Mocha Mousse Ice Cream Cake

Over the Thanksgiving break, we had the rare opportunity to celebrate 5 family birthdays all together (me, Mike, mom, cousin, and grandma). To celebrate, I created a birthday cake that I have since dubbed My Delicious Mocha Mousse Ice Cream Cake! Below is the recipe.

Phase I: The Crust & Bottom

Ingredients
35 chocolate wafer cookies
1/2 cup melted butter
2/3 of a half gallon of coffee ice cream (I used Santa's White Christmas from Barnies--sold at Publix)--softened
3" springform pan

1. break the cookies into smaller pieces. Using a blender or food processor, crumble the cookies into crumbs/powder.

2. add the butter and mix thoroughly.

3. dump the mixture into the pan and flatten across the bottom and up the sides. Pressing a smaller round cake pan inside will help

4. Put in the freezer for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, add the ice cream. Smooth over the bottom crust and put back in the freezer for two hours.

Phase II: Cake and Mousse

Ingredients
chocolate cake batter (box mix is ok)
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Prepare cake batter and bake in two 9" rounds. You'll only need one of these so do what you want with the other. Once it's baked, set aside to cool completely.

2. When cake is cooled completely, place on top of ice cream and it's back to the freezer for a few more hours.

3. To make the mousse, sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together.

4. Mix whipping cream and vanilla in a deep mixing bowl. Beat on high until peaks form. Slowly add the powder mixture as you are beating.

5. Spread the mousse on top of the cake layer--the cake layer does not have to be frozen at this point. Put the cake back in the freezer for a few hours.

Phase III: Toppings

Ingredients
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 oz square of semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanila
1 1/2 tbsp whipping cream

1. In a mixing bowl, whip 2 cups of whipping cream and 1/2 tsp of vanilla on high until peaks form.

2. Spread over the mousse layer. Grate the semi-sweet chocolate over the whip cream and put back into the freezer for a couple hours.

3. Before serving, set the cake out for about 10 minutes. While the cake is warming, make the chocolate sauce.

4. Combine remaining vanilla, whipping cream, corn syrup and chips in a bowl and microwave for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth and creamy.

5. Run a butter knife under hot water and use it to loosen the edges of the pan from the crust.

6. Remove the spring form pan. Cut a slice of cake and drizzle with sauce.

Notes: the whip cream layer will be over the edge of the pan. Also, the ice cream layer is barely visible in the pictures b/c it had melted some at that point. It was still delicious though.

Bon Appetit!

The Food Whore