How To: Ice Cream Cake

Nothing is better in the heat of summer than ice cream cake. I'm a sucker for the frozen cake/ice cream combo but who wants to pay those outrageous prices at Baskin-Robbins or Coldstone? You can do better at home - moist cake and any flavor of ice cream that tickles your fancy.

What you will need:

• 3 - 8" or 9" cake pans
• heavy duty plastic wrap or wax paper
• 1.5 - 2 quarts of ice cream
• cake mix that compliments your ice cream flavor choice
• heavy whipping cream

Start by lining one of the cake pans with plastic wrap or wax paper. Cut piece of plastic larger than your pan so that you have excess for covering your ice cream layer. For best results, do not soften ice cream on counter. Scoop out and firmly press into the plastic -lined cake pan; making sure to make as even of a layer as possible. Place in freezer.

Make cake layers by mixing in 1 package (4 serving size) instant pudding, 4 eggs, 1/4 cup oil and 1 cup water. Blend well. Pour into remaining two greased and floured cake pans. Bake 18-22 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack. When cakes are completely cool, wrap in plastic and place in freezer. Freeze layers at least 4 hours before assembling.

To assemble ice cream cake, place one cake layer on plate or cake stand. Working quickly, place the unwrapped ice cream layer over top of cake layer. Press lightly together. Place remaining cake layer over ice cream layer and again press lightly. Trim uneven portions to form a uniform cake. Return to freezer for 1 hour.

Whip heavy whipping cream and add powdered sugar to sweeten. Whip until stiff peaks form. Remove ice cream cake from freezer and generously frost with whipped cream. Return to freezer for an additional hour. Garnish and serve.

Today I made a chocolate peanut butter ice cream cake for my nephew Josh's Birthday. I frosted it with a dreamy cocoa whipped cream (recipe follows). Only one piece left!

Cocoa Whipped Cream:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

5 Tbsp good quality cocoa powder, sifted

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Blend all ingredients together in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip until stiff peaks form.