Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients:

Cakes

• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 2 and 3/4 cups premium flour
• 1 and 1/8 cups cocoa powder
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons of baking soda
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 1.5 cups of milk
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups of very hot water

Filling and chocolate ganache

• 2 cups mint chocolate chip ice cream, slightly softened
• 1 cup of cream
• 220 g dark chocolate
• 0.5 cups cream
• 110 g of white chocolate
• A few drops of mint extract, optional
• A few drops of green food coloring, optional

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 12x16 inch (32x42 cm) baking sheet and line the bottom and sides with parchment or waxed paper.
2. Sift together 3 cups of sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix lightly with a mixer. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Add to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 5 minutes. Gradually add the hot water, mixing on low speed until smooth. The dough will be quite runny.
3. Pour the batter onto the baking sheet. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean (a few crumbs are okay) and the center feels firm to the touch, 25–30 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet.
4. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble. Make room in the freezer for a serving platter on which to assemble the cake.
5. Line the entire cake with parchment paper and invert it onto a different baking sheet. Remove the parchment paper.
6. Cut the cake lengthwise to make two 32 x 21 cm (13 x 8.5 in) pieces. Place one cake on a rectangular serving platter and spread the ice cream over it to the edges. Smooth the ice cream with a spatula and return the cake to the freezer.
7. After it has set, about 15 minutes, place the second layer on top, line it with parchment paper, and press lightly with a baking sheet to ensure the top layer adheres. Freeze while you prepare the chocolate topping.
8. In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup of heavy cream. Once it begins to simmer, pour it over the chopped dark chocolate and stir until a smooth ganache forms. Repeat with the remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream and white chocolate, adding peppermint extract and green food coloring for a light mint color. Then transfer to a small pastry bag fitted with a small round tip.
9. Remove the cake from the freezer and, working quickly, spread the ganache over the surface of the cake, smoothing it with an offset spatula.
10. Pipe green ganache across the entire surface of the cake in diagonal stripes. Take a toothpick and run it back and forth in the opposite direction to create a pattern. Freeze the cake until ready to serve.
11. Trim the edges to make the cake even, then cut into rectangular pieces.