How to Make an Ice Cream Cake

We love those delicious ice cream cakes from local bakeries, but boy can they be expensive. After all it's just a cake then come the other party costs. To help defray cost you may want to try this recipe and make an ice cream cake at home for your next party. Fun for the kids to help with this recipe.

Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients needed:

2 boxes / bags brownie mix ( your favorite )

½ gallon ice cream your choice

Large tub of whipped topping ( chocolate or regular )

Decorations - writing icing, sprinkles, candles, etc.

Also needed:

3 -cake pans of same size ( 8 in. rounds work great )

Plastic wrap

Aluminum foil

Make the ice cream layer first. Sit ice cream out on table to soften just a little. Line one cake pan with plastic wrap, leave enough over hang on wrap to cover the top after pan had been filled with ice cream. The plastic wrap will help mold the ice cream layer and help to lift it from the pan when ready to use. Fill this pan with softened ice cream, pushing it into all edges until ice cream is even with lip of pan. Pull plastic wrap over top and cover entire pan well with aluminum foil. Freeze until hard. Mix brownies following the box directions. Bake brownies following directions on the box. After baking set brownies aside to cool completely on wire rack.

When brownies are completely cool and ice cream layer has hardened put the cake together. The middle layer will be the ice cream layer. Use whipped topping, that has thawed some for easy spreading, for icing. At this point place entire cake in the freezer to hardened for at least an hour. Just before serving take cake out and decorate the top with writing icing and / or sprinkles. When ready to use cake will take ten (10) minutes or so to thaw for easy cutting. Cake serves eight. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers.

Note: You can also take the cake from the freezer after one hour decorate then return to freezer until ready to use.

For a snowball cake, decorate the cake with white whipped topping and sprinkle heavily with grated coconut. Large marshmallow dipped in whipped topping and coconut can be added around cake to from little snow balls. Cover and freeze well.
In the same fashion, to make a snowman, place two cakes together on large cake board to from snowman shape. Cover with topping and coconut the decorate with jelly beans or other candies. Use powder sugar and loose coconut for snow around base of snowman.

This is a make ahead recipe. Brownies may be baked and stored until you are ready to put the cake together, maybe as a weekend activity.

A low calorie version of this cake can be enjoyed by those watching the waist line. Substitute regular ice cream with low-fat and use lite brownie mix or cake mix. Choose light whipped topping to ice the cake. Decorate with dried fruit for a different topping. Enjoy!