Cooking Lesson #95 Homemade Ice Cream Cake

Photo: Cooking with Mamma C

How you doin’? Are you feeling lonely or depressed? Has your party pooped out?  Do you find that you are talking to yourself? Be careful, people are stressing out from this pandemic and its effects on our “normal” way of life.
 
I was talking about this with the microwave and toaster while drinking iced tea this morning and we all agreed that things are pretty bad. I didn't mention anything to the washing machine as she puts a different spin on everything, and certainly not to the fridge as he is acting cold and distant. The vacuum was very unsympathetic... told me to just suck it up, but the fan was more optimistic and hoped it would all soon blow over soon. The toilet looked a bit flushed when I asked its opinion and the doorknob told me to get a grip. The front door said I was becoming unhinged and so the curtains told me to—yes, you guessed it--pull myself together.  In the end the iron straightened me out telling me that everything will be fine, no situation is too de-pressing—just eat ice cream.
 
The only thing that could cure what ails me would be some ice cream. I can eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For “fancy” brunch last week I had my Chex with a scoop of vanilla ice cream—no milk. At lunch I had a scoop of chocolate ice cream over a grilled peach half and I finished off dinner it with a slice of Ice Cream Cake.  Yes, I love ice cream that much—but it’s got to be the good stuff—rich and creamy with very little air (overrun) whipped into it. So, let’s discuss ice cream cakes. Do you have a few hours?
 
Here, you are only constrained by your own creativity—it’s very had to make a mistake. There are lots of different methods, sizes, layers and shapes of ice cream cakes. I tried to make this recipe as easy as pie. You’ll find while I listed some specific ingredients, you don’t need to follow my lead, just assemble according to the instructions.
 
I do promise you this Homemade Ice Cream Cake recipe is better than BR or Carvel or any other store-bought cakes. This is the ultimate dessert. I guarantee it or double your money back!
 
Prep time:  1-1/2 hours
Freezing time:  15-24 hours
Yield:  8 to 10 servings
 
Ingredients
1 boxed cake mix, fully baked and frozen (yes, store bought, unless you are feeling particularly ambitious)
1-1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream
1-1/2 quarts chocolate ice cream
3/4 cup hot fudge sauce
12 Oreo Thins, crumbled
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Decorative jimmies, sprinkles, sparkles or other decorations for topping
 
Directions

1. Bake a boxed cake mix—chocolate, yellow or white—whatever flavor suits you—in two 8- or 9-inch metal cake pans.
2. After baking cool the layers on a wire rack.
3. When cool, cut the layers in half horizontally, wrap each half in food film and freeze overnight.  

To assemble the ice cream cake

1. About 15 minutes before starting, remove the ice creams from the freezer to soften a little.
   
2. While the ice cream is softening, line the cake pans with plastic wrap, leaving several inches of overhang on either side to make it easier to remove the frozen cake layers from the pans.
   
3. Unwrap two layers of cake and place a layer of baked cake on the bottom of each pan.
   
4. Spoon half of each flavor of softened ice cream into each of the two cake pans, pressing down to remove air bubbles as you go. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and press down evenly to smooth the top. Freeze for 8-12 hours or until hardened.
5. 1 hour before assembling cake, place serving platter into freezer. (Make sure your platter can freeze without cracking)
6. About 15 minutes before starting, remove the ice creams from the freezer to soften a little.
   
7. Remove the surface plastic wrap from the top of each cake pan.
8. Unwrap the remaining two layers of cake and place one each on top of the ice cream layers.
9. Spoon the other half of each of the ice creams on top of the cake layers. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and press down evenly to smooth the top. Freeze for 8-12 hours or until hardened.
10. Place the whipping cream, sugar and vanilla into a large bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate.
11. Remove cake pans and the serving platter from the freezer.
12. Remove the plastic wrap from the tops of the ice cream layers, and using the excess plastic wrap you left in when you started, remove the frozen cake and ice cream layers from the pans.
13. Place one set of assembled layers on the bottom.
14. Smooth an even layer of hot fudge over the chocolate layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
15. Sprinkle crushed Oreo Thins over the hot fudge and press down gently. Add the other frozen cake and ice layers over top.
16. Spread the whipped cream overtop of the entire cake.
17. Top with sprinkles, cookie crumbs or whatever makes you happy.
    
18. Keep frozen until ready to serve.
    
19. When ready to serve, use a large knife dipped in hot water.

Chef Secret:  It’s okay to assemble the cake first, freeze again as you go and then finish frosting and decorating before serving.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way.  If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

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                                               ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

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