Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Cake

We went up to Midway for our friend Hunter's birthday party this past weekend. His family owns a vacation home there and about 10 of us piled into the place for some fun and celebrations! We didn't really have to "pile" into the place, because it's 3 stories and has lots of room for any gathering anyone would ever want to have there. The place has 7 bathrooms, steam showers, a sauna, hot tub, theatre room, and many other fun and wonderful things...you catch my drift?

Back to the birthday part. Hunter was turning another year older and so we had a good time celebrating with him. Michael and I bought blow dart guns at Dollar Tree and a bunch of us ran around the house, trying to hit each other with the darts. We also brought a package of balloons of varying shapes and sizes, which were all around the kitchen and main living room floor. Bryant made a game of popping a balloon, then laughing at my frightened reactions. every. time. I can't help it that loud noises freak me out! I literally jump a few inches in the air when balloons pop. Glad I could provide such thrilling entertainment!

Hunter really wanted a Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Cake for his birthday, which I offered to take care of. Now, I know that I could've just gone to Coldstone or some other ice cream shop to purchase one, but I liked the challenge of making my own. And I also liked the fact that I could make one at a fraction of the price it would cost me to buy one already made. So that's exactly what I did. I happened upon this recipe for a Cookies and Cream Cake and instantly knew it would be my cake portion for the recipe. 

 Most cookies and cream ice cream cakes use just layers of plain chocolate cake, then mix cookies and cream ice cream in between. But I wanted this to be ALL cookies and cream. And the recipe was so simple, using a cake mix as the base, that I had full confidence it would turn out well. And it did!

It may look a little messy and not perfectly together, but I think that made it all the more fun. It sure tasted good, I'll tell you that. And this recipe made A LOT! We're still eating leftovers. Oh, and if you can tell by the photos, I didn't use brand name Oreos in this recipe. Instead, I found the Market Pantry brand from Target to work just as well in the recipe, and the package was half the price. Taking a bite out of the individual cookies definitely tastes different than Oreos, but mixed into a cake and icing, you can't even tell the difference. So, save yourself the extra dough and buy the cheap brand.

Doesn't that just look amazing? I'd be fibbing if I didn't admit how proud I am of myself for dreaming and creating something that turned out so well. The whole group kept saying, "This is so good!", "Wow, Becca!", and other positive compliments in between mouthfuls of the rich cookies and cream-ness. 

So you can get on with your life and be one step closer to making this cake, I will share the recipe with you now. Happy Wednesday and enjoy!

Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Cake
(adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor)
 
Cake Ingredients:
18 chocolate sandwich cookies or Oreos
Vegetable shortening and Flour, for cake pans
1 package white cake mix (18.25 ounces)
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs

Directions:

1. Place 18 chocolate sandwich cookies, in a food processor and process until you have crumbs (still chunky, not completely pulverized). You should have about 2 1/4 cup crumbs.
2. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
3. Generously grease two 9-inch round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pans aside.
4. Place the cake mix, water, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should be well combined.
5. Fold in the cookie crumbs until well distributed. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and place them in the oven side by side.
6. Bake the cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger or when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 28 to 32 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes.
7. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow to cool completely, 30 minutes more.
8. Double wrap each cake separately in cellophane and store in the fridge or freezer overnight, to solidify.

Cookies & Cream Whipped Cream Frosting Ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla
10 chocolate sandwich cookies or Oreos

Directions:

1. Chill your mixer bowl and beaters in the freezer while preparing all the ingredients. 
2. Pour the whipping cream into the bowl and beat on high until it forms soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until it forms stiff peaks, about 1 1/2 minutes more. 
3. Crush sandwich cookies into small chunks and fold into whipping cream. Set aside. 

Cake Assembly:

1. Remove cakes from fridge or freezer (if stored in freezer, allow to thaw slightly at room temperature). With a large serrated bread knife, slice the cakes in half horizontally, so as to make 4 separate layers. 
2. Place the first layer on a serving platter and top with a layer of cookies and cream ice cream that has been thawed slightly, so it is easily spreadable. Top with another layer of cake, then ice cream, until you have 4 layers of cake and 3 of ice cream sandwiched in between.
3. If the ice cream is really starting to melt outside of the layers, cover the cake with cellophane and pop in the freezer for about 10 minutes, for it to solidify. 
4. Frost the cake with the Cookies and Cream Whipped Cream Frosting and leftover chocolate sandwich cookies. If desired, serve immediately, or replace in freezer in order for frosting to solidify. 
5. Cut into wedges and serve with a large glass of milk!