Mini Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Cakes

These were our Valentine's dessert. Randal loves ice cream cakes and again he actually came up with the idea of making mini ones, which was the perfect dessert to go with our dinner of appetizers.

For 2 Ice Cream Cakes
¾ cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. valrhona cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
½ cup black coffee
½ cup buttermilk
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups mint chocolate chip ice cream
Cool whip for frosting

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt, whisk to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar, vegetable oil and egg. Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, blend in half of the dry ingredients, beating just until incorporated. Blend in the coffee, buttermilk and vanilla just until smooth. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.  Pour into a greased 9 inch cake pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes, or until baked.

While the cake is baking, microwave the 2 cups of ice cream for 30 seconds, just long enough to soften the ice cream.  Spread the ice cream into a greased 9 inch cake pan and return to the freezer for about an hour.

Once the cakes have been baked and cooled, use an entremet ring (mine was around 3 inches) to cut out 3 circles of cake, then cut each one in half so you end up with 6 circles.  Freeze for 30 minutes.

Using the same entremet ring, cut out 4 circles of ice cream.  Layer the chocolate cake and ice cream, starting and ending with cake.  Frost with cool whip and return to the freezer until ready to serve.

  Linked to: Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Two Yellow Birds, What's Cooking, Love?, Mandatory Mooch,