This simple Ice cream cake sandwiches soft and creamy strawberry ice cream between two moist and chocolaty rich sponge cakes and is topped with buttercream frosting and fresh strawberries. It can be made in a half-an-hour as long as you have the appropriate desserts lying around. For a similar yet simpler recipe, try this one for a chocolate and raspberry icebox cake.

The recipe

Ingredients:

  • 8" chocolate sponge cake, halved for layering (try this recipe)
  • 3 cups strawberry ice cream, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups buttercream frosting
  • Chocolate shavings as needed
  • 12 strawberries, fresh or frozen

The directions

  1. Let the strawberry ice cream soften in room temperature for several minutes before building the ice cream cake.
  2. Line the inside of an 8" round cake pan with enough plastic wrap to overlap most of the exterior. This will ensure that the ice cream cake can be fully sealed when refrigerated.
  3. Place the cake on a stand or flat surface. Place a knife horizontally at the point where the dome and the side of the cake meet, making sure the blade is positioned flat. Score the knife a bit into the point and slowly rotate the cake stand simultaneously to create an incision for a guide. Completely, cut through the incision while keeping the blade flat until the dome is separated from the cake leaving a flat top. Make another incision around the side of the cake within the center. Carefully slice the cake in two equal rounds.
  4. Place one of the cakes into the round pan with its sliced surface remaining on top. Place the softened ice cream on top of one of the first layer and smush it together evenly with an ice cream scoop. Place the next cake with it's sliced surface touching down on the ice cream layer and gently tap it down into the cake pan. Bring the outer plastic wrap inward onto the surface of the cake to cover it. Chill the cake in the freezer for 3 hours. Also, chill a 9" flat plate.
  5. Remove the cake from the freezer. Warm the sides of the pan with a blowtorch for a few seconds or slightly submerge it in warm water. Place and hold the chilled plate on top of the pan with one hand while holding the bottom with the other hand. Invert the pan onto the plate and place it down on a flat surface. Lift the pan up straight to free the cake.
  6. Place the cake onto the rotating stand. Transfer all of the buttercream frosting onto the center of the cake's surface in a mound with a metal spatula. Slowly rotate the stand and spread the frosting evenly across the cake's surface. Optionally, you can also spread the frosting on the sides of the top layer. Finish by spreading the chocolate shavings across the frosting and placing the strawberries on top in a ring.
  7. Slice and serve or refrigerate for later use.

Serves: 12