlotte was looking for was "What do you want for breakfast?"  

Charlotte giggled and said "Happy BIRTHday!  And yes, I want some breakfast"

Whoops.  Yes!  Happy Birthday.  I spent two hours yesterday making the much-adored Oreo cookie dessert.  It's a favorite of the Himle family. Specifically I remember that it was usually produced at my dad's request.  All of the 5 kids loved it, as long as there weren't any nasty nuts added to it.  But I don't remember seeing it more than a couple times a year.  Now that I'm grown, I know why - it's a pain to make.   Looking back, it seems to me that Oreo cookie dessert was saved for the special times.  Charly has followed in her Grandpa Doug's footsteps.  When asked what she wanted for her birthday cake for her 3rd birthday, it was Oreo cake.  The same for her 5th.  This year, when I asked what she wanted, she reverently replied with stars in her eyes, "Oreo cookie cake!"

A week ago, I mentioned to Ashly that Charly's birthday would be coming up, but based on her lethargy during the Christmas holidays, I wasn't sure she'd be up for a party or anything.  I asked if Cooper and Lillie, her most frequent playmates, might be interested in just coming over and having a slice of cake or something on her birthday.  On Thursday, when Charlotte's chemo appointment was cancelled because of her low ANC levels, I asked if it would be alright to have a couple friends over to eat a slice of cake.  The nurse was very hesitant.  I assured her I wasn't planning a party, just sharing cake, blowing candles, and kicking them out right after.  "Well, as long as no one is sick, and it's just a quick slice of cake".  

Today, Ashly sees me at church and says that Cooper and Lillie are excited to go to Charlotte's party. Seeing my face, she assures me that she knows it isn't a party, and that she has been telling them it is just a slice of cake.  Ashly asked if that is still something they should plan on, or they would be happy to drop off her gift if Charly wasn't up to it.  I told her I would call her after I spoke with Charlotte.  For whatever mysterious reason, Charlotte told me she didn't want anybody to come over.  I was going to respect her wishes, but Sean kept asking, "are we going to your moms? are you having somebody come over".  

I went home and asked Charlotte one more time.  "Charlotte, can we have Cooper and Lillie come over and sing happy birthday and have a slice of cake?  They have a present they'd like to give you."  Charlotte said "NO!  They'll like my cake and want seconds!"  

I wish I could accurately recount the discussion that followed.  There were raised eyebrows shared by Sean and I.  I assured Charlotte that there was plenty of cake, and if it was all eaten, I had ingredients to make another and would happily make her another cake.  It was all for naught.  I admit, I started to laugh incredulously at how stingy Charlotte was being.  She isn't usually like this.  I know the steroids is still influencing her appetite and emotions, but usually, she wants to fight over the final pork chop, not over the dessert.  I finally asked if I made cupcakes to share if she would be okay with that.  YES!  Cupcakes would be an acceptable alternative.

So, cupcakes were made and Ashly, Cooper and Lillie joined us.  When the time came to sing and eat cake, Charly marched to the freezer.  I was shocked, she was going to share her Oreo cake!   I leaned over to confirm that was the case.  I was wrong. She fully planned to eat her Oreo cake, while Cooper and Lillie were to eat the cupcakes.  There was a whispered discussion, in which I told her if she wasn't willing to share the Oreo cake, it was to remain in the freezer.  She pulled me back into my bedroom room, shut the door, and furiously negotiated with me.  She did NOT want to eat a cupcake, and Cooper and Lillie couldn't eat her Oreo cake.   I told her that she did not have to eat a cupcake, but if she wasn't going to share her cake, she would have to wait until after Cooper and Lillie left to eat it.   Charlotte agreed and with disaster averted, we returned to the kitchen to sing Happy Birthday with cupcakes.   After they left, we pulled out the Oreo cake and sliced four pieces out of the 9x12 pan.  Apparently, Sean, Naomi, and I warrant a slice of Oreo dessert.   We must be the special people.

Another time, another year, different circumstances I would have stuck to my guns and lectured her on greed and forced her to share the cake. This period of life, this year, I'm going to make two cakes and just be grateful we have a girl to share it with.  

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Oreo Cookie Dessert

1 c sugar

1/2 c water

1/3 tsp salt

2 egg whites

2 tsp almond flavoring

1/2 c chopped nuts (optional, you will never find them in mine!)

1 pint heavy whipping cream

food coloring

1 package of Oreo cookies

Boil together:  1 c sugar, 1/2 c water, 1/3 tsp salt.  Cook until syrup forms a firm ball when dropped in cold water.

Beat 2 egg whites until stiff.  Gradually add the syrup to the egg whites, beating constantly.  Cool.

In another bowl, beat 1 pint of heavy whipping cream until it is whipped cream.  Add to egg whites 2 tsp almond flavoring and 1/2 c chopped nuts (optional).  Add food coloring to mixture (we always use red, which makes it a lovely pink color)  Fold together the whip cream and the egg white mixture.  

Finely crush 1 package of Oreos.  In a 9x12 pan, have 1/2 of crushed Oreo cookies spread on bottom.   Spread the pink filling over the crust, filling the pan.  Cover the pink filling with the rest of the Oreo crumbs.  Cover it and place the pan in the freezer. 

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For lack of a better description, it's an ice cream type dessert.  I have heard many questions regarding the recipe from those who I've shared it with.  Does it have to be pink?  My belief is yes.... but I'd still eat it if it was a different color.  Does it have to be almond flavoring?  Can it be mint?  I suppose.  I wouldn't eat it.  I have heard of cousins who substituted mint for almond.  The reported result was a toothpaste flavored cake.