Ice Cream Cake

Our favorite combination is this one (based loosely on a Pioneer Woman recipe for cappuccino ice cream cups) but any cake/ice cream flavor combo is good. For Wende's birthday, we make a vanilla cake with chocolate chip mint ice cream and some mint extract in the frosting. Yum!

1 box chocolate cake and eggs, oil, water called for on box recipe

12 oz container vanilla frosting

8 oz tub Cool Whip, defrosted

1/2 gallon coffee ice cream (can use low fat or frozen yogurt and it turns out fine), softened

1 Hershey chocolate bar (1.55 oz), chopped (or dark chocolate, if you prefer)

1 Tbs cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

The day before the party, bake the cake. (We prefer to do a sheet cake) Cool completely and freeze overnight.

The day of the party, mix together the ice cream, chocolate chunks, and spices.

Whip the vanilla frosting and Cool Whip together and refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove frozen cake from pan. Using a sharp bread knife (or the turkey carving knife works well), carefully slice the cake in half horizontally. Spread bottom half of cake with ice cream mixture and carefully replace top half of cake. Frost with frosting mixture, decorate as desired (chocolate shavings, Oreo cookie crumbs, chopped nuts, or writing "Happy Birthday" is chocolate sauce is good)

Refreeze for at least one hour before serving.