What Is An Ice Cream Cake And How To Make It At Home: Instant Dessert Recipes

Ice cream cakes are the hot new thing especially in summer when one craves something sweet but refreshing.  Did you know that June 27 celebrates this delicious cold ice cream cake every year? There's a little story behind its existence and something out of a Modern Love series, not the romantic kind, but one of kinship and familial bonds. You will like this one, plus the delish dessert recipe for a cake you can assemble for your next birthday party in your family or friends circle too. 

History

The origins of the much popular ice cream cake are a bit uncertain, with multiple theories tracing its roots back centuries. Some historians believe the earliest versions emerged in the 16th century, while others point to Victorian-era desserts called "Bombes" – decadent creations made with ice cream, fruit, and sometimes cake or biscuits – as the inspiration. Yet another theory attributes the humble trifle, with its layers of sponge biscuits and ice cream, as the precursor to the modern ice cream cake.

However, the ice cream cake as we know it today, with a baked cake base topped with frozen ice cream, didn't become popular until after World War I. The advent of household refrigeration made it possible for the ice cream cake to exist wholly. Unlike other dessert days, this one does have a heartwarming story and is a recent one. It’s the story of a family and their grief. 

When Johanna Jurado tragically passed away two months before her 32nd wedding anniversary in 2018, her family was devastated. As they navigated their grief, Johanna's youngest daughter, Jenna, found a poignant way to honor her mother's memory.

Johanna had a fondness for celebrating quirky "national days" and believed that ice cream cake made any celebration better. Inspired by this, Jenna, along with the organization Cupcakes for a Cause, petitioned to establish June 27th – Johanna's birthday – as National Ice Cream Cake Day. Their efforts were successful, and since 2018, this day has served as a celebration for the Jurado family and a delicious tribute to Johanna's love for life's sweet moments.

Celebration Ice Cream Cake Recipe

This cake is perfect for celebrations of any kind and will need two days to make factoring in the freezing time. So make sure you plan ahead before making this cake, the frosting bit is the finishing touch to the cake done on the day the cake will be eaten. 

Ingredients

• 1 pack vanilla cake mix (approx 500 gm)
• 475 ml coconut ice cream
• 475 ml strawberry ice cream  
• 475 ml vanilla ice cream
• 375 ml heavy whipping cream
• 60 gm powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Follow the instructions as per the back of the cake mix. It should make a 9-inch round cake. Bake the cake slice horizontally into two and keep it in the freezer overnight to freeze.
2. The next day bring out a 9-inch springform pan, and linen with parchment. Grease with parchment paper and and take a large plastic wrap and cover the insides of the pan with ample hanging out on the sides. De-wrinkle the plastic and pop into the freezer for an hour.
3. Pick any of the three flavors and keep the ice cream at room temperature for 15 minutes. Take out the cake sponges and springform pan too.
4. Use a spoon or scoop to mix the ice cream and mix until it has a spreadable consistency. 
5. Place the first half of the cake loaf at the bottom of the springform pan. Top with the ice cream you mixed up, all of it. Pop into the freezer for an hour. In the last 15 minutes take out the next ice cream flavor and repeat the same process.
6. After the third ice cream layer is done, carefully place the second sponge cake layer on top. Press down firmly to make it stick and cover with the overhanging plastic wrap. Freeze overnight.
7. The day of serving, take out the cake and loosen it by running a knife around the edges and then remove the springform pan. Discard the plastic wrap and then transfer to a flat plate or cake stand. Pop back into the freezer.
8. Use an electric mixer now, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar. Beat till stiff peaks form. 
9. Take out the cake from the freezer and slather the whipped cream, decorate it with toppings of your choice and freeze for another hour or until ready to serve.
10. Before serving make sure you keep the cake outside for 30 minutes to slice without struggling.