Cake Batter & Crumbs

Easy Ice Cream Cake

My mom asked me to make this dessert for our Thanksgiving meal. She had seen it in a magazine a while back and thought it sounded really good.

The cake is lined around the sides with ice cream sandwiches, then you create an Oreo cookie crust, layer with different kinds of ice cream, and then top with whipped cream. I used vanilla, chocolate, and peanut butter ripple ice cream. I didn't have a chance to view the photos or recipe in the magazine, and I actually placed the ice cream sandwiches in the wrong direction. You are supposed to line the spring form pan so that the pan side touches the "profile" side of the sandwich. (The side where you can see cookie, ice cream, cookie) Otherwise, there's a good chance the ice cream sandwich will stick to the sides of the pan.

This isn't your typical Thanksgiving fare. I mean it had no pumpkin or cranberries in it after all, but man was it tasty! The Oreo crust absorbed some of the ice cream and became this almost brownie-like texture, that was oh so good.

Easy Ice Cream Cake
6-9 ice cream sandwiches, quartered
15-17 Oreo cookies
1 Tbl milk
3 pints ice cream, slightly softened
whipped cream

Line spring form pan with quartered ice cream sandwiches.

Blend Oreo cookies in food processor with the milk. Press Oreo mixture into bottom of pan to form crust. Layer the ice cream and top with whipped cream. Place in freezer for a few hours to set up.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

For the 4th of July, my  husband, Shannon and I went to my parents' house for an outdoor BBQ. They recently setup a new gazebo and outdoor table and chairs, so even though we had on-and-off showers here in the northeast, we were able to enjoy an outdoor cookout under the gazebo roof.

For the party, I decided to bring ice cream sandwiches using this recipe for Thick, Soft, and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. You can achieve so many different types of chocolate chip cookies, just by altering certain ingredients like the amount of butter or sugar used. For me, the best kinds of these cookies are the big, thick, and chewy ones.

These cookies turned out perfectly, and thanks to the men in the house, I had to keep a close watch as they were cooling, so they didn't keep disappearing from the cookie racks.

Once they were cool, I scooped a fair amount of vanilla ice cream and squished them together. They quickly started to melt, so I had to snap a few pictures before quickly wrapping them in cellophane wrap and putting them into the freezer.


I made these a few days ahead of our party, and they stayed nicely in the freezer. They were a little messy when unwrapping, but I think that was due to my waiting to take pictures of them instead of immediately wrapping and placing in the freezer.

In an attempt to lighten these up a bit, I used Edy's Light Vanilla Ice Cream, since no one in my family can tell a difference between this and the full fat stuff, even my ultra low-fat food snoopy father.

Here's the recipe for the cookies:

Thick, Soft, and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies      

Cooking time: About 7 minutes per pan

      

Prep time: About 10 minutes

      

Makes: About 18 cookies

      

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

      

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

      

1/4 teaspoon salt

      

1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter or margarine, at room temperature

      

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

      

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

      

1 large egg

      

1 package (6 oz.) or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

      

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

      

1. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt.

      

2. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla with a mixer on medium speed until well blended. Beat in egg, mixing well. Add flour mixture, and beat slowly to incorporate, then beat to blend well. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

      

3. Drop batter in 2-tablespoon portions about 2 inches apart on baking sheets.

      

4. Bake in a 400° oven until edges of cookies are brown but an area about 1 inch wide in the center is still pale, 6 to 7 minutes. If using 2 pans in 1 oven, switch positions at half-time.

      

5. Let cookies cool on pan about 5 minutes, then transfer to racks with a spatula. Serve warm or cool. Store airtight up to 8 hours, or freeze for longer storage.

      

Per cookie: 160 cal., 46% (73 cal.) from fat; 1.7 g protein; 8.1 g fat (4.8 g sat.); 22 g carbo.; 124 mg sodium; 26 mg chol.

I hope everyone who celebrated, had a terrific 4th!

Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Ice cream cone cupcakes always bring back memories of growing up. These were always a special treat, looking so cute, just like the real thing. The saltiness of the cone goes well with the sweetness of the cake and icing.

Someday I hope to own one of the fancy baking pans that can handle the ice cream cones, but until then I'll just carefully transport them in and out of the oven.

For these cakes, I just used a box mix and filled the cones only half way. I've had some spillage problems in the past. The icing recipe is from Taste of Home's Cupcake & Muffin magazine. It holds up well to create the swirls and also does not harden over easily. The recipe makes a lot of icing, so I didn't use it all for my 24 cupcakes. I tinted the icing with lavender coloring gel and added sprinkles to complete the ice cream cone look.


Bakery Frosting Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups shortening
1/2 cup nondairy creamer
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1  package (32 ounces) confectioners' sugar
1/2 to 3/4 cup water

In a large mixing bowl, beat the shortening, creamer and extract. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Add enough water until frosting reaches desired consistency.

cupcake