Black Forest Ice Cream Cake

This Black Forest Ice Cream Cake has delicious layers of cherry pie filling, chocolate cake, and fluffy whipped vanilla ice cream. Bright and beautiful with bold flavours, it’s truly a dessert meant for a king! The combination of chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream and cherry filling makes a great contrast in texture and flavour.

Chocolate Cake:
8 oz plain flour (225 g)
12½ oz caster sugar (350 g)
3 oz cocoa powder (85 g)
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
2 free-range eggs
9 oz milk (250 mL)
4½ oz vegetable oil (125 mL)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
9 oz boiling water (250 mL)

Vanilla Filling:
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup sugar
1/8 cup milk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup whipped cream, divided

Assembly:
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
1 cup whipped cream
chocolate sundae sauce
maraschino cherries

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, Gas Mark 4). Grease two 8" (20 cm) round cake pans and line with parchment paper.

Chocolate Cake:
Place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.

Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquidy.)

Divide the cake batter between the cake pans and bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer or toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their pans.

Vanilla Filling:
Combine cream cheese, sugar, milk and vanilla together in the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer. Mix until completely combined and smooth. Fold in 1 cup of whipped cream.

Assembly:
Line the sides of the 8" springform pan with parchment paper. The parchment paper should stick up above the top edge of the pan.

Put the first cake layer in the bottom of your pan. Top with half of the vanilla filling. Pour a little more than half of the cherry pie filling on top of the ice cream and spread evenly.

Add second chocolate cake layer to the pan. Top with remaining vanilla filling. Top with remaining cherry pie filling, leaving space on the edges for adding whipped cream.

Allow ice cream cake to freeze completely, about 6-8 hours.

When frozen, remove from springform pan and remove parchment paper from sides.

Ice the sides of the cake with whipped cream and pipe it onto the top edges. Drizzle chocolate sauce over the piped whipped cream and add cherries on top.

Store in freezer until ready to serve.

Makes 12-14 slices.