Chocolate Chip Cookie & Ice Cream Cake

This looked amazing so I cut and pasted it from Mangoes and Palm Trees!

Chocolate Chip Cookie & Ice Cream Cake (Happy Birthday, Jacquelyn!)

While everyone was busy getting ready for their Memorial Day barbeques and graduation parties, I was busy also figuring out what kind of birthday cake to make. Jacquelyn celebrated her 3rd birthday on the 24th! This little lady has already appeared a few times on the blog...getting ice cream-wasted at Disneyland, proving her status as a farmers market veteran, and even serving as the inspiration for my Strawberry-Kiwi Shortcakes...I thought that it was only right that she had something special to dig into for her big day!

Last year, her Lemon-Raspberry Cake was inspired by the beautiful, pink hydrangeas starting to bloom in the garden. (SO HANDY, those Buster Posey cups are...) I was definitely motivated to top last year's creation, so there were two things taken into consideration: Jacquelyn's love for ice cream and Jacquelyn's love for chocolate. My sister was the one who suggested that I make an ice cream cake. The only thing was...I'd never made an ice cream cake before. But I'm never one to shy away from a challenge or experiment!

Instead of a traditional cake layer, I decided to go with a chocolate chip cookie base. It just made the whole dessert that much more playful and appealing to the kiddos. (Also, think chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.)

Start by whisking together the melted butter and dark brown sugar.

After adding the egg, whisk until the mixture is thick, pale, and fluffy. Then, add the vanilla.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl, then fold these dry ingredients into the sugar and egg mixture. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.

I recommend using mini-chips or just finely chopping the chocolate. That way, the frozen chunks won't be so rock-hard to bite through.

Lightly grease an 8" round, springform pan, then spread the dough into an even layer on the bottom. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

I basically had a giant, cake-sized cookie! It was soooo difficult to not pick up a spoon and start scooping up warm, gooey bites of chocolate chip cookie. A major test of self-restraint, folks. But, it's important to let it cool completelybefore topping...

While the cookie was cooling, it was the perfect time to churn some homemade ice cream! I whipped up a batch of my Hawaiian Sea Salt Caramel Ice Cream.

If you want to make things really easy on yourself, though, you can just use a pint of your favorite brand and flavor. Let it sit out at room temperature to soften a little bit.

Once the cookie has cooled, evenly spread the ice cream over the top.

The final layer is lightly sweetened, whipped cream. For extra flavor, add vanilla extract or vanilla beans! Cover the whole pan with foil or plastic wrap, then freeze for at least 1-2 hours to allow the ice cream and whipped cream to firm up.

Right before serving the cake, I again thought of Jacquelyn's love for chocolate. I was trying to figure out what to top the cake with. A generous drizzle of chocolate ganache finished it off beautifully! I could've poured on an entire layer or piped a more intricate design over the top, but we can't forget, this is for kids! The crazy, messy look of chocolate drizzled everywhere looks more fun!

To "unmold" the cake, run a thin knife around the edge to separate the cake from the sides. Then, simply unlatch  the springform pan. (The springform pan is key here.)

Looooooooooooooooooooooooooook!!!!

My very first attempt at an ice cream cake. :)

Triple-Layer Ice Cream Cake, with chocolate chip cookie, caramel ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate drizzle...Say that to anyone and their mouth should water, not just the little ones! The different layers lookimpressive, but it isn't even half as difficult as making an actual three-layer cake. This is a simple solution for any birthday party, or any occasion when you need a cool, yummy dessert this Summer!

Happy Birthday, Jacquelyn!

Cookie & Ice Cream Cake (serves 8)

Print Recipe

Ingredients:
Cookie Layer:
8 tbsp (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter, melted
1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
1 large Egg
2 tsps Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/8 tsp Baking Soda
1/8 tsp Fine Sea Salt
1/2 cup Mini Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
Topping: 
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
3-4 tbsp White Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1 pint Ice Cream, softened (flavor of your choice; recommended: caramel or chocolate)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease an 8"-round springform pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar.  Add the egg, then beat until pale and slightly fluffy. Whisk in the vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, until everything is incorporated. Then, fold in the chocolate chips. Spread this dough into an even layer in the prepared pan. 
4. Bake the cookie layer at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean. Once the cookie is done, allow it to cool completely while in the pan.
5. To make the whipped topping, whisk the heavy cream until it starts to thicken. Sprinkle in the sugar, then whisk until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla. 
6. Finally, spread the pint of ice cream into an even layer on top of the cooled cookie. Next, spread the whipped cream over the ice cream layer. Cover the entire pan with foil or plastic wrap, and freeze until the top layers are firm (at least 1-2 hours).
7. To serve, run a thin paring knife around the edges of the cake to release it from the sides of the pan, then "unlatch" the springform pan.
8. For garnish, drizzle chocolate ganache or sprinkle on chocolate chips. Enjoy!