Baked Alaska

For a long time now, my husband has been begging me to make Baked Alaska. He had it while on a cruise many years ago and loved it. I knew the basic components to it were cake, ice cream, and meringue. Other than that I wasn't sure how to actually assemble it and bake without it collapsing into an sticky, ice cream mess in the oven.The trick, I discovered, is to be patient and let it chill in the freezer before popping it into the oven.

I made a deal with him that I would make it as long as he helped, and he happily agreed. He picked the flavor combinations of strawberry cake and French vanilla ice cream. In the end, this turned out to be one of the very best desserts I've ever made. Fresh out of the oven, the cake was warm; the ice cream was slightly soft, and the meringue just pulled it all together. We both sat eating it in amazement at how good it was when we were so unsure during the entire process. Now, of course, he wants to make it again and again.

Base - Strawberry Cake
courtesy of DanaP on this website

**I halved the recipe to make only one 8-inch cake.

2 cups, (270 g) Self rising Flour
3 eggs
1 cup, (112 g) Vegetable Oil
1 cup, (198 g) Sugar
1 Pkg. Strawberry Jello
1/2 cup, (114 g) Buttermilk
1 1/4 cup of  Strawberries , Pureed [As it turned out I had forgotten to buy strawberries so I used around 4-5 tablespoons of strawberry jam and it was perfect]

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 in round pans. Sift flour into a bowl , set aside in another bowl beat eggs then add oil, sugar, gelatin, and buttermilk. stir until well blended. Add flour to the mixture and blend.
Drain 1/4 cup of juice from berries and save for icing. fold in berries . pour in pans and bake for 25 to 30 min, or till browned. Turn out on a rack to cool.

Middle - Ice Cream

While the cake is cooling, prepare the ice cream. Line an 8-inch pan with foil. If your ice cream is very hard, soften it a little in the microwave so that you can spread it more easily. Spread 1/2 gallon of ice cream into the lined pan and place in the freezer for an hour.

Top - Meringue
8 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
pinch of salt
1 cup, (198 g) white sugar                                

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt and sugar until stiff peaks form.

Assemble

Place the cake on an oven-proof dish or baking pan and turn out the ice cream on top, flipping the ice cream pan on top of the cake and lifting it off. Peel off the foil. Pile the meringue on top of the ice cream and cake, carefully sealing all sides.

Place in freezer for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Bake the Alaska on the lowest shelf, 8 to 10 minutes, or until meringue is lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Comments

[marye]

I have never had the guts to try one of these..you did a great job, you brave thing, you!

[Deborah]

This is something I've always wanted to make, but have always been afraid to. Great job!!

[kate]

who could blame him---looks fabulous!

[Cakespy]

YES!! One of the classiest desserts around. Yours looks so beautiful!!

[Barbara]

Oh, my! That looks wonderful. This is one of those desserts that my kids always ask if I can make. You may just have given me the nerve. I don't think they'll go for strawberry cake, though. I'll have to think on that one. Maybe lemon?