peanut butter cup ice cream cake

Five.  I had no idea what new changes five was going to bring to my sweet boy.  He has an opinion now.  No longer does he want to let mom decide what is best for him.  He wants to assert his own opinion.  He will listen to mom and then choose pretty much the exact opposite of what mom was suggesting.  This new opinion first popped up while we were discussing Halloween costumes.  We flipped through one of the 50 Halloween catalogs we got in the mail.  I was suggesting all sorts of cool costumes but, he kept coming back to wolf.  OK wolf I can work with that.  I earmarked the wolf in a catalog and my mind was spinning.   I had sister in a little red riding hood outfit and brother in a cute furry wolf.  This was going to be so cute.  I showed Carter this wolf before placing the order and he shrieked "no mom not that wolf I want to be the blood wolf".  Ummm I am sorry a what?  He quickly flips past the cute wolf to this ugly disgusting werewolf with blood dripping off the fangs.  I explain that he can not wear this to school for the parade.  Does not phase him.  He wants the blood wolf.  We now have a blood wolf costume.  What happened to my cute spider, my friendly bat or the lovable alligator?  How did we go from cute spider to blood wolf in a year?  It breaks my heart.  As I was still trying to put the pieces of my heart back together and bake his traditional snickerdoodle cake he tells me that he no longer wants a snickerdoodle cake he wants an ice cream cake.  We do snickerdoodle for his birthday not ice cream.  I go into trying to sway mode and I get no where.  He wants a chocolate ice cream cake with peanut butter cup ice cream.  Ice cream cake I can deal with.  I don't like change but, ice cream cake (this good) I can deal with.  Blood wolf I can not deal with.  I have a feeling I am going to lose a lot of blood wolf battles this year.

peanut butter cup ice cream cake

adapted/inspired: betty crocker

cake:

1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla 

Heat oven to 350ºF. 

Grease bottom and side of 9" springform pan.  In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir vigorously about 1 minute or until well blended. Immediately pour into pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

 

marshmallow creme hot fudge sauce

source: bon appetit

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons marshmallow creme

Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, and espresso in a large metal bowl. Bring cream just to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat; pour over chocolate mixture. Let sit for 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth and glossy. Fold marshmallow creme into chocolate. Let cool, cover, and chill. 

Spread 1 cup fudge topping over cake; freeze about 1 hour or until topping is firm. 

* Save a small portion  (~1/4 cup)

peanut butter cup ice cream

source: sweet flours

3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
2 cups chopped peanut butter cups

Whisk together first sugar - salt in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and whipping cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.

Beat egg yolk  until slightly thickened. Gradually whisk about 1 cup hot cream mixture into yolk mixture. Add yolk mixture to remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in vanilla bean paste. Cool 1 hour stirring occasionally.
Place plastic wrap directly on cream mixture, and chill 8 to 24 hours.

Pour chilled cream mixture into freezer container of a 1 1/2-qt. electric ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. While ice cream is churning cut peanut butter cups into bite size pieces.  Before transferring ice cream to an airtight container for further freezing, fold in peanut butter pieces.

Spread soft ice cream over cake. Freeze about 4 hours or until ice cream is firm.

marshmallow whipped cream

source: sweet flours

1 cup cool whip; thawed

1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

Combine cool whip and marshmallow fluff.  Spread on top of ice cream.

Drizzle with extra fudge sauce and garnish with mini peanut butter cups.