Birthday Ice Cream Cake

April is my birthday month and people always ask me, "What is your birthday dessert of choice?" I suppose it's because I do all the baking around here and curiosity has folks wondering if I make my own birthday cake. Believe it or not, I get a Cold Stone Creamery Birthday Cake Remix Birthday Cake. I've been getting this cake for my birthday for at least 10 years and I'm not shy about eating the majority of it.

In fact, one year I had a cholesterol test scheduled for the week after my birthday. Every day leading up to the test I ate a piece of ice cream cake. Not even thinking how that would affect the test.

Obviously I got the results back and my doctor was reading me the riot act. Then it dawned on me that I had eaten all that ice cream. I asked her if that would affect the test and her answer was an emphatic, YES! She has told me on more than one occasion that she uses my story as a cautionary tale for people coming in to get their cholesteroll checked.

I indulge myself with this cake once a year and my cholesteroll has never stopped me from eating as much of this cake as I want. I LOVE IT! Just know if you go to pick up the Birthday Cake Remix Birthday Cake for yourself, don't be fooled by another Birthday Cake they have for sale. On more than one occasion I've had to suffer through a sweet cream ice cream look alike. You DEFINITELY want the cake that has the Kit Kats dipped in sprinkles and purposely displayed around the top of the cake.

This year, to mark my 40th birthday I decided to recreate the Birthday Cake Remix Birthday Cake and bring you all this post. With that said, go buy yourself the real deal or make your own to celebrate all that is great.

BIRTHDAY CAKE REMIX BIRTHDAY CAKE:

The Cake:

2 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour

1/4 cup of cocoa

2 cups of sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt

3 eggs

1 cup of buttermilk

1 cup of vegetable or canola oil

1 cup of sour cream

2 teaspoons of LorAnn Gourmet Red Velvet Bakery Emulsion

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 3 inch deep 8 inch round pans with cooking spray and parchment paper.

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

While the mixer is on medium speed, pour in the olive oil and then the buttermilk. Scrape the sides of the bowl.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and add one egg at a time while the mixer is on medium-high speed.

Scrape the sides of the bowl when all eggs have been incorporated. Dump in the sour cream and red velvet flavoring.

Turn the mixer on medium speed for 45 seconds. Scrape the sides and stir to ensure all is incorporated.

Pour the cake batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Pull the cakes from the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes. Take the cakes out of the pans to cool on a wire rack completely. When the cakes are cooled, wrap each cake tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for four hours up to overnight.

The Ice Cream:

9 egg yolks, keep the egg whites for breakfast or marshmallow frosting

1 1/2 cup of granulated sugar

3/4 cup of water

1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt

3 cups of heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons of cake batter extract

Rainbow Sprinkles

In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the water, sugar and salt up to 238 degrees. You want to make sure the sugar is moistened. If needed, give the pan a swirl or two to help dissolve the sugar. Try not to disturb the sugar and water too much. Sugar crystals will form and that's no good. At this point, put a metal bowl and beater attachments in the refrigerator. You will need these for the whipped cream later down the road.

Meanwhile, in a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whip the 9 egg yolks until light and bubbly, about 3 minutes.

When the syrup reaches 238 degrees, turn the mixer on medium speed and slowly pour the syrup down the sides of the bowl.

Continue to mix for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, take your bowl and attachments out of the fridge and whip up the cream with the cake batter extract.

Once stiff peaks form, fold the whipped cream into the egg mixture, about 1/3 of the whipped cream at a time.

Fold in a handful of sprinkles.

Remove the cakes from the freezer. Line the 3 inch deep 8 inch baking pans with parchment paper and place the cakes in the pans. The frozen cakes will be much easier to handle.

Evenly distribute the ice cream over the cakes.

Cover the cakes with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.

The Final Touches:

1 large container of Cool Whip

4 Kit Kats, cut in half

Rainbow Sprinkles

Pull the cakes from the freezer and pull on the parchment to release the cakes. Transfer the cakes to a serving platter.

Frost the cake with the Cool Whip.

Cover the bottom of the cake with sprinkles. Pipe 8 puffs on the top of the cake. Dip the cut side of the Kit Kat into the Cool Whip and then into the sprinkles. Add each Kit Kat onto a Cool Whip Puff.