A gentleman older than myself informed me that he was too old to be celebrating birthdays. He was turning 57, and he's not known for being curmudgeonly. Provided my God-given Levis make for longevity, I presume to better understand this sentiment some day. In the mean decades, however, I will celebrate birthdays with gusto (and spirits).
For a birthday is just one day of the year when you have the opportunity to remind the people you care most about, those who have most positively impacted your life, how much they mean to you – something we could all stand to do a bit more often. Birthdays offer a great excuse to get together with family and friends, and to toast not-quite immaculate conceptions.
With the exception of pies, cookies, chocolate, gummy candies, hard candies, ice cream, brownies and the like, I've never had much of a sweet tooth. That is why my dentist enjoys vacations in Hawaii. From weddings to birthdays, great celebrations call for great cake. It's among life's simple pleasures. Great cake can be had from A Cookie and A Cupcake in Tremont.
At the risk of sounding like a Weight Watchers dropout, cake can brighten any day. Much is made of how a chef's personality can translate into good or bad food. If such is the case, it's no wonder the cookies, cupcakes and cakes at A Cookie and A Cupcake are so darn sweet. Owners Syndee Klingenberg and Wendy Thompson are the type of people who should be making cakes. They're friendly, funny, creative and passionate about baking. This translates to desserts that are engaging, humorous, inventive and delicious.
Last week, a phone order with Klingenberg turned into an amusing 20 minute conversation. We shared stories and caught up before getting to the cake.
Do you want something special or one of our traditional cakes?
Could you incorporate a panda?
Absolutely!
I want a birthday cake with a panda on it, and that's normal.
How would you like the rest of the cake decorated?
I'm not sure, actually.
Would you like to keep with the panda theme?
Perfect.
This is how ordering a cake should be: fun.
A week later, on a Sunday, I walked into A Cookie and A Cupcake to collect the panda cake. As I told the woman behind the counter my name, I turned and saw a row of cake boxes, one propped open, with a little panda seated in the middle of a 6-inch round cake. "That must be mine," I said. It was. While paying for the cake, the bakery's enveloping aroma of baked goods tempted me to sample on the way home.
The birthday recipient was tickled with her panda cake. It caused happy tears. The moist chocolate cake was filled with layers including a sweet and crunchy blend of coconut and pecans and rich buttercream, which also covered the outside of the cake. A decorative ribbon surrounded the cake, and the panda is (too cute to eat) constructed of rice crispy treat wrapped in fondant. More happy tears.
Birthdays are always worth celebrating. The more you've had, the more reason to celebrate. A personalized cake is one way to show somebody that you care on their special day. A Cookie and A Cupcake is the place to help you prove it.
