strawberry crunch ice cream cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
2. To make the crunchies, you’ll need two bowls. One for the vanilla crunchies and one for the strawberry. Add 1/2 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of sugar to each bowl.
3. Add the freeze dried strawberries to a food processor and grind into a powder. Add the powder to the bowl for the strawberry crunchies. Stir well to combine.
4. Add 4 tablespoons of butter to the strawberry bowl and the vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of butter to the vanilla bowl and use a fork to combine each mixture until it comes together to form a crumble.
5. Lay the strawberry crumble evenly out onto one of the cookie sheets and ay the vanilla crumble evenly out onto the other cookie sheet.
6. Bake the crumbles for about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on it, particularly the strawberry crumble. The strawberry powder can brown quickly if left in for too long.
7. Let crumble cool completely and then use your fingers to break into smaller pieces, if needed. It’s ideal for the crumble pieces to be no larger than a small pea.
8. Combine all of the crunchie pieces together and gently toss to combine.
9. To layer the cake together, line an 8×3 inch cake pan* with clear wrap that covers the bottom and goes above the sides of the cake pan. I used two pieces. You’ll use the wrap that is sticking above the sides of the pan to lift the ice cream cake out later.
10. About 20 minutes before you need it, set the strawberry ice cream out to soften. Add the softened strawberry ice cream to the prepared cake pan and spread into an even layer.
11. Spread about 1 cup of the crunchies evenly over top of the strawberry ice cream, then freeze for about 2 hours, until mostly firm.
12. About 20 minutes before you need it, set the vanilla ice cream out to soften. Add the vanilla ice cream to the top of the crunchies, then freeze until firm, 2-3 hours.
13. Use the clear wrap to lift the frozen cake out of the pan, then place it on a cardboard cake circle or a serving plate. Set it back in the freezer.
14. To make the whipped cream, add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
15. Frost the cake with the whipped cream, placing the cake back in the freezer as needed to keep it from melting.
16. Quickly press the remaining crunchies onto the sides of the cake, then place the cake back in the freezer.
17. Grind the freeze dried strawberries for the whipped cream into a powder and add it to the remaining whipped cream. Add some additional red and ivory gel icing color to it as well, if you like.
18. Pipe a border around the top of the cake. I used Ateco tip 844.
19. Freeze the cake until ready to serve. Cake is best when stored well covered and eaten within 4-5 days.

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INGREDIENTS

Crunch toppings

• 5 oz. mini vanilla wafers 1/2 package, such as Nilla
• 1/2 oz. freeze dried strawberries 1/2 package
• 1/2 tablespoon strawberry gelatin powder such as Jell-O
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

INSTRUCTIONS

Yellow cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. When the butter is lightened and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time. Mix until incorporated and smooth. Add in the vanilla and beat to combine.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour and milk alternately to the creamed butter mixture, mixing until just combined with each addition. Begin and end with flour.
• Pour the batter into prepared baking sheet and spread evenly.
• Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick tester comes out clean. Cool completely.

Ice cream filling and whipped cream

• Allow the ice cream to soften at room temperature 20 minutes. Stir it in the carton with a large spoon until the ice cream has the consistency of thick buttercream frosting. The ice cream will lose a little volume – this is normal. Alternatively, you can beat the ice cream in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle for 1 minute on low speed, or until it comes to spreading consistency.
• Pour the ice cream over the cooled yellow cake. Spread evenly. Freeze until solid, 2-4 hours.
• Whip the heavy cream with the vanilla extract to stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Spread the whipped cream over the frozen strawberry ice cream layer.

Crunch toppings

• To prepare the strawberry crunch, place the vanilla wafers and freeze-dried strawberries in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until just combined. Add the strawberry gelatin powder. Pulse to fine crumbs. Pour the butter through the feeding tube as you pulse 3-5 more times, or until crumbs clump and cling together. (See note for doing this by hand.)
• Sprinkle the strawberry crunch mixture generously over the whipped cream. Freeze, covered, until firm, 4 hours or overnight. Remove cake from freezer. Serve slices from the dish.

NOTES

The strawberry ice cream color can be intensified with a few drops of red food color. Mix it in a you stir it to spreading consistency.

The crunchy topping can be made by hand by placing the cookies, freeze-dried strawberries, and Jell-O powder in a large zip top bag. Use a rolling pin to smash and crush the contents. Pour the mixture into a bowl and stir in the melted butter. Use this mixture to top the cake.