By Nora turned four Saturday. I made a vanilla cake with pink frosting, per her request. Three layers, because the occasion seemed to warrant. My mother and father came. Meghan came with Aidan. Patrick and Colleen brought Sean III. A small party at my house.
Nora wore a pink dress. She opened her presents with delight. She blew out her candles in one breath. She ate cake. She said "four years old" at least thirty times throughout the day. She is proud. She should be.
Sean Sr. held Nora for a while on the couch. He does not do this often now — he's been quieter since Sean died — but Saturday he did. He told her stories about when Kate was four. Nora listened. She did not believe all of them. She laughed at the true ones. He laughed with her.
I took a photo of Nora on my father's lap with cake on her face. The photo is on my phone. I will print it. It will go on the wall alongside other Donovan cousin photos.
The cake was good. Not great. I need more practice with layer cakes. I will work on it.
The cake was good — not great, as I said — and I’m already thinking about what I’ll do differently next time. But what I know for certain is that the sprinkles and the sweetness and the sheer happiness of that pink-frosted table were exactly right for Nora’s day. This Four Ingredient Funfetti Cake Batter Dip is the kind of thing I wish I’d had on the snack table too: easy, festive, unapologetically celebratory. It tastes like birthdays are supposed to feel — and with only four ingredients, there’s nothing standing between you and more time on the couch with the people you came for.
Four Ingredient Funfetti Cake Batter Dip
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes | Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 1 cup Funfetti boxed cake mix (dry, heat-treated)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
- 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Heat-treat the cake mix. Spread the dry Funfetti cake mix on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5 minutes, or microwave in a bowl in 30-second intervals until it reaches 165°F. Let cool completely before using.
- Beat the cream cheese. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add the cake mix. Add the cooled, heat-treated cake mix to the cream cheese and beat on low until fully combined and no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the whipped topping. Gently fold the thawed whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture using a rubber spatula until light and airy. Do not overmix.
- Stir in sprinkles. Fold in 1/4 cup of rainbow sprinkles, reserving a handful for the top.
- Serve. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl, top with additional sprinkles, and serve immediately with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or fresh strawberries. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 185 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 175mg