Vanilla Ice Cream Cake (Strawberry)

To give ice cream the right consistency for spreading, soften it at room temperature, about 30 minutes, or microwave it on high in 10-second increments, testing for softness in between. Don't overdo it: You want it spreadable, not soupy.

8 Tbsp. (1 stick) butter
1½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached, spooned and leveled
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and finely chopped
1 Tbsp. seedless raspberry jam
3 pints vanilla ice cream, softened

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C/155°C fan, Gas Mark 3). Butter and flour an 8” round cake pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated; mix in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, alternately add flour mixture in three parts and buttermilk in two, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until smooth (do not overmix).

Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 30-40 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in pan; turn cake out onto a rack, and let cool completely. Using a long serrated knife, halve cake horizontally.

While cake is cooling, combine strawberries and jam in a medium bowl.

Line sides of a 9” springform pan with a strip of waxed paper; wrap outside of pan with plastic wrap. Center bottom half of cake in pan, cut side up.

Spread 1½ pts ice cream over top and down around sides. Spread strawberry mixture on ice cream, leaving a 1” border. Set top half of cake over it.

Spread remaining ice cream over top and down around sides of cake. Tap cake on counter to help ice cream settle. Smooth top, and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or, covered, up to 2 weeks.

To serve, remove plastic from pan, unmold cake, and peel off waxed paper. Let cake rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing.

Makes 12 servings.