Plating up a slice of ice cream cake ⁠— I'm talking layers of cake and ice cream, here ⁠— always elicits a giggle from even the most adult of grown-ups. There is something undeniably entertaining about finding out that the ice cream is already IN the cake. 

This recipe is a shout-out to all the summer birthdays. With a little patience and some acrobatic scheduling, you can do this. (You can!) Besides the fun factor, you'll enjoy the practicality of making it ahead and having it party-ready days before you need it. I recommend making the cake on one day and assembling it on the second day. Then, wrap and freeze the whole thing until it's time to eat. When you want to serve it, slide the cake to your pretty platter, and leave it out at room temperature for 45 minutes to achieve that magic perfection of defrosted cake and still frozen ice cream. 

Below are a few variations for you to mix and match. My favorite combination, the one that tastes the most like birthday parties and summer, is mint chocolate chip ice cream made from garden mint, frosted with plain whipped cream. Yes, please, serve it to me on a hot day under blue skies.

1. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment in the bottom and/or a good coating of butter and a dusting of flour.

2. Set some water on to boil.

4. Whisk the dry ingredients together. Then add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Mix well. 

5. Add the boiling water and stir.

6. Divide the batter equally between the two pans. 

9. Split the cakes. If you need to stack the layers in the freezer, separate the layers with parchment, plastic wrap or some other way. Place in freezer and freeze overnight or until solid.

Combine all ingredients in a pot and cook over medium heat. When you see bubbles, remove from heat. Chill completely for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. Process for 25 minutes (or according to your machine's directions.) 

Vanilla: add 1 tsp. vanilla after removing from heat

Mint: add 3-4 sprigs of mint after removing from heat and let steep as it cools and chills

Chocolate: Chop 7 ounces dark chocolate. Pour hot base over chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth. Chill and process. 

Coffee: Add about 6 tablespoons of coarsely ground coffee after removing from heat and let steep for about 15 minutes.

Cookies and cream: Crush cookies and quickly fold in after you have processed the ice cream.

Whisk together by hand or machine until thick.

Chocolate whipped cream: Add 2 tbls. cocoa powder.

Coffee flavor: Add 1 teaspoon espresso powder. 

Raspberry: Macerate berries by fork-mashing with 1 teaspoon sugar. After cream is whipped, gently fold them in.

Melt 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate with 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil. Set aside to cool at room temperature. Drizzle into churned ice cream for chewable chunks. 

1. Clear some space in your freezer.

2. Make the cake and freeze the layers until very frozen. (Heads up: This project will be a cinch if you do this and a disaster if you don't.)

3. Make the ice cream base and let chill. After processing in the machine, be ready to spread it, as you would any cake filling, directly on the cake layers immediately.

4. Press down with your hand to level out the top and straighten the layers while the ice cream is still soft.

5. Freeze the whole thing for an hour or more.

6. Whip the cream and frost the cake. Freeze for at least 15 minutes.

7. Drizzle cooled chocolate chunk mixture over the top. Freeze again for about an hour. 

Anne Willhoit is an educator, community volunteer, and enthusiastic baker who likes to create recipes that use from-scratch techniques and are inspired by local, seasonal ingredients. Find her on Instagram at @aawillhoit or drop her an inquiry at FromScratchKS@gmail.com.

Anne Willhoit is an educator, community volunteer, and enthusiastic baker who likes to create recipes that use from-scratch techniques and are inspired by local, seasonal ingredients. Find her on Instagram at @aawillhoit or drop her an inquiry at FromScratchKS@gmail.com.