Mini Ice Cream Cake – Easy Dessert
I shared the air fryer Chilean sea bass recipe I made for my birthday dinner. But it’s not a birthday without a cake is it? In this household when it comes to birthday celebrations neither one of us goes for a traditional birthday cake. I know that’s funny given how many bundt cakes I bake – I absolutely love cake, but when it comes to my birthday I want an ice cream cake. The hubby? He wants pie. I am always happy to make a pie, that’s for sure. Given that I live in the middle of nowhere finding an ice cream cake is a little challenging so I have learned to make them. Given the times we aren’t going to the store that often so I only had enough milk on hand to make one batch of ice cream so I decided I could make a mini ice cream cake this year. It actually worked out very well!
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Mini Ice Cream Cake
Serves 8
- 1 quart milk
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 1 cup brown sugar, divided
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 TBS vanilla
- spice bag with cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, allspice, cloves, coriander seeds. star anise (I don’t measure the cardamom, allspice, cloves, and coriander. I just pour about half a teaspoon of each. One cinnamon stick, one star anise)
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
To Finish the Cake
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- 10 Biscoff cookies
- 1 cup sprinkles (optional)
- Make a spice bag; add the spices to a small piece of cheesecloth and tie closed.
- Add the quart of milk, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, spice bag, vanilla and salt to a heavy bottomed sauce pan.
- Heat the milk until bubbles just start to form on the side.
- While the milk is heating whisk together the egg yolks and remaining brown sugar.
- When the milk is ready remove it from the heat.
- Add a ladle full of milk to the egg yolk mixture whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Do this two more times.
- Return the milk to the heat.
- Add the egg mixture to the milk and whisk it in to combine.
- Heat the custard until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Strain the custard into a bowl and cool completely. Before you add the base to your ice cream maker stir in the heavy cream.
- Run the mixture through your ice cream maker (if you don’t want to make the ice cream, just buy a quart of vanilla)
- While the ice cream is running, crush the cookies and set aside.
- Have a 6″ springform pan wrapped in foil and a freezer safe container ready.
- Sprinkle enough crushed cookies to lightly coat the bottom of the springform pan.
- After the ice cream maker has run through it’s cycle put half of it on top of the crumbs in the springform pan. Smooth the top with an offset spatula.
- Place the rest of the ice cream in the freezer safe container and place both in the freezer. I think it’s best to have a chest freezer when making ice cream cakes at home.
- Let the first layer freeze for about two hours then bring the springform out of the freezer with the rest of the ice cream.
- Sprinkle the rest of the Biscoff cookie pieces over the top of the first layer and then carefully add the rest of the ice cream. Smooth with an offset spatula.
- Return to the freezer to fully freeze for at least 4 hours.
Make the Buttercream
- Add the butter and the salt to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
- Turn off the mixer and add the cocoa and one cup of confectioner’s sugar.
- Mix on low, slowly adding the confectioner’s sugar until it is all combined.
- Add the vanilla and mix.
- If the buttercream is too stiff, add milk a teaspoon at a time.
Finish the Cake
- Remove the cake from the springform
- Frost and if desired roll the sides in sprinkles
- Return to the freezer until ready to serve
How Was the Mini Ice Cream Cake?
It was yummy! The Biscoff cookies were just perfect with the spice ice cream. I will admit that I prefer the classic – vanilla and chocolate ice cream with chocolate cookies – but with only having enough milk to make one batch I went this route. I will make the classic for myself again. What was also really nice about this cake is that it came together in one day instead of two. There is a lot to be said for that!
We both did enjoy it and I know I will be making more ice cream cakes as time goes on.
