Cooking Light: Peppermint Ice Cream Cake

Christmas never really seems like Christmas unless there's some peppermint in something. And since I live in Texas, Christmas also means ice cream cake. Yes, while the rest of the country, except perhaps Florida, is wrapped in a blanket of snow, my family happily eats ice cream cake at the end of December.

Peppermint Ice Cream Cake
From Cooking Light magazine, December 2005

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
¾ cup boiling water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups low-fat peppermint ice cream, softened
3 cups frozen whipped topping, such as Cool Whip
⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract
8 peppermint candies, crushed (such as Starlite mints)
Preheat oven to 350°F.  Coat two (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray.  Line bottom of each pan with wax paper.

Combine cocoa, water, and butter, stirring with a whisk until blended.  Cool.

Combine sugars in a large bowl, stirring well until blended.  Add eggs; beat 2 minutes or until light and creamy.  Add cocoa mixture, and beat for 1 minute.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Gradually add flour mixture to bowl; beat for 1 minute or until blended.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake for 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove from pans.  Wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for 2 hours or until slightly frozen.

Spread ice cream in an 8-inch round cake pan lined with plastic wrap.  Cover and freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

To assemble cake, place one cake layer, bottom side up, on a cake pedestal.  Remove ice cream layer from freezer; remove plastic wrap.  Place ice cream layer, bottom side up, on top of cake layer.  Top with remaining cake layer.

Combine whipped topping and peppermint extract, and stir until blended.  Spread frosting over top and sides of cake.  Sprinkle with crushed peppermints.  Freeze until ready to serve.  Let cake stand at room temperature 10 minutes before slicing.