Five-layer ice cream cake

Man, I'm tired. I've hit that frustration point in the semester, as in I'm already weeding out homework and trying to stop myself from skipping half my classes. It's a bit early for that, but senioritis is in full swing. It's not just that though. I've got an internship, a big project to work on and a yearbook to do, PLUS that whole job search thing. No big deal. Hah! Very big deal.

I was going to bake last night. I really felt like baking, but could not come up with what I wanted to do. I had a big interview to do, then cooked dinner, and as it got later and later I realized it wasn't going to happen. I'm finding my brain is shutting off a lot earlier than usual because I'm getting up earlier every day. Ugh. So no cookies last night. Tonight perhaps? Depends, once again, on how another interview for my project goes.

But I did make the ice cream cake. It succeeded! Easily one of the things I'm most proud of. It was Drew's 23rd birthday. Got him a gift certificate for our spring break trip to Vegas (which could NOT come fast enough), 23 balloons and this cake. I tried to combine all things he likes most. Made two nine-inch rounds of yellow cake from scratch, which turned out excellent. I added in sprinkles to make them homemade funfetti. Then, bought Cold Stone's cake batter ice cream with cookie dough mixed in, Drew's favorite. I had to let it melt and then spread it in one of the cake pans lined with plastic wrap. Then you're supposed to let it freeze. I was impatient, however, and didn't let it freeze for that long. If I did it again, I'd let it go overnight. But I didn't. So as I was putting together the cake, it started melting. The layers went, from bottom, yellow funfetti cake, ice cream, Oreo crumbles (took out the cream from the middle and food processed them), hot fudge, cake. I really wanted to get the fudge and crumbles in there like the Dairy Queen ice cream cakes. But those don't have cake, and I wanted cake. Most of the other ice cream cake recipes had cake and ice cream but no cookies and fudge. So I combined them.

As I was saying, the cake started melting. I stuck it back in the freezer as fast as possible and left it there over night, where it sank a bit more and sort of looked like a floppy hamburger. But by morning it was frozen solid, and I could actually cut off all the melted part and make it look relatively circular again. Then, for frosting, I had whipped cream that I put blue food coloring in. I think real frosting on top of this would put you into a diabetic coma after one bite. Anyway, I iced the cake and the put a couple of cookie crumbles on top, and voila! I had an ice cream cake, 5 layers and all. And it was quite yummy. Not a bad birthday present.

A couple days ago I went for the much easier sweet: The perennial Hershey's kiss cookie. You know, the one with the Kiss on top of a peanut butter cookie. I'd never made them before, but they're amazing. Especially a couple minutes out of the oven. Plus, there was chocolate left over. Love it.

Mark is in town this weekend from Chicago with Allison. Should be a fun time. The next few weekends are pretty booked, between him, Erin in town, me visiting Mom, Fake Patty's with Keane and then Spring Break. Wonder when I'll get my homework done. Meh.

As a last note, a book recommendation for you all. I'm working on a project about the 1960s and '70s, and I'm reading this fascinating book about all the hippies from Lawrence and their crazy drugged-out stories. It's called "Cows Are Freaky When They Look at You." It's got excellent short stories from a time I don't really understand. And it's hysterical. I got my copy at The Raven. It's totally worth it for when you need to stop reading whatever awful textbook you have at night but aren't tired enough to sleep.

Time for Christmas baking

It's finally winter break! Woo hoo! I've done some baking here and there for the last few weeks, but now I'm probably going to step it up. I have all this time, after all.

I did make those oatmeal cream cheese butterscotch bars for the newsroom. They were kind of interesting to make. You make the crumble part of the bars by putting butterscotch chips, oats, butter, flour, cinnamon and brown sugar all in a food processor. By the time all that was in, my foot processor was full. To the max. The bars turned out yummy though, a good sweet.

Then came LNOP, our newspaper tradition. No baking required for that, but still a fun time. It was the end of the semester, and my end as editor of The Kansan. It's kind of bittersweet. It was a great time, but so stressful. I think if I'd done it any longer, I wouldn't have been any good at it any more. My best friends are from The Kansan, though, so it was definitely worth it. Next semester, the last of my senior year, will be my final one on staff and my 9th total. Wow. I'm going to be in the in-depth reporting class, which I'm pretty excited for.

Not being editor, though, is going to give me a lot of time to bake. I've done a bit during break. The classic pudding cake, which is my dad's favorite dessert. It's such a baffling recipe. You put the solid ingredients in the bottom of the pan and pour water over them, and somehow the top becomes a solid cake and the bottom becomes hot fudge-like. I remember making it when I was little for all my dad's birthdays. It's perfect with vanilla ice cream.

Then Friday, my friend cooked pumpkin enchiladas and I made quadruple chocolate brownies. Yup, that's right, four chocolates. I make this Martha Stewart recipe, which includes melted chocolate chips and cocoa powder. Then I stir in whole semi-sweet chips and white chocolate chips. They were like two inches thick and SO good.

I've had some pretty good desserts out lately too. Some friends and I went to Angler's, a local seafood place. They have some pretty awesome infused rums: pineapple and peaches and pears. But they also had key lime creme brulee. It makes me want to try that dessert, but I need the hardware for it first. It's on my list.

Last night, I went with the same friends to Yardhouse in Kansas City, which has a ridiculous amount of beers on tap. There, I had a lemon souffle. Pretty good. Never made one of those either, so that's on my list too.

I'm excited for next semester because I'm going to have a lot more time to cook and bake. I better add going to the gym to that list or I'm going to gain like 50 pounds. But I will definitely keep taking baked goods into the newsroom, and probably more than I did this semester. I'll take requests!

It's almost time to head to Salina for Christmas day. I think I'll take some pizelles. And my cat.