Ice Cream Cake

My son just turned 16! I love that my kids give me their "birthday meal" list. My son always puts dessert first! This year it was an ice cream cake. We have had some from ice cream stores and from the supermarket ice cream case. NOTHING compares to how delicious this one is. This isn't even a recipe, it's more a "how to do it" blog post. Nick chose Red Velvet Cake (I prefer to use Duncan Hines cake mixes when I use a cake mix), chocolate ice cream and we buy our Bettercreme at Gordon Food Services (I think you can find this at Sam's Club or Costco also).

You can change to flavor to suit your tastes and at the bottom of the post, you will see some great flavor combinations that will help your cake creative juices flowing. ENJOY!

Ice Cream Cake Serves 8 - 10

(2) 8" round cakes

(1) 1/2 gallon of your favorite ice cream

(1) liquid container of Rich Foods "Bettercreme"

1. Bake your 8" round cakes. Cool cakes on cooling racks. After cakes have cooled, level them off and place into the freezer for about 1/2 an hour.

2. While cakes are cooling, place ice cream onto a dish on your counter. If it's hot in your kitchen, it won't take that long for the ice cream to soften. You don't want it runny, just softened.

3. Once your ice cream is softened. Place a piece of plastic wrap inside one of your 8" baking pans. Be sure there is enough plastic wrap to cover over the ice cream. Place softened ice cream into the baking pan; cover and freeze for an hour or more.

4. Remove ice cream pan from the freezer, allow to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Place (1) cake round onto a platter (or cake board). Remove ice cream from cake pan and place onto cake round; be sure you have the cut side up on the cake. Place the second cake round onto the ice cream; cut side down onto the ice cream. Put ice cream cake back into freezer for another hour, or so.

5. Whip 1/2 the container of Bettercreme (if you are using the quart container), according to the directions. Remove cake from the freezer. Begin icing cake by "filling in", using the whipped topping like spackle, fill in any gaps. Freeze again for 10 minutes. Place cake back onto your counter and beginning with the top of the cake, frost entire cake.

6. Decorate the cake as you like. Bettercreme is fine for light coloring and you can easily pipe with it.

7. Place back into freezer until about 10 minutes before you plan on serving it.

** Tips:

You can add ice cream topping flavors to the Bettercreme and create a flavored frosting

some good cake combinations:

white cake / butter pecan ice cream (add a layer of caramel ice cream topping - freeze between cake / caramel layers)

chocolate cake / chocolate ice cream (add a layer of dark chocolate fudge topping - add some fudge topping to the whipped cream for chocolate bettercreme)

strawberry cake / vanilla ice cream (add a layer of strawberry jam)

Coconut Cake / Lemon sherbet or rainbow sherbet (add coconut sweetened / shredded to the top)

**** Let me know if you make any of these, I would love to post photos of your creations ***

HoneyBun Breakfast Cake

I added a new breakfast cake to my baking list for the farmer's market. The HoneyBun Breakfast Cake was a hit this past week! I think it's one of the best ever. The recipe is from the Cake Mix Doctor and it's fabulous! I wish I could take credit for this creation, but I will glady give her credit as this is perfect for anytime, not just for breakfast. I do believe that this recipe is also very adaptable. You could easily change it up to add apples, cranberries or orange. The glaze that coats this delicious breakfast treat would be delicious with a bit of orange zest or apple juice. When I make this for the farmer's market, I bake (4) smaller 7" round pans. I purchase those from GFS along with their plastic lids. You could easily bake (4) smaller cakes, place aluminum foil over them and place into freezer. Just take out the night before and in the morning you would have a lovely little breakfast treat. ENJOY!

HoneyBun Breakfast Cake Serves 20

Cake:

1 package yellow cake mix

1 c. sour cream

3/4 c. vegetable oil

4 large eggs

Filling:

1/3 c. honey

1/3 c. packed light brown sugar

1 T. ground cinnamon

Glaze:

2 c. powdered sugar

1/23 c. milk

1 t. vanilla extract

1. Spray a 9 x 13" baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray.

2. Place the cake mix, sour cream, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend on low with an electric mixer for 30 seconds, increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes.

3. Pour batter into a the prepared pan, using the back of the spatula to smooth the top. Drizzle the honey over the top of the batter, then sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon. With a knife, swirl the filling ingredients (as you would for a marble cake).

4. Bake the cake in a 350 degree oven for 38 - 40 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Prepare the glaze while the cake is baking. In a medium sized bowl, place the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla and mix until smooth.

5. After baking, allow cake to sit on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes. While cake is still warm, pour glaze over cake, spreading if needed with backside of a spoon. Allow the cake to cool for 20 more minutes before cutting.

Tips:

* cake will keep in freezer for up to 6 months if properly wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil

* this cake recipe can be divided into 4 individual 6 or 7" aluminum cake pans for a bake sale or to freeze in smaller portions.

* if you really enjoy cinnamon or spices, increase the amount of cinnamon to 2 T. or include a mix of 1 T. cinnamon and 1 T. nutmeg (or pumpkin pie spice)