This is the perfect dessert for summer cookouts, it cools you down, you can make it ahead of time, is delicious and hassle free; plus, no cooking involved!! This kind of dessert is versatile, you can switch what kind of base you use, the fruit and toppings. This is kind of a deconstructed ice cream cake with a few additions.
On this one I twisted the base a little by using a lemon marbled pound cake I made the day before just to give it a little summer kick and use what I have in hand which makes this even easier, after all lemons go so well with berries, so why not?! You can make your own pound cake which is my recommendation but you can get a good store bought pound cake. The recipe calls for butter pound cake but chocolate marble pound cake can work too, strawberry marble cake, raspberry, any kind of pound cake or even brownies; get creative!
This recipe feeds about 4 people but depends on the size of servings you like. To make things easier I recommend to chill the pound cake in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 30 minutes so you don’t get many crumbs and the assembly is cleaner, having cold cake pieces as a base will help maintain the consistency of the wet ingredients on top so they don’t melt before you get to serve it and the layers show off better. Also, letting the ice cream get softer helps to fold it in better without over beating the whipped cream which will turn into butter and separate. You don’t want that.
You can plan this ahead and have the fruit and cake diced the day before, store it in the fridge and then assemble the same day you will eat it. Once assembled cover and store in the freezer for not more than 3 hrs, if you need more time just take it out and put it in the refrigerator at least 1 hr before serving so it’s not rock solid. Perhaps an ice cream cake is a nice treat so maybe it won’t hurt if it’s a little frozen. Just don’t leave it out in the heat because it will be ruined, this definitely needs good refrigeration.
Ingredients:
1/2 cold butter pound cake
1/2 cup heavy cream
1tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 pint of ice cream (I used strawberry cake pop ice cream but vanilla or strawberry works fine)
1 1/2 cup diced or sliced strawberries
Optional: Toppings of choice
Method:
In a mixing bowl whip the heavy cream with vanilla and powdered sugar to the point where you get stiff peaks. It’s important that the whipped cream is not runny because you need the added air to maintain while you add the rest.
To the whipped cream add the softened ice cream until evenly combined, or if you wish just fold it in with a spatula until marbled so you get different textures but that’s up to you. I like to combine it evenly, but that works too.
Sprinkle some chopped strawberries on top of the pound cake pieces.
Layer the ice cream mixture on top and flatten with a spatula.
At this point you can add another layer of cake or just top it with the rest of the strawberries, add sliced almonds or whatever you like. At this point you can store this in the freezer if you’re still not serving it. Just cover with plastic wrap and keep in the freezer but remember to put it in the fridge at least 3 hrs before serving because it will get rock solid if you leave it in the freezer for too many hrs.
I like mine simple, since we are doing strawberry shortcake, I just go with strawberries.
Serve and enjoy!
