10 Sep First-Grade Lunchbox Cake (Funfetti PB&J + Gummy Bears & Chocolate-Covered Potato Chips!)

They say that a human’s taste buds change every seven years. Well, I don’t know who they are, but if they had done some light Googling, as I did, this seems to be a claim backed only by the strength of its rumor rather than by scientific evidence. (Tell me you’ve also heard that, yah?)

Admittedly, I only navigated about two pages deep into the search results, and then lost interest fairly quickly when all of the returned articles started to site mitosis and the general decline in sensory acuteness as we age. So, whether or not there is some cellular magic that takes place periodically that affects the regeneration of our taste buds, and therefore our preferences in food, I cannot tell you with confidence. Though my search did yield this article from Bon Appetit (much more my speed) which did support my (painfully obvious) hypothesis that, as we mature, so do our taste buds. Instead of simple sugars, we (well, some of us) begin to crave more complex flavors — bitter vegetables, hoppy beers, tannic red wines, and stinky cheese. While this little blog may indicate otherwise, I think my taste buds just might be growing up.

In recent years, months even for some foods, I’ve adopted frequent cravings for the abhorred foods of my past, including the vegetable of my childhood nightmares — broccoli — now eaten several times a week. I’ve made the transition from preferring light, watered-down beer to hoppy microbrews and from sweet, mass-produced milk chocolate to bitter, high-quality dark chocolate. Some may suggest this is an indication that I’ve finally learned to appreciate great food, which is likely the truth, but my recent IPA hankerings got me thinking on the subject.

You might be wondering, Katie, what does this have to do with a cake covered in gummy bears? Well, not much, except one might find themselves assuming that this gradual transition from orange-dyed Cheeto fingers to artisan cheese boards might bode poorly for this here sugar-laden cake (and this one and this one). And that would make perfect sense. It should be truth. But, nope.

The point is, no matter how grown up these taste buds of mine may be, I will forever possess a shameless love for any kind of dessert that evokes a sense of nostalgia for my 1990s childhood, and this cake is no exception. And since all the kiddos are heading back to school, there seemed no better time than now to present you all with a cake that embodies exactly what we all wished our mothers would have packed in our lunchboxes as kids (thank goodness we didn’t get our way). Though, if I were slightly more accurate in building this cake according to my 1994 tastebuds, there would be a helluva lot more Fruit by the Foot, probably a few Nacho Cheese Doritos, and zero buttercream (another taste acquired later in life). But cakes require buttercream and who’s keeping me honest, anyway?

With that, I give you what is perhaps my most outrageously delicious, 27-going-on-7-year-old-me-inspired creation yet — The First-Grade Lunchbox Cake. This baby is three layers of rainbow-speckled vanilla cake, sandwiching two layers peanut butter and jelly filling, covered in a good smearing of fluffy vanilla buttercream and garnished with gummy bears and chocolate-covered potato chips. OMG.

Seriously though, THIS CAKE. What was I even thinking?

Probably that PB&J, gummy bears, and rainbow sprinkles are three things I’ll never grow out of. I envision that someday I’ll find myself sitting in my wheel chair, mumbling curses at whoever put grape jelly on my PB&J, and then sitting down to an “early bird” 4PM dinner consisting of some sort of Ensure milkshake (with sprinkles) and the mountain of gummy bears I’ve stashed  in my old lady crystal candy dish. And when they ask me how I lived to be 100? Obvi.

Enjoy!!!

A FEW NOTES ABOUT THIS RECIPE:

The original funfetti cake recipe is for a two-layer cake. I chose to make mine three layers, and if you do the same you’ll need to reduce the baking time to about 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I would start checking for doneness around 15 minutes, just to be safe. 

For the chocolate covered-potato chips, you can either buy a store-bought version or make your own. To make your own melt 2 oz. of dark chocolate OR chocolate candy bark and then dip 10-12 potato chips, covering each about half way. Place the chips on a drying rack until chocolate is firm. To speed up the process, place the drying rack in the refrigerator. 

If you’re looking to hone your cake decorating skills, check out this awesome tutorial by Tessa of Sweet Style CA, then stay a while to check out her GORGEOUS cakes. Girl’s got skillz! 

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