After recently spending $20.00 on an ice cream cake for my son's birthday, I was wondering if any of your readers has ever attempted making one. It must be cheaper than buying one, does anyone have any suggestions or recipes?
Arlene G.

Brownie Based Cake

This is for the woman who paid $20 for an ice cream cake and was looking for recipes. I'm not sure this is what she had in mind, but I've been making it for years, and it is often requested and always a hit.

In a 9"X12" baking pan, bake a batch of brownies - your favorite recipe or from a good mix. Make sure they will rise enough to split, or make two batches of thin ones. After cooling the brownies, cut them in to uniform squares and freeze them to make it easier to split them.
Using the same baking pan (or one the same size), cover the bottom with a piece of wax paper and put in the freezer.
Have a pint of your favorite sorbet (we like lemon or raspberry) and a half gallon good quality vanilla ice cream softening in the refrigerator. Take the pan with wax paper out of the freezer. Stir the sorbet to spreading consistency and cover the wax paper with it. It may slide around a little, but it's easy to adust it by grasping an edge of the paper. Make sure some of it gets on the edges of the bottom not covered by the paper; it will help to keep the subsequent layers stable. Put the pan back in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Take the vanilla ice cream out of the refrigerator and transfer about a pint to a bowl for stirring. Put the rest of the ice cream back in the frig. When the ice cream is spreadable, cover the sorbet with a layer of it and return the pan to the freezer while preparing step 5.
Take the brownies out of the freezer and split them. Use a serrated knife, take your time, and don't be concerned with breaks. Just keep everything. Take the pan out of the freezer and place half the brownies on the ice cream. Put the pan back in the freezer.
Take the vanilla ice cream out of the refrigerator and transfer another pint into a bowl for stirring. When spreadable, cover the brownies with the ice cream. Place the rest of the brownies in a layer over this layer of vanilla ice cream. If you like, you may cover the second layer of brownies with another layer of ice cream. It's a good idea to cover the top layer of ice cream with another piece of wax paper, especially if you don't plan to serve the cake right away. This may be served within half an hour or kept several days.

It is also easily adapted to different ice creams and frozen desserts. I have never tried it, but I can see using frozen fruits and other kinds of baked goods.
Carol B.

Homemade Ice Cream Cake 'How To'

I've made ice cream cakes at home. Purchase a mold or cake pan. I have a football shaped baking pan that works nice. I line the pan with plastic wrap so I can just lift the cake out when I need to. Leave the ice cream out on the counter to soften, then fill the pan with it. You can add a layer of cookie crumbs in the middle as you fill the pan, if you desire. Once the pan is filled I like to add a layer of whole cookies. It makes a nice base for the cake and I find the stuff does not slide around too much when cutting it if the cookies are there. Plus the kids love the taste.

When I am ready to serve the cake I lift it out using the plastic wrap, remove the wrap and microwave a container of frosting to pourable consistency. I pour it over the cake slowly, covering it all. The temperature of the ice cream causes the frosting to set pretty quickly. [BTW, you can use this method on regular cakes too.] If I want to get fancy I outline the seam design on the football with a contrasting color of icing.
Steph

Lots of Chocolate

Ice cream cakes are great, and you can easily make one yourself. Buy one of those cheap buckets of ice cream (4 litres in Canada...1 gallon in the US) You can get them on sale here in Victoria, BC, Canada for $2.99. Run hot water around the outside and tip it out on to the serving plate. Put candy sprinkles on top or use icing or frosting. You could also crush up cookies and sprinkle a layer on top. If you use chocolate cookies you could put gummy worms so it looks like worms and dirt. You could also cut it in half and sprinkle the cookie crumbs in the middle with melted chocolate too. Freeze it again until the party. We have also bought whipping cream to use instead of icing; add when serving. Everyone is happy and you saved a bundle!
Ruth

Using Oreos

I have the solution for Arlene who is looking at making a homemade ice cream cake. You will need the following:

1 2L of ice cream (any flavor)
1 container of Cool Whip topping
1 bag of Oreo cookies

Mash up your oreo cookies and mix with your ice cream and 3/4 of your cool whip. Pour in big square pan (11x8). Top with remainder of cool whip and crushed oreo cookies and any other topping you may want to add. Place in freezer for at least 2 hours (or until its hardened enough). The cost for this beats the $20 cakes you buy at the local ice cream shops. (Appox. cost is $6 Canadian)
Lise F

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