Ice Cream Crunch Cake

In the May 2011 issue of The FoodNetwork Magazine there are recipes for foods that were featured on various sitcoms. The Ice Cream Crunch Cake was created because of an episode on 30 Rock. Here is the setup. Carvel, a company specializing in cakes, novelties and fountain ice cream products, sends Jenna Maroney a "Free Ice Cream for Life" card. With the help of underling Kenneth and guest star Kelsey Grammer they con the company by intentionally ordering misspelled cakes and returning them and demanding cash.

Yesterday my 5 year old friend Emerson and I had our birthdays.  We decided to celebrate them together, and I offered to make the cake. Neither one of us cares for icing, so this cake suited us both.

ICE CREAM CRUNCH CAKE
Active Time: 1 hour / Total Time: 5 hr 50 minutes / Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients:
2 1-1/2 quart containers vanilla ice cream
1 9-oz package chocolate wafers (such as Nabisco Famous)
1 7-to-8 ounce bottle chocolate shell ice cream topping
1 1-1/2 quart container chocolate ice cream
5 cups whipped cream
Rainbow sprinkles, for decorating (optional)

1. Put a 9-inch springform pan in the freezer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, let 1 container vanilla ice cream soften at room temperature.
2. Remove the pan from the freezer. Spread 1 1/2-inch-thick layer of softened vanilla ice cream on the bottom and up the sides of the pan. (If the ice cream gets too soft, return it to the freezer.) Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, pulse the chocolate wafers in a food processor to break into large crumbs. Add the chocolate shell topping and pulse until the crumbs are moist, about 5 pulses; set aside.

Couldn't find the wafer cookies. There worked just fine!

4. Let the chocolate ice cream soften at room temperature, about 15 minutes. Spread overt the vanilla layer firmly packing the ice cream into the pan. 

Spread the chocolate crumb mixture over the chocolate ice cream. Freeze until set, about 1 hour.

Whoops got Strawberry!

5. Remove the remaining container vanilla ice cream from the freezer 15 minutes before assembling the final layer. Spread the ice cream over the crumb layer, packing it tightly, then smooth the top with an offset spatula. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

6. To unmold, wipe the outside of the pan with a hot cloth, then run a hot knife around the inside; unlatch and remove the side. If the ice cream cake is too soft, refreeze 20 minutes.

7. Spread 3 cups whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake. Freeze until set, about 20 minutes. Put the remaining 2 cups whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip; pipe along the top and bottom edges of the cake and decorate with sprinkles. Return to the freezer; remove 15 minutes before serving an slice with a hot knife.

Ta-Da! Happy Birfday Emerson

Although a bit time consuming this cake was surprisingly easy to construct. Have a friend help you in and out of the freezer since the cake is really heavy. I only used 3 cups of the whipped cream. Many thanks to Mike for writing the birthday message.

Life is good - enjoy!