A few weeks ago, the boyfriend turned 34. It was a big day. Only the best cake would do. And that meant best according to him, which is a coffee ice cream cake. Since it was a cake for one (no coffee for me, thanks), I used a square 8x8 pan, made three thick layers, and decorated with chocolate and blue buttercream. It turned out pretty great, even for those who don't prefer coffee ice cream, and the square pan made it a little different, and a little easier to frost. Because time is of the essence when frosting an ice cream cake, using a square pan works out really well.
Homemade Coffee Ice Cream Cake
Chocolate Cake Layers
1 18.5 oz cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Devils' Food. Yes, a mix. There, I said it. I meant it. Sorry I'm not sorry.)
1 c. water
1/3 c. vegetable oil
3 large eggs
Prepare according to package directions, but bake in prepared 8x8 pan. Cool cake on rack to room temperature and remove from pan. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze.
Ice Cream Layer
1 half gallon coffee ice cream (I used Blue Bell, because I am true Texan)
Let ice cream sit on the counter for at least fifteen minutes to soften. Meanwhile, generously line 8x8 pan with plastic wrap, leaving long ends to eventually cover the top. Spoon ice cream into pan, smoothing to ensure there are no air pockets and the ice cream is evenly distributed. Once pan is full, cover ice cream with long ends of plastic wrap and freeze until hard.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
3 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
3 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
3-4 tbsp milk
In medium bowl, beat powdered sugar and butter with electric mixer on medium until blended. Stir in vanilla and chocolate. Gradually beat in milk, one tablespoon at a time, adding just enough to make frosting smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too thick after adding three tablespoons, beat in more milk, a few drops at a time. If frosting becomes too thin, beat in a small amount of powdered sugar. That's the great thing about frosting, you can correct your mistakes.
Blue Buttercream Frosting
1 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tbsp. milk
5-10 drops blue food coloring
This is a third of a regular recipe, to be used just for decorating. In medium bowl, beat powdered sugar and butter with electric mixer on medium until blended. Stir in vanilla, then gradually beat in milk, a little at a time, adding just enough to make frosting smooth and spreadable. Once it has reached desired consistency, add in food coloring drop by drop until you hit the perfect blue.
Assembly
Remove cake from plastic wrap. Using a serrated bread knife, slice off any mound or uneven parts of the top of the cake so that it is a level plane. Discard (or eat!) the removed portions. Then cut the cake into two equal halves through the middle again using the serrated knife.
Spread a small amount of frosting in a circle on the cake plate (approximately 4 inches) to anchor the cake and keep it from sliding. Place the bottom cake layer, smooth side down on the cake plate in the frosting anchor. Top with the ice cream layer, removed from the plastic wrap and pan. Then cover the ice cream section with the top half of the cake. Gently frost top and sides of cake with chocolate buttercream, calmly but quickly so that the ice cream does not melt. Place cake in freezer for at least fifteen minutes.
Remove cake from freezer and pipe buttercream in desired decoration (I went for a starfish and some geometric borders). Place candles in cake immediately and then cover with plastic wrap, using candles to prevent plastic wrap from directly touching cake. Freeze until ready to sing "Happy Birthday." Then remove from freezer, let sit for five minutes or so while you collect plates, forks, and dim the lights, sing and serve!
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