Checkerboard Ice Cream Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Grease three 9-in. round baking pans; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine 2-1/2 cups of cake flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk. , Divide batter into thirds. To one portion, fold in melted chocolate and vanilla. To second portion, fold in 1/4 cup flour, almond extract and 3-4 drops red food coloring. To third portion, fold in lemon extract, 3-4 drops yellow food coloring and remaining flour., Spoon a ring of chocolate batter around edge of one prepared pan; spoon a ring of pink batter inside chocolate ring and fill center with yellow batter. Spoon a ring of yellow batter around edge of second pan; add a chocolate middle ring and a pink center. Spoon a ring of pink batter around edge of third pan; add a yellow middle ring and chocolate center., Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, cream butter and 2 cups confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate until smooth. Add milk and vanilla. Beat in enough of the remaining confectioners' sugar until frosting achieves spreading consistency. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake.

Steps:

• Make ice cream:
• Bring cream, milk, sugar, and salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Whisk eggs in a bowl until blended, then add hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking. Transfer custard back to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 175 to 180°F on thermometer (do not let boil).
• Immediately pour through a fine-mesh sieve into cleaned bowl, then stir in liqueur. Cool custard to room temperature, stirring occasionally, then chill, its surface covered with a round of wax paper, until cold, about 3 hours.
• Make cake while custard chills:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of square baking pan with wax or parchment paper.
• Melt chocolate with water in a small heavy saucepan over very low heat, stirring, then cool to lukewarm.
• Beat yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until thick and pale, about 5 minutes in a standing mixer or about 8 minutes with a handheld. Fold in melted chocolate.
• Beat egg whites with cleaned beaters until they hold soft peaks. Beat in remaining 1/3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and continue to beat until whites just hold stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Fold one third of whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until puffed and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out with crumbs adhering, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack, then cover top of cake with 2 layers of dampened paper towels and let stand 5 minutes. Remove towels and cool cake completely in pan (cake will deflate as it cools). Sift 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa over cake, then loosen edges with a sharp knife. Invert a wax-paper-lined baking sheet over cake and invert cake onto it, then gently peel off wax paper now on top.
• Freeze custard while cake cools:
• Freeze custard in ice cream maker. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and freeze until firm but still spreadable, about 30 minutes.
• Assemble checkerboards:
• Oil milk carton, then line bottom and long sides with a sheet of plastic wrap, leaving at least a 2-inch overhang.
• Trim cake to form a 7 1/2- by 6 1/4-inch rectangle (reserve trimmings for another use), then cut rectangle lengthwise into 5 (7 1/2- by 1 1/4-inch) strips. Using thin metal spatula, arrange 2 strips on bottom of carton, flush against each long side. Fill space between strips with ice cream (preferably using a small offset metal spatula). Arrange 1 cake strip down center of carton (on top of ice cream) and fill spaces on both sides of cake with ice cream. Arrange remaining 2 cake strips against long sides of carton (on top of ice cream) and fill space between them with ice cream. (There will be some leftover ice cream.) If ice cream becomes too soft during assembly, freeze until just firm enough to work with, about 15 minutes. Cover top with plastic wrap overhang, then freeze until dessert is hardened, at least 8 hours.
• To serve, unwrap overhang and invert carton onto a chilled platter, using plastic wrap to help pull cake from carton. Trim sides evenly to neaten loaf if necessary (ice cream may ooze a bit on sides), then sift remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa over top. Cut into slices with a sharp knife.

Steps:

• Slice the top of both cakes to create a flat surface.
• Cut both cakes in half widthwise to create four cakes.
• Place a small plate on top of the cake and cut around to create a smaller circle.
• Place a glass in the middle of the cake and cut around to create an even smaller circle.
• Assemble the first layer by placing the outside chocolate ring on a plate or cake stand. Insert the next yellow cake ring and then the inner chocolate cake ring.
• Frost the cake with a thin layer of frosting in between each layer.
• Continue forming layers alternating the colors on the outside.
• After the fourth layer frost the entire cake and cool in the refrigerator.
• Slice and serve.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Prepare cake according to package directions; bake in a 9x13 inch baking dish and cool completely.
• Use ice cream that comes in a rectangular carton. Remove the carton and, using a piece of string or dental floss, cut the ice cream in half lengthwise (long side to long side) and place the two layers side by side on a piece of waxed paper.
• Place the cooled cake over the ice cream. Trim the cake and ice cream so that the edges match.
• Place a board or serving platter over the cake, hold onto the waxed paper and board, and flip the ice cream cake over. Remove the waxed paper and smooth out the seam between the ice cream slabs.
• Cover with waxed paper and freeze until very firm. Decorate as desired.