Ice Cream Cake

I attempted to make Rob an ice cream cake last weekend for his birthday. I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I've eaten an ice cream cake. And because I haven't eaten or seen an ice cream cake in ages I was kind of flying by the seat of my pants when I was making it.

I knew that I wanted a cake that wouldn't end up too hard or dry once it was frozen. Also, I wanted a frosting that would freeze too hard. As far as the ice cream part went, I didn't put much thought into it, which I should have. I just figured you put a layer of ice cream in it and called it good.

Well I sure learned a little something about that. They are usually called "ice cream cakes" for a reason. Most of the cake IS NOT in fact cake, it's ice cream, which I figured out after I had this beauty put together.

Mine ended up being a frozen cake with some ice cream in the middle. Oops!

I wasn't too concerned though. It tasted delicious. It was nice and chocolaty with a very nice texture for being frozen. If I were to make another ice cream cake, which I'm sure I will now that I know I can do it, I would definitely use the same recipe for the cake and frosting. I'll just add more ICE CREAM. :-)




I sauntered over to Smitten Kitchen for the chocolate cake and frosting recipe. She uses this chocolate cake recipe quite a bit and the frosting appealed to me because of its softness, like I said before, I didn't want it to be a rock once it froze.

Try them, you'll like 'em.

Double Chocolate Layer Cake
Adapted from Gourmet, March 1999

The recipe below is for 2 10-inch layers.

For cake layers
3 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate such as Callebaut (I used chocolate chips)
1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee (coffee brings out the flavor of chocolate but since I didn't have any I used hot chocolate. You could probably just use hot water or milk too.)
3 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 300°F. and grease pans. Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper.

Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer). Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well. Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.

Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.


Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
Adapted from The Dessert Bible

Makes 5 cups of frosting, or enough to frost and fill a two layer 9-inch cake

15 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons instant espresso (optional, but can be used to pick up the flavor of average chocolate)
2 1/4 cups sour cream, at room temperature
1/4 to 1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the chocolate and espresso powder, if using, in the top of a double-boiler or in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted. (Alternately, you can melt the chocolate in a microwave for 30 seconds, stirring well, and then heating in 15 second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted.) Remove from heat and let chocolate cool until tepid.

Whisk together the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the corn syrup and vanilla extract until combined. Add the tepid chocolate slowly and stir quickly until the mixture is uniform. Taste for sweetness, and if needed, add additional corn syrup in one tablespoon increments until desired level of sweetness is achieved.

Let cool in the refrigerator until the frosting is a spreadable consistency. This should not take more than 30 minutes. Should the frosting become too thick or stiff, just leave it out until it softens again.