Cake and ice cream are quintessential to any great birthday party. This cake combines these two sweet treats into one delight. And the best part is that the end result is far more impressive than the effort needed to make it. The end result is far more impressive than the effort required to make it. With just 2 round cake pans and 20 minutes of prep time, this tiered cake can be the centerpiece of your next birthday celebration – don’t forget to wish her a happy birthday!
How to make an ice cream birthday cake?
This ice cream birthday cake recipe doesn’t require any cake mix. It starts with a layer of homemade vanilla sponge cake sprinkled with chocolate chips. Buttermilk makes the cake tangy and very moist, while vegetable oil keeps the cake layers tender once frozen. The center layer is composed of three pints of ice cream, pressed into the shape of the cake layers. Strawberry gives it a fun pink hue, but you can use any flavor you like. To take this cake (and the birthday party) to the next level, try birthday cake ice cream for the center layer.
What is birthday cake ice cream made of?
This flavor can be found in most grocery stores and is quickly gaining popularity. The base of the ice cream is usually sweet cream or vanilla, sometimes birthday cake flavored. Shavings are added, as if it were a “funfetti” cake, and sometimes pieces of crumbled cake as well.
How do you keep an ice cream cake from melting at a party?
The iced cake should remain frozen until serving time. It is best to prepare the cake at least 8 hours before cutting it. This way, the cake will have time to freeze so that the ice cream does not soften too quickly when cut. When you have finished serving the slices, immediately return the unused portion to the freezer.
YIELDS: 8 – 10 serving(s)
PREP TIME: 20 mins
TOTAL TIME: 3 hrs
Ingredients :
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extra
- 1/4 c. vegetable oil
- 3/4 c. buttermilk, room temperature
- 3/4 c. multi-colored jimmies (sprinkles), divided
- 3 pt. strawberry ice cream
- 1 c. heavy cream
- 2 tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
Directions :
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray 2 8-inch round baking pans with nonstick baking spray. Line the bottoms of the pans with a circle of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla, and oil. Whisk in the buttermilk until well combined.
- Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and whisk to combine. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure all the ingredients get mixed together and no clumps remain. Fold in ½ cup of the sprinkles.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the top is set, the edges are pulling away from the side of the pan, and a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Turn onto a cooling rack and remove the parchment paper. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, remove the strawberry ice cream from the freezer and let it sit out until slightly softened, about 10 minutes.
- Spray the inside of an 8-inch round baking pan with nonstick spray, and line with a piece of plastic wrap, making sure the bottom is as smooth as possible and that it comes up and over the sides with a 1-inch overhang. Scoop 1 ½ pints of the softened ice cream into the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sprinkles. Press down with the back of a spoon to push out as many air pockets as possible, mix in the sprinkles, and smooth it into a flat layer. Top with the remaining 1 ½ pints of ice cream and 2 tablespoons of sprinkles. Repeat pressing down with the back of a spoon to push out as many air pockets as possible, mix in some of the sprinkles, and smooth it into a flat layer. Place in the freezer for 2 hours (or up to 24 hours).
- Just before removing the ice cream from the freezer, combine the heavy cream and confectioner’s sugar in a large bowl. Beat on high speed with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Place in the refrigerator while you build the cake.
- Place one cake layer on a plate. Remove the ice cream layer from the freezer. Pull up on the plastic to pull it out of the pan. (If it does not remove easily, or the plastic wrap starts to rip, let the edges soften for 2 to 3 minutes. Then try to pull it out again.) Turn it, ice cream side down, on top of the first cake layer. Remove the plastic wrap. Top with the remaining cake layer, leaving the flat side up.
- Spread half of the whipped cream all over the top. Dollop or pipe the remaining whipped cream around the top edges. Sprinkle colorful sprinkles all over. Return to the freezer for at least 30 minutes before serving. Slice and serve, or store for up to 2 days, covered loosely with plastic wrap.
