BLACK AND ORANGE ICE CREAM CAKE

(Serves 8-12)

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup coffee
• 1.75 quart container store bought or homemade pumpkin ice cream, slightly softened
• 1 1/2 cups caramel sauce (see recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. Add the salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and the buttermilk. Whisk in the melted butter and the coffee. Stir in the dry ingredients. Spread in the pan and bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

Cool the cake completely and remove the springform ring. Slice off the top of the cake so it is flat on top. Cut the cake in half horizontally. Place the top half of the cake in the spring form pan. Spread the ice cream on top. Place the second cake layer on top, bottom side up, pressing the cake gently so it sticks to the ice cream. Freeze for at least one hour until the ice cream is firm. Unmold the cake by removing the ring.

To serve, pour caramel sauce over the top of the cake. Cut into pieces.

* If the caramel sauce is pouring consistency cold, use it cold. If it is too firm, warm it just enough so it is just pourable. If it is too hot it will run off the cake.

Caramel Sauce

By Emily Luchetti from 'A Passion for Dessert' (Chronicle Books)

(Yield: 1 3/4 cups)

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
• 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter

Stir together the sugar and the water in a medium saucepan. Heat the sugar over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Brush the insides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to eliminate any sugar sticking to the sides. Increase to high heat and cook, without stirring, until the sugar is amber colored, 8-10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Wearing oven mitts, slowly add one quarter of the cream. Be careful as the caramel will sputter as the cream is added. Using a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula, stir the cream into the caramel. If the cream sputters, stop stirring. Let the bubbles subside and then stir again. Carefully add the remaining cream. Stir until combined. Whisk in the butter.

© 2003 Emily Luchetti

<< Back to all recipes