Hello Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream Cake!  I had you at chocolate, didn’t I?

I’m not sure why I feel inclined to call this cake a dude. Perhaps because it’s thick and sturdy like a brawny man. Let me just say – this cake is STUNNING! It is definitely a party cake. You will want a crowd to form around right before you serve it.

This particular chocolate cake is customizable, as it’s nestled in between layers of your favorite ice cream.  I chose mint chip (Liam’s favorite) and chocolate ice cream (Gav’s favorite) and in between are fudge layers with cake brownie crunches.  I finished with a final layer of decadent whipping cream and, of course, the ganache topping.  Ummm, can I marry you chocolate fudge ice cream cake?  Will you be a good husband?

One of my favorite moments when creating this cake is when you spread the last layer of ganache on top.  It drips over with elegance and within minutes starts to set because it’s sealing a frozen cake.  Yea, you probably would have figured that out straight off the bat, but, errr, for some reason it took me a minute! Duh. Can I attribute that to brain freeze, pleaaszzzeee?

Ok, let’s talk about assembly time.  This looks easy and quick, right?  SORRY.  Every once in a while, you just have to put in the time for this kind of frozen masterpiece.  But I will tell you that it’s the freezer popping that takes most of the time.  Here are some cheats:  1. Bake a store bought cake (Whole Foods and Bristol Farms sell great cakes mixes).  2. Buy a really nice artisanal chocolate fudge.  3. Skip the whipping cream layer and I promise it will still be dee-lish!

That’s me y’all!  I only wish it happened that fast!

Now let’s take a breather here and slow this guy down.  This is where the recipe takes a little DIY turn. To create the cake wall, I used acetate (sometimes called cake collars).  Just cut, tape, and build that cake wall so you have a place to put all that wonderful goodness inside.  Layer the cake round with softened ice cream and spread it into a nice thick layer.  Just eyeball it like I did.  Plus, I like it looking less than perfect and uneven. It gives it a more authentic look.

Pour in the fudge and brownie bits and pop it in the freezer, then repeat.

For the final layer, load up the top with that fluffy white whipping cream.  This the moment where there’s such a sense of baker satisfaction because you’re almost at the finish line. It’s like the built-up anticipation of a great kiss!

And…there he is.  I literally have no words. It is just so darn shiny and beautiful. Is it okay to admit that it’s breath-taking?  Yea, my heart is right where it should be.

Let this stunning chocolate fudge ice cream cake freeze overnight before you serve it.  It is a bit of a pain to cut, so be prepared to have a warm bowl of water and a paper towel handy to wipe the knife in between cutting slices. Oh, and don’t you dare slice this one in the kitchen!  It needs community loving.

Please promise me you will take it out to the table for all the “ooooohs” and “awwwws”.  (I know…I feel sweat beads form, too, when everyone watches me cut a cake. But, go for it!  You got this!)  It is such a fun experience for everyone to watch in anticipation.  Even if the cake slice doesn’t cut perfectly, which mine did not, I think it makes for a beautiful, rustic presentation.

This cake tastes delicious!  It is pretty much impossible to get all the layers in your mouth at once, but each layer can hold it’s own, so dive in and get ready to experience taste bud overload!

Credits: Food and Wine DIY Cake

Photos by: Maria Hedrick Photography

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Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream Cake

By TheSweetNerd  Cakes, Frozen Treats

August 16, 2016

Adapted from Food & Wine, DIY Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup hot water

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar

1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Fudge

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon corn syrup

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 cup unsalted butter (1 ounce), at room temperature

1 Tablespoon coffee extract

CAKE ASSEMBLY

2 pints chocolate chip ice cream, softened slightly

2 pints strawberry ice cream, softened slightly

2 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions

Chocolate Cake

1 Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray an 8-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder with the water until a smooth paste forms. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the brown sugar at moderate speed for 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, buttermilk and vanilla. At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients and cocoa paste in 2 alternating batches.

2Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes, then remove the ring and let the cake cool completely on a rack. Leave the oven on.

3Using a serrated knife, cut a ¼-inch-thick layer off the top of the cake. In a food processor, pulse the cake layer until fine crumbs form. Spread the crumbs on a small rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, turning the pan halfway through, until the crumbs are crisp. Let the crunchies cool completely.

4MAKE THE HOT FUDGE In a small saucepan, combine the cream with the brown sugar, cocoa powder and corn syrup and bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, butter and salt; whisk until smooth. Scrape the hot fudge into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

5ASSEMBLE THE CAKE Using scissors, trim a sheet of clear acetate to 6-by-24 inches. Wrap the acetate around the cake and secure it with tape. Secure the springform pan ring around the acetate-wrapped cake.

6Using an offset spatula, spread half of the hot fudge evenly over the cake and top with half of the cake crunchies. Freeze until the fudge is firm, about 20 minutes.

7Using the spatula, spread the chocolate chip ice cream over the fudge layer and top with the remaining cake crunchies; press down to help them adhere. Freeze the cake for 20 minutes, until firm.

8Remove the cake from the freezer and spread the remaining fudge over the crunchies. Freeze for 20 minutes. Spread the strawberry ice cream over the fudge and freeze for another 20 minutes.

9In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat 1 1/2 cups of the heavy cream with the granulated sugar until it holds soft peaks. Spread 2 cups of the whipped cream over the strawberry ice cream layer; refrigerate the rest of the whipped cream for decorating. Freeze the cake overnight.

10Place the chocolate in a heatproof medium bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand until melted, about 5 minutes. Stir until smooth, then tap the bowl on the counter to pop any air bubbles. Let the ganache cool down to 80°, about 30 minutes.

11Carefully remove the springform ring and peel the acetate off the cake. Transfer the cake to a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Working quickly, pour the ganache onto the center of the cake in one fluid motion, allowing the excess to drip over the side. Freeze the cake until the ganache is firm, about 30 minutes.

12Meanwhile, whisk the reserved whipped cream until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe whipped cream around the edge of the cake and garnish with maraschino cherries and rainbow sprinkles, if desired. Freeze the cake for 30 minutes before serving.

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