Ice-Cream Brownie Layer Cake recipe

This is a very simple cake recipe (if you like doing shortcuts like I do... I just don't have a lot of time! but no one could ever tell I cheated ;) ) I got the inspiration for this cake from this website and then modified it to make it my very own personalized cake for Aubrey's 1^st birthday. My parents-in-law thought I bought the cake from Dairy Queen or something :) even though I messed up the icing decorations big time. I was having quite a headache as I was making this cake. Anyway, it turned out really yummy.

Ingredients

2 boxes of Ghirardelli or Betty Crocker Double-Chocolate Brownie mix, baked in 2 8- or 9-inch round pans (I used both brands, and baked them in spring form pans)
Cardboard disk with a 9- or 10-inch diameter, covered with aluminum foil (I just used an old cardboard box that was lying around and made my circle)
1 pint Brewers Raspberry Chip Royale (or black raspberry, pistachio, peppermint, or any ice cream of choice) ice cream, slightly softened
1/2 cup raspberry preserves (jam)
3/4 cup finely or coarsely chopped mixed nuts (or you can use chopped walnuts or chocolate cookie crumbs)
1/3 cup confectioners' Sugar (I skipped this and used colored sugar cake decorations over white frosting)

Optional: 1 container of frosting, your choice.

Directions:

1. Bake brownies following the box instructions. Cool completely and set aside.

2. Place a 12 x 16 inch piece of aluminum foil on a flat working surface. Center the foil-covered cardboard disk on top of the aluminum foil-covered surface. Then set one of the brownie layers on the disk.

Note: The brownies must be completely cooled before you continue.

3. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow it to soften just until it is easy to scoop and spread (about 15 minutes at room temperature).

4. Use a rubber spatula to spread the ice cream on the brownie so that it comes nearly to the edge. Plave the second brownie layer facedown on the ice cream. Gently press down to compact the cake.

5. Now wrap the aluminum foil around the cake, molding it to fit snugly against the sides and to cover the top. Set the wrapped cake in the freezer for at least 3 hours, or until solid.

6. Unwrap the frozen cake and spread the sides with the raspberry preserves. Then, using the palm of your hand, press the chopped nuts or cookie crumbs into the jam.

7. Finally, top the finished cake with a sugary decoration. Cut out a few simple shapes from a sheet of paper to create a stencil. Unfold the sheet and set the stencil directly on the cake top. Sift a thin coating of confectioners' sugar over the cutout portions of the stencil. Then carefully lift off the paper.

Note: I used a white / cream frosting for the top so I can use colored sugary decorations on the top and create my own designs.

8. Serve the cake immediately. Or, return it to the freezer and then remove it about 15-20 minutes before serving. (It should be just soft enough to slice with a sharp knife, but the ice cream should not be melting.) You'll want to slice it thinly -- this dessert is very rich.