Ice Cream Cake

 

Cake and ice cream rolled together with fudge on top... perfection! You will love this ice cream cake. It takes a few steps, but the ingredients are simple and the steps are not very complicated. As a kid, I often requested my mom make this cake for me on my birthday. It was a rule in our house that on your birthday Mom would make whatever kind of cake you wanted (or buy a cake at the local bakery if you requested that too). My mom made delicious dessert all the time - I'm sure I've told you about some of them and the fact that we were lucky enough to have something special just about every night of the week. This is one of my favorites and I'm happy she shared it with me.

Happy Birthday Andrew!!!

Actually, this cake has also become Andrew's favorite. He has requested it for at least four years in a row on his birthday (see how I carried on Mom's rule? - for example, this year Katie didn't pick cake at all... she picked cookies). This year was no different for Andrew... his request was ice cream cake. So this weekend we got to enjoy celebrating Andrew's birthday (and eating cake).

Ice Cream Cake
for the cake:
4 eggs (separated)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water

for the chocolate fudge glaze:
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 gallon of your favorite ice cream (I used vanilla in the pictures here, but cookie dough and mint are excellent flavors for this cake too)

to make the cake:
Line a 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inch pan (jelly roll pan or rimmed baking sheet) with foil; generously grease the foil. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy; then gradually add 1/2 cup sugar; beating until stiff peaks form. Set aside.  HINT: I use my kitchenaid stand mixer to beat the eggs whites and it works perfectly every time (much easier than a hand mixer).

Beat egg yolks with vanilla at high speed using an electric mixer with vanilla at high speed for about 3 minutes. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beating 2 additional minutes. Add dry ingredients to the egg yolk mixture alternately with the water. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites. Spread the batter evenly over the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until top springs back when touched.

While the cake is baking, prepare a clean kitchen towel by covering it with waxed paper and dusting the waxed paper with powdered sugar. When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately invert it onto the towel. Carefully peel off the foil. Roll the cake in the towel starting from the narrow end. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.

      

When the cake is completely cool, carefully unroll the cake and spread with ice cream (I let the ice cream soften a bit before I try to spread it). Re-roll the cake, place on a large plate or platter, and freeze.

    

to make the fudge glaze:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the cocoa powder and water, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. DO NOT BOIL. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Blend in the powdered sugar and vanilla using an electric mixer.

Remove the cake from the freeze, pour on the fudge, spread with a spatula if needed, re-freeze.

   Enjoy!

recipe from my mom