In Praise of Doberge Cake

My sister L and I are one year and nine days apart. (Some would call that "Irish twins.") When we were little, our mother used to pick a day in between the two birthdates and would throw us a joint birthday party. Then we grew up and wanted our own birthdays, and did not celebrate together. And now, years have passed, and Katrina has happened, and all of us siblings are back together, and celebrating our united birthdays is just fine.

For this joint birthday, the family cook-off was scheduled. (See previous post on my winning the cook-off for the first time. Since, I won a second time.) While it may seem strange that the two birthday girls would buy their own cake, we knew what we wanted, and L and I went insies on a half and half doberge cake inscribed "Happy Birthday" in icing with our childhood nicknames.

Half and half doberge is very popular in New Orleans -- where, of course, more is more -- but most other people pick chocolate and lemon. That combination is so popular, in fact, that Gambino's keeps those ready-made in their cooler. But ours was special, put together just for us: half chocolate and half caramel. Ohmygod, caramel doberge -- is there a better sweet flavor in the universe??

For those of you "not from here" who do not know what doberge is, first of all, I'm so sorry for you. Really, my heart goes out to you. Anyway, here's what it is: 6 thin layers of butter cake (baked individually, not cut) alternating with a rich flavored custard, covered first in butter cream and then finished with fondant icing. Doberge cakes come in chocolate, lemon, or caramel, and half-and-half combos. Commonly thought to be descended from an old Alsatian dessert ("dobos") by a German immigrant to New Orleans, and then renamed to fit Creole sensibilities, doberge cakes are made only by old New Orleans bakeries Gambino's () and Haydel's, which makes theirs with 5 layers and only in chocolate ().

The night of the cook-off, even though we had all eaten royally, if not piggishly -- the theme was seafood, and dinner consisted of seafood gumbo, shrimp and eggplant beignets with remoulade sauce, scallops carbonara, shrimp and crabmeat casserole, and mixed lettuce and tomato salad -- there was still a mighty clamor when the birthday candles were blown out. How full could they have felt, if they, each of 'em, every one, asked for a slice from each side, so as to get both heavenly flavors?

I give thanks to Mrs. Beulah Ledner, often given credit for bringing the doberge cake to New Orleans, to Gambino's, for so excellently carrying on the tradition, and to my family, for providing the excuse and the context for this doberge-eating orgy. I cannot think of a better way to celebrate our birthdays!