FOUR LAYER ICE CREAM CAKE

For any special occasion, be it a birthday or a summer party, this cake will do the trick. Mix and match your favorite flavors and cakes with this simple set of instructions and you will have an ice cream cake perfectly tailored for any occasion.

Be sure to begin making this at least a day and a half in advance. The ice creams take about one day to make, and you’ll need an extra half day for decorating and refreezing!

Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

The Layers:

1 small cake (for the base)

2 cups one flavor of ice cream ( 1/2 liter )

2 cups of a second flavor of ice cream ( 1/2 liter )

1/2 cup Cookie crumbles (your choice)

1/4 cup chocolate or caramel ice cream sauce

2 cups whipped cream ( for frosting )

Any decorations you would like for the top ( I made chocolate-covered almonds )

For ice cream recipe ideas click here.

For the cake base, use this recipe.*

Whipped Cream Frosting:

(Makes about a four cups)

2 cups heavy cream ( 480 mL )

4 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

splash of vanilla extract*

*or other flavor

Cookie & Sauce Layer:

1/2 - 1 cup cookie crumbles ( I used oreos without the cream filling)

1/4 cup ice cream sauce (chocolate, caramel, toffee, etc.) - I prefer non-freezing sauce since it is easier to cut through, but it’s perfectly fine to use “hard-shell” sauce if you want! Just don’t make that layer too thick or you will never be able to cut through it cleanly.

Tools:

Baking Tin (Cake Pan)

Cling Wrap (plastic wrap)

Electric mixer

Mixing Bowls

Wooden Spoon or Heat-resistant Spatula

Heavy Bottom Pot or Double boiler (Don’t have a Double Boiler? Don’t worry, just place a medium bowl over the top of a pot with a an inch or two of water simmering in the bottom.)

Whisk

Sieve

Large bowl & smaller bowl (ice bath)

Thermometer*

*Ideal, not essential

Instructions:

1. Make both of your ice cream flavors at least a day and a half in advance of serving.

2. Bake your cake base. Let Cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

3. Churn your first ice cream according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.

4. While the ice cream is churning, crush your cookies into crumbles. In a medium bowl, mix cookie crumbles and sauce according to your preferences.

5. Line your baking tin with plastic wrap so that no part of your ice cream or cake will touch the edges.

6. Once the ice cream is finished churning, fill the bottom of the plastic-wrapped cake tin with the ice cream. Smooth evenly with a spatula and add the cookie crumble sauce along the top. Cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer to harden.

7. Once your first ice cream layer is quite firm, begin churning your second ice cream according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Spoon the second ice cream onto the top of your cookie crumble layer and spread evenly.

8. Place your cake on top of this while it is still soft. Cover with plastic and refreeze, preferably over night, or at least until solid.

9. Once thoroughly firm, take out of the freezer and pull the entire cake out of the tin by pulling up the plastic wrap lining and placing it on a large cutting board. If the cake is resistant to coming out of the tin, quickly warm the exterior of the cake tin by floating it in warm water (if waterproof) or by warming it with a hair dryer on a medium low temperature for a few seconds. This should loosen it up a bit.

10. Once your cake is on the cutting board, run a large kitchen knife under hot water and pat dry with a towel. Quickly slice the cake edges for an even, boxy shape. Refreeze while you make your whipped cream frosting.

11. Place the heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar, and flavored extract into a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip the mixture until stiff peaks form. Place into the refrigerator to chill.

12. Once the cake and frosting are thoroughly chilled, you can frost your cake. Right before frosting, whip it again with your electric mixer. This gives it more structure and makes it easier to apply evenly. You can put the cake back into the freezer if it (or the frosting) ever begins to look a bit melty.

13. If you plan on piping more frosting onto the cake for decoration, you should probably let the base layer of frosting solidify in the freezer before commencing. Keep the whipped cream in the refrigerator during this time, and whip it again with the electric mixer before putting it into your piping bag. Any other decorations (flowers, nuts, fruits, pretzels, etc.) that you want to sit snuggly on top of your frosting should be placed before you refreeze the finished cake.

14. If you would like to write something on top of the cake, melted chocolate does fairly well. Let the frosting freeze while you melt some chocolate and vanilla extract in a double boiler. Once it has melted, remove from the heat. Give it a good stir and let it sit for five minutes to cool down. (This will make it easier to control the chocolate.) Once it is ready, pour it into your piping bag, pull the cake out, and pipe your message onto the cake. (You can also write your message in chocolate on a flat piece of parchment paper, wait for it to cool & firm, then gently lift it from the parchment paper, and place it on top of your cake - either laying flat or sitting at an angle sunk slightly into the whipped cream frosting!)

15. Once you have finished decorating, place into the freezer at least until it is well frozen. Just remember to transfer the cake into your refrigerator at least a half hour before you plan on serving it. Otherwise you will be cutting into a lump of rock-solid ice cream. And again, running your kitchen knife under a hot tap for a few seconds and drying it is a great way to make slicing the cake easier.

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This Four Layer Ice Cream Cake will keep for about Five Days.

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Notes :

+ Begin to make this cake at least one and a half days before you plan on serving. The ice creams take time to make, and if you want clean layers, you will want to allow a lot of time for freezing between steps.

+ I used a fondant au chocolat recipe for my cake base (basically a brownie), but you can use whichever type of cake you prefer. Just keep in mind that the ice cream layers will be quite heavy and may squish lighter cakes like angle food cakes.

+ The reason why I use whipped cream as frosting is because it clings well to ice cream and still has a pleasant texture even after a few days in the freezer. Regular frosting (like we use in the states) takes on a dry crunchy texture after freezing and is difficult to apply to ice cream. Other alternatives are: poured melted chocolate, cocoa or confectioners powder, or simply leaving your cake “naked” for your guests to enjoy the fine lines of your layers!

Four Layer Ice Cream Cake

Laura | Date

Total time: ~ 3 days

Servings: Makes One Cake

Level of Skill: Medium (Patience needed)

Ingredients:

For the Cake Layers:

• 1 small cake (for the base)
• 2 cups one flavor of ice cream ( 1/2 liter )
• 2 cups of a second flavor of ice cream ( 1/2 liter )
• 1/2 cup Cookie crumbles (your choice)
• 1/4 cup chocolate or caramel ice cream sauce
• 2 cups whipped cream ( for frosting )
• Any decorations you would like for the top ( I made chocolate-covered almonds )

For the Whipped Cream Frosting:

• 2 cups heavy cream ( 480 mL )
• 4 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
• splash of vanilla extract (or other flavor)

For the Cookie & Chocolate Sauce Layer:

• 1/2 - 1 cup cookie crumbles ( I used oreos without the cream filling)
• 1/4 cup ice cream sauce (chocolate, caramel, toffee, etc.) - I prefer non-freezing sauce since it is easier to cut through, but it’s perfectly fine to use “hard-shell” sauce if you want! Just don’t make that layer too thick or you will never be able to cut through it cleanly.

Instructions:

1. Make both of your ice cream flavors at least a day and a half in advance of serving.

2. Bake your cake base. Let Cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

3. Churn your first ice cream according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.

4. While the ice cream is churning, crush your cookies into crumbles. In a medium bowl, mix cookie crumbles and sauce according to your preferences.

5. Line your baking tin with plastic wrap so that no part of your ice cream or cake will touch the edges.

6. Once the ice cream is finished churning, fill the bottom of the plastic-wrapped cake tin with the ice cream. Smooth evenly with a spatula and add the cookie crumble sauce along the top. Cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer to harden.

7. Once your first ice cream layer is quite firm, begin churning your second ice cream according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Spoon the second ice cream onto the top of your cookie crumble layer and spread evenly.

8. Place your cake on top of this while it is still soft. Cover with plastic and refreeze, preferably over night, or at least until solid.

9. Once thoroughly firm, take out of the freezer and pull the entire cake out of the tin by pulling up the plastic wrap lining and placing it on a large cutting board. If the cake is resistant to coming out of the tin, quickly warm the exterior of the cake tin by floating it in warm water (if waterproof) or by warming it with a hair dryer on a medium low temperature for a few seconds. This should loosen it up a bit.

10. Once your cake is on the cutting board, run a large kitchen knife under hot water and pat dry with a towel. Quickly slice the cake edges for an even, boxy shape. Refreeze while you make your whipped cream frosting.

11. Place the heavy cream, confectioner’s sugar, and flavored extract into a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip the mixture until stiff peaks form. Place into the refrigerator to chill.

12. Once the cake and frosting are thoroughly chilled, you can frost your cake. Right before frosting, whip it again with your electric mixer. This gives it more structure and makes it easier to apply evenly. You can put the cake back into the freezer if it (or the frosting) ever begins to look a bit melty.

13. If you plan on piping more frosting onto the cake for decoration, you should probably let the base layer of frosting solidify in the freezer before commencing. Keep the whipped cream in the refrigerator during this time, and whip it again with the electric mixer before putting it into your piping bag. Any other decorations (flowers, nuts, fruits, pretzels, etc.) that you want to sit snuggly on top of your frosting should be placed before you refreeze the finished cake.

14. If you would like to write something on top of the cake, melted chocolate does fairly well. Let the frosting freeze while you melt some chocolate and vanilla extract in a double boiler. Once it has melted, remove from the heat. Give it a good stir and let it sit for five minutes to cool down. (This will make it easier to control the chocolate.) Once it is ready, pour it into your piping bag, pull the cake out, and pipe your message onto the cake. (You can also write your message in chocolate on a flat piece of parchment paper, wait for it to cool & firm, then gently lift it from the parchment paper, and place it on top of your cake - either laying flat or sitting at an angle sunk slightly into the whipped cream frosting!)

15. Once you have finished decorating, place into the freezer at least until it is well frozen. Just remember to transfer the cake into your refrigerator at least a half hour before you plan on serving it. Otherwise you will be cutting into a lump of rock-solid ice cream. And again, running your kitchen knife under a hot tap for a few seconds and drying it is a great way to make slicing the cake easier.

{ Since this ice cream has a rather thick base, I would suggest letting it relax in the refrigerator 30 - 45 minutes before you plan on serving it! }

Nutrition:

Servings: Varies depending on Cake Size, Ice Cream Flavor, and Toppings

Fat: N/A

Calories: N/A

Nutrition estimated by Happyforks.com