Every so often I decide to make my own birthday cake. This year I wanted to make an ice cream cake. I have this amazing ice cream place nearby called Ample Hills and I knew I wanted to use that ice cream. When I was at the store picking up a cake mix, I couldn't help but notice a box of ice cream sandwiches, and my love for ice cream sandwiches created a cake modification I did not expect but was very happy with.

This recipe allows you to easily make a layered (ice cream and ice cream sandwiches in this case) cake.

Also, I'm submitting this to the "Sweet Treats Challenge" Contest, so if there is voting, please vote for this one!!!

Step 1: Ingredients

1 box of ice cream sandwiches

2 pints of Ample Hills "dark chocolate" ice cream

1 box of cake mix (cake mix additional needs ... vegetable oil, egg(s), water)

1 carton of heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

powdered sugar, to taste

Step 2: Bake Your Cake!

Follow instructions on your cake mix and mix the batter up, and bake in 2 round baking tins.

Step 3: Filling 1: Ice Cream Sandwiches

Place the first round layer of cake on a large enough plate and place as many whole ice cream sandwiches (out of their wrappers, of course) on top of that cake layer in the center of the layer. Then, break up additional ice cream sandwiches to appropriate sizes to fill all gaps around those whole ice cream sandwiches until you have filled in everywhere. [This is also a really good time to sample any extra ice cream sandwiches to ensure the high quality of the product.]

Step 4: Cake Layer 2

Place the 2nd cake layer on top of Fill Layer 1 and use a large bread knife to slowly cut that top cake layer in half. If you cut gently, while slowly turning the cake 360-degrees, you can get a nice clean cut across. Make sure to take your time on this step, and make sure that the cake is fully cooled as a warm layer is more difficult to cut.

Step 5: Prepare, Cut, and Layer on Fill Layer 2: Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

Using that same bread knife, VERY CAREFULLY, (after taking off the pint cap), cut a small slit in the pint container.

Peel off the outside of the container.

Then, using that bread knife again, cut circular sections of the ice cream, about an inch thick, and place them on the 2nd cake layer of the cake. Place in a similar fashion as the ice cream sandwiches, starting with large sections in the center and cutting and placing additional smaller pieces where needed.

Again, this is a good time to sample and make sure that the ice cream is at the appropriately high tasting level that it should be.

Step 6: Final Layer, Icing, & Storage

Place the final cake layer on top of the 2nd Fill Layer.

Whip the heavy cream with an electric mixer (or by hand with a whisk if you want a workout). Whip until light and fluffy. You can add the teaspoon vanilla before mixing or in the middle.

Once fluffed to a satisfactory level, add powdered sugar until it tastes how you would like it. A reminder that the fill layers and cake are quite sweet so under-sugaring the whip cream can create a nice balance of flavors.

Finally, stick it in the freezer until you are ready to serve it.

And, if by chance you somehow have leftovers, stick it back in the freezer and take out to cut a slice at your convenience. What's nice about the freezer storage is that the cake will last a decently long time (I mean, long for a cake to be eaten) because of the frozen aspect to all of the cooked ingredients.

ENJOY!