It’s no secret that I love baking. So it’s not much of a surprise that I love making birthday cakes, right?
I insisted on making Josh’s birthday cake. But he’s difficult and doesn’t like cake (of course). [Disclaimer: I call BS on this statement of his. He likes cupcakes. How can he not like cake?] So what better solution than to make ice cream cake? It was a perfect solution considering my ice cream making obsession.
So one day we brainstormed his perfect ice cream cake. And it went a little something like this: Brownie layer, ice cream layer, chocolate chip cookie bar layer (Josh: But only if it’s made from scratch. It has to be completely from scratch. Duh.), more ice cream, chocolate ganache.
This cake took a long time. I started making it six days before I planned to serve it. Partially because I was excited to start and also because my schedule was busy (preparing for the birthday dinner!). You might be able to pull this off in one day if you start really early (like 7 or 8 am early), but I’d really strongly suggest to give yourself 2 or 3 days to allow for all the freezing. You don’t want a melty mess because you tried to rush things.
Also, another quick note, since I started making ice cream I turned my freezer dial up to mega-super-ultra cold so that my ice cream maker bowl would be really cold. I dropped this cake on the way out the door with it. And there were no damages sustained. This is one ice cold hunk of dessert.
I made Mint Oreo truffles too. Just use the recipe from here with Mint Oreos instead of original!
We served this cake at Josh’s birthday, with a crowd of about 15 people and it was devoured. In minutes. It was a big hit and definitely worth all the time and effort. Plus, no one has ever made an ice cream for Josh from scratch before… Score! 🙂
josh’s ice cream cake
serves 16
- Ingredients
- Cookies and Cream Ice Cream (you can do store bought if you don’t have an ice cream maker!)
- Half of this Chocolate Chip Pan Cookie recipe
- Brownie Layer:
- 10.25 oz pouch of brownie mix
- Chocolate Ganache:
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Parchment paper
- 9-inch springform pan
First, make the ice cream.
Then, using the removable base from your springform pan, trace two circles onto parchment paper and cut them out. Place the base back into the springform pan. Spray with nonstick spray. Place one of the parchment circles into the bottom of the pan and spray with nonstick spray.
Prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough according to the instructions. Spoon the dough into the springform pan and evenly spread it out to form a layer. Bake the cookie at 375 degrees until golden brown on the edges. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the side of the springform pan. Allow to cool completely, slide the cookie off the base (while keeping the parchment paper attached to the cookie), then place in the freezer.
Next, prepare the brownie batter according to the package directions. Divide the batter in half. Prepare the pan as you did before for the cookie — spray, add parchment paper circle, and spray again. Pour one half of the batter into the pan and spread to form an even layer. Bake at the temperature suggested on the package until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely, then place in the freezer. Keep the sides of your springform pan on. The brownie layer must be completely frozen before moving on to the next step.
When the brownie is frozen, take out one pint of your cookies and cream ice cream. Allow it to soften for 5 minutes, then spread in an even layer on top of the brownie. Remove the cookie layer from the freezer, and remove the parchment paper from the bottom. Place the cookie layer into the pan on top of the ice cream. Gently press down to adhere to the ice cream, then freeze for several hours.
Next, allow your second pint of ice cream to soften for 5 minutes. Take the cake out of the freezer, and evenly spread the ice cream across the cookie layer. Put back into the freezer to harden for several hours.
Finally, make the ganache. Place the chocolate in a medium-sized bowl. Heat the whipping cream and butter on the stove and bring to just a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and leave it there for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, whisk together to incorporate. Allow the ganache to cool to room temperature.
Place the ice cream cake on a wire rack set in a baking pan. Remove the sides of the springform pan.
Working quickly, pour the cooled ganache onto the center of the cake and let it drip down the sides. If it’s not dripping, place a spatula on the center of the cake and briskly move in circles to get the excess ganache in the center to drip off the sides. The cake will be very cold, so the ganache will start to freeze as it contacts the cake. Place the cake back in the freezer for a bit, just so the ganache can solidify.
When ready to serve, the cake should sit out for about 10 minutes or so to soften and be easier to cut through.
