Loaded Ice Cream Cake

This isn't some run of the mill ice cream cake. It's so much better than that. For starters, it has three flavors of Haagen Daz ice cream: mayan chocolate, coffee, and vanilla bean. There's also the layer of fudgey cookie goodness and then it's topped with chocolate ganache and many many delicious treats.

I made this cake for my dad for Father's Day. I had been trying to decide what he would like best and I realized that almost every single time we go out for dinner my dad asks for ice cream for dessert. Plus I could always tell that he was visiting my apartment because a small tub of Haagen Daz would appear in my freezer. It wasn't cheap using gourmet ice cream, but my dad works hard and he definitely deserved the best.

   I used a nine inch spring form pan for the cake. I would suggest putting it in the freezer beforehand because my first layer was a little melty while I was trying to spread it. I used this mayan chocolate flavor for the base layer. If you haven't had it before you should try it; it's a mixture of dark chocolate and cinnamon..mmmm.

I let the tub of ice cream soften up and then spread it on the bottom of the pan and stuck it back in the freezer.

While the first layer was hardening I made the cookie/fudge layer. I crushed up almost a whole box of oreos in my blender. Then in a bowl I mixed them with hot fudge sauce (just the stuff from the bottle) until they were all coated.

I took pan out from the freezer and spread the cookie layer on top. My freezer isn't very cold and the cake would have benefited from being frozen longer before I did this.. things got a little melty but in the end I got the cookie layer on. The back to the freezer to set that layer.

Next came a layer of coffee ice cream.. this stuff is amazing. I waited until this layer was really frozen before I put the next one on

After the coffee layer came the vanilla bean. I had wanted chocolate chip cookie dough but my grocery store didn't have it. It didn't matter in the end because so much stuff ends up on top of the cake that nobody noticed the missing cookie dough pieces.

While the cake was freezing and before I made the chocolate ganache, I chopped up the toppings. I had asked my dad what he liked on ice cream sundaes and he listed many many things. I decided on mini peanut butter cups cut into quarters, crushed score bars, honey roasted peanuts, and marshmallows.

The ganache was so quick and easy that I really didn't have time to take a picture. I just melted 8 oz of bittersweet chocolate with half a cup of cream and a tsp of instant coffee in a bowl over simmering water.

Then I poured the ganache on the cake, threw all the toppings on, then the pan went back into the freezer until it was time for Father's Day dinner.

To serve the cake I ran a knife around the edge of the cake (it helps to run the knife under hot water before you do this) and then released the spring form.

Oh my god this cake is so good.. so so good.

Happy Father's Day!! The best kind of dad deserves the best kind of cake.

Chocolate Ganache

8 oz of bittersweet chocolate

1/2 cup cream

1 tsp instant coffee powder

Put the chocolate, cream, and instant coffee powder to a bowl and place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Stir until all the ingredients have melted together.

Some people melt the chocolate first and then stir in the cream, but I find that the temperature change causes the chocolate to sieze so I like to mix it all together first.

 

Comments

[Michelle Gerig]

You had me at 'fudgey cookie goodness'!!! That just looks so delicious!! I am sure that your dad enjoyed it!

[{something sweet}]

wow! steph, this looks just like something out of a gourmet ice cream cake shoppe. i'm sure your dad loved it so so so much.

[Amy Albin]

Yummy! Wow, that looks so good!

[hocus]

This sure beats buying the DQ ice cream cake (which sadly I am guilty of.) I can see a whole lotta luv went into this one. Your Dad must have appreciated it so much!

[Lesley Howard]

Wow, that looks amazing... I have a huge craving for cake now!

[Lori Eddy]

You did a great job of creating the perfect Father's Day dessert for Daddy. It was (and still is) so, so good! Much better than DQ cakes! Thanks so much Stephanie!

[Kathryn Dechairo]

Wow, I'm sure that tasted every bit as amazing as it looks.

[Karen Beales]

So then.. he I come to check your blog...then I'M HUNGRY! Too many yummy pictures.

[Deedee Casebier]

I am definitely making this for my sons birthday! He will love it, along with all of the family of chocoholics! LOL

[Mylifeunderthebus]

Holy Canaries ! I've died and gone to Heaven I'm sure of it !

[Angie V]

That looks delicious! I was just checking out the rest of your blog: you are going to make me gain 10 pounds just be looking and thinking about it all lol.

[Gina P]

Heaven on a plate, I'd say.

[April Armistead]

Holy Crap your whole blog looks delicious! ♥

[Account Deleted]

Yum. If only I could eat dairy...I'm sure I could find some coconut and rice dream icecream somewhere!

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawkGq1wIaRKjr-mpHNt_JIejIRPXY2OT90Q]

Delectable post, as always!!!

[Ponderandstitch.blogspot.com]

Oh.My.Gosh. That looks insanely delicious- it's almost midnight right now, yet I'm THIS close to going out and getting all the ingredients to make that this very minute. Seriously!

[Lori Plyler]

Oh. My. Gosh. I want that for breakfast. It would go fabulously with my coffee. :)

[Julia]

Oh, the picture with all the toppings on top of the cake and the chocolate sauce really makes me......droooool. Hehe. It looks very yummy! I'm sure your dad loved it!

[Gemma_Screen]

(rather embarrassing) I'm actually salivating this looks incredible! i mean the name says it all... chocolate - icecream - cake.... what more could a girl ask for. Another must try for me to add to my own to do list!

[Cherryredstudio1.blogspot.com]

o. my. gosh. right now i wish i was your dad!! that looks so amazing

[CinnamonSpice]

This is positively heavenly! I bet your Dad loved it! In response to your question about the chocolate chip cookie pie - it's soft in the middle and kind of creamy. It doesn't have the same texture as a cookie.

[LDTillustration]

Oh, YUM! Lol, I'm now wondering about the wisdom of following your blog, it's going make me crave cake all the time ;P