Ice Cream Cake with Shortcuts

OK, I have to admit, this picture is almost one year old. Believe it was taken last July, but I seem to keep forgetting to make this super easy yet tasty treat for the kids this year.

We went to DQ today, eating the blizzard, I suddenly remembered this treat to keep in my freezer for a quick summer night dessert. Guess what’s going onto my do-make list? :p

Ingredients:

1 tub (or 2 tubs, or 3, if you want mixed flavor) store-bought quality ice cream, or your home-made ice cream. Let me tell ya, the home-made ice cream is SO MUCH better than store-bought! I will talk about the home-made ice cream in another blog another day. This is shortcut #1

1 loaf of store-bought sponge cake – shortcut #2

Toppings and surprises, such as M&Ms, chocolate chips, sweetened shredded coconut, minced gummy worms, crushed chocolate cookies or peanut butter cups, chocolate or strawberry syrup, heck, why not both? whipped cream, cherry…You get the idea, this is the part you unleash your creativity and imagination and make this ice cream cake with your flare.

Tools:

1 bread loaf pan, or tin foil loaf pan

Plastic wrap

serrated knife – this will make a HUGE difference cutting the sponge cake

Method:

Line the bread loaf with plastic wrap, leave plenty on both sides of the pan, so at the end of the process, you can fold the plastic over the top of the ice cream cake. This step is crucial, it keeps the ice cream cake isolated from the rest of the freezer items.

Slightly soften the store-bought ice cream. Tip, if the ice cream tub is too frozen, stick it in the microwave for 5 seconds, add a few more seconds if needed. Works like magic.

Unwrap the store-bought sponge cake from packaging, lay it sideways on your cutting board. Use the serrated knife to slice the sponge cake into three equal thickness slices. Be careful don’t crush your cake. Put the bottom slice in the loaf pan, just on top of the plastic wrap. Push it down snugly. Take first flavored ice cream, use a large spoon, or ice cream scoop, scoop about 3 large balls and line them onto the bottom layer of sponge cake. Use the back of the spoon to gently even out the ice cream. Top it with surprises.

Layer the middle sponge cake on top of the ice cream and surprises. Push it down gently. Repeat with the ice cream, same flavor or different, top with surprises again. Layer the top of the sponge cake on top. Top with ice cream. Repeat with topping or surprises.

Fold the over-hang plastic wrap from both sides to cover ice cream with toppings. Stick the whole thing into your freezer for a couple of hours before serving, so the softened ice cream has a chance to set again.

When ready to serve, take out the whole loaf pan from freezer. Unfold the plastic wrap from the top, use them as a handle to lift the cake out of the loaf pan – SMART! I know! 😀

Slice up the cake about 1 inch thick, or 2 inches, however you like. lay the cake sideways on a serving plate. Drizzle chocolate syrup or strawberry syrup, or whipped cream, stick a cherry on top – Again, let your imagination and taste buds take control and watch those happy faces!