Natalie of Good Girl Style is back today with a beautiful dessert that requires nothing more than time and ice cream. The beauty (and tastiness) is in how they’re arranged. Natalie joins us each month to share incredible desserts with Big Girls, Small Kitchen readers–desserts that are entirely gluten-free, but not like obviously gluten-free. That means no specialty flours or hard-to-find ingredients, just good old-fashioned butter, sugar, peanut butter, ice cream, and coffee. Don’t miss her recent summery posts, about Coffee Granita and Easy Mango Sorbet with Coconut Cream.
In August we cling tightly to our beloved iced coffees, eschewing the hot brews until it’s downright cold outside. But when days are filled with back-to-school busy-ness and perhaps a chilly morning or two, we start to think of hot beverages again. That thought fades quickly, of course, when it’s nearly 90 degrees in the afternoon and we’re craving iced coffee again. What a cycle! A mocha layered ice cream cake is the perfect compromise for bringing these luxurious caffeinated flavors to life on a late-summer day.
The chocolate, coffee, and vanilla ice cream are reminiscent of a layered espresso-based mocha drink, and topped with whipped cream and chocolate-covered espresso beans, it is an indulgent treat. Use the best-quality ice cream you can afford. Since it’s the unequivocal star of this dessert, you can really taste the difference. Lining the pan with cling wrap makes removing the ice cream cake a snap. Dip your knife in hot water to keep the slices clean and serve immediately to minimize melting. Depending on the size of your loaf pan, you might not need all of the ice cream, but it’s better to have too much than too little! You know what to do with the leftovers.
**Recipe**
Mocha Layered Ice Cream Cake
By Natalie Wise
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
1 1/2 quarts chocolate ice cream
1 1/2 quarts coffee ice cream
1 1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate-covered espresso beans, optional
Begin with the chocolate layer by letting the chocolate ice cream soften on the counter until it is a spreadable consistency. Meanwhile, carefully line the pan with a single piece of plastic wrap, overlapping the edges so you can pull the finished cake out of the pan. Smooth the chocolate ice cream into the pan, filling it 1/3 of the way. Freeze until solid. Let the coffee ice cream soften to spreadable consistency. Remove the cake from the freezer and spread the coffee ice cream on top, filling another 1/3 of the way. Place back in the freezer until solid. Let the vanilla ice cream soften to spreadable consistency. Remove the cake from the freezer and spread the vanilla ice cream, filling to the top of the pan. Freeze until solid, preferably overnight.
When ready to serve the cake, begin by whipping the cream with the sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Remove the cake from the freezer, lift the plastic wrap to loosen the cake all around, then flip upside down onto baking sheet, cutting board, or serving tray (make sure it has an edge for melting ice cream so you don’t end up with a mess!). Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 to 10 slices. Top each slice with whipped cream and chocolate-covered espresso beans, if desired. Freeze leftover cake right away.
