Red, White and Blue Ice Cream Cake
Layers of moist vanilla cake between unbelievably creamy layers of white chocolate cheesecake ice cream, iced with whipped cream frosting and cloaked in a dreamy white chocolate ganache. The perfect patriotic treat to celebrate the 4th of July!
Ingredients
White Cake:
- 1 (15.25 oz) box white cake mix, plus ingredients to make it
White Chocolate Cheesecake Ice Cream:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 5 ounces white chocolate, chopped
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Food coloring (red and blue)
Whipped Cream Frosting:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
White Chocolate Ganache Drip:
- 5 ounces chopped white chocolate
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Blue food coloring (I used Wilton's gel colors in "Sky Blue")
For Decorating:
- Sprinkles
Instructions
Make the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two 8-inch baking pans with parchment paper. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Prepare the cake batter according to package instructions. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled to room temperature, even out the cake by using a sharp knife or cake leveler to cut off the "humps".
Make the Ice Cream:
- In the chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream on high until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a separate bowl and place in the refrigerator.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate in the microwave until smooth. Stir in sweetened condensed milk. Return to the microwave for another 30 seconds, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Place the cream cheese and vanilla into the bowl of the stand mixer. Switch whisk attachment out for paddle attachment, and beat until smooth. Pour in the white chocolate mixture, beating until completely combined. Add a cup of the whipped cream, beating until just combined. For in the rest of the whipped cream.
- Transfer half of the ice cream to a separate mixing bowl. Remove a heaping tablespoon of the ice cream to a small bowl. Add red food coloring, stirring until combined. Add the red ice cream back into the rest of the ice cream, folding until combined. Follow these same steps with the other half of the ice cream, but with blue food coloring.
Assemble Ice Cream Cake:
- Line a deep 8-inch cake pan with plastic wrap, leaving extra overhang on the sides to completely wrap the cake. Place one cake layer into the bottom of the pan. Evenly spread the red ice cream on top. Place the second cake layer on top. Wrap cake with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer for 4 hours.
- Line another 8-inch cake pan with plastic wrap. Evenly spread the blue ice cream into the bottom of the pan. Place in the freezer for at least 4 hours. (See notes above, if using shallower pans.)
Make the Frosting:
- In the chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
Decorate the Cake:
- Unwrap the frozen cake, and invert it out of the pan onto a serving plate. Remove the plastic wrap. Top with the blue ice cream layer.
- Frost the cake with a thin layer of whipped cream--this will be the crumb coat. Be sure to work quickly so that the ice cream doesn’t melt. Place cake back into freezer for about 30 minutes to firm up. Remove cake from the freezer and frost with a second and final layer of whipped cream. Return cake to freezer for another 30 minutes.
- Transfer the rest of the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. I used Wilton's 1M tip.
- Make the ganache by placing the chocolate into a medium bowl; set aside. Pour heavy cream into a glass measuring cup, and heat in the microwave until it just begins to boil. Pour hot cream over the chocolate, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to sit for 4-5 minutes. Remove plastic wrap, and stir until smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Remove cake from the freezer, and drizzle the ganache along the top edges of the cake, allowing the ganache to dribble down the sides. Spread the rest of the ganache evenly on top of the cake. Return cake to freezer for 10 minutes to set ganache.
- Pipe whipped cream on top of the cake along the border. Top with sprinkles. Store in the freezer until ready to serve.