Food: Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at making an ice cream cake, but didn't want to wrestle with a large block of sticky melting ice cream? This recipe is a simple-to-make alternative based on that quintessential comfort food, the ice cream sandwich.

Recipes for similar cakes abound on the web. They've become something of a classic because of their ease of preparation and attractive presentation. However, they're also endearingly tacky because of their dependence on boxed, canned or otherwise processed ingredients.

Our version differs from most in that it couples the sophisticated notes of raspberry and bittersweet chocolate rather than simply being sickly sweet. (Should you not care for this flavor combination, we've included some recipe variations at the end.) The result is surprisingly decent, perhaps because of the quality of the ingredients. However, you can rest assured that its heart is still in the trailer park!

Supplies and Ingredients

• Vanilla ice cream sandwiches - plan one or two per serving; a box of twelve should feed about ten people.
• Raspberry jam
• Bittersweet chocolate (chips are fine)
• Aerosol whipped cream
• Glass casserole dish or a cookie sheet or sheet of cardboard covered in foil - please note that the dish needs to fit in your freezer
• Grater
• Wire strainer

Making the cake

Chill the serving dish
Place the serving dish in your freezer. This will help prevent premature melting of the cake during preparation. It's also a good opportunity to ensure that the dish will fit in the freezer without being tilted, and clear out space if necessary.

Sieve the jam
There may be a few people in the world who relish raspberry seeds, but most prefer to not get them caught in their teeth.

Place the raspberry jam in a microwave-safe dish. Heat it at 30 second intervals, stirring each time, just until it's liquid. Pour it through a strainer to remove the seeds. Chill the strained jam until it's cool and thickened. Discard the seeds, compost them, or place them outside for the local rats.

Prepare the cake
Arrange one layer of ice cream sandwiches on the serving dish, smooth raspberry jam over them, then add another layer. If you have a sufficient number of sandwiches, add a third layer of jam and sandwiches as well.

Unless you live in a freezer, the sandwiches will warm up a bit while you do this, so place the entire concoction in the freezer for awhile to firm up.

Squirt whipped cream over the entire cake, then quickly grate on bittersweet chocolate. Freeze until serving time.

Recipe variations
Just for fun, you may wish to experiment with your own combinations. (Send us pictures of your creation!)

Fillings

• Neapolitan or strawberry ice cream sandwiches
• Strawberry preserves or orange marmalade
• Banana slices and vanilla pudding
• Lady fingers or pound cake bits sprinkled with Kahlua or Irish Cream (not for the kids!)
• Fudge or caramel ice cream topping
• Whipped cream and chopped Oreos
• Chocolate whipped cream
• Malted milk balls or candy bars of choice, pulsed in food processor
• Canned frosting
• Peanuts (steer clear of this with visiting children due to allergy concerns)

Toppings & decorations

• Maraschino cherries
• Grated chocolate or chocolate curls
• Multicolored sprinkles