I scream, you scream. Summertime birthdays scream… for ICE CREAM CAKE! Make a wish, because your dreams are about to come true. Luscious chocolatey goodness. Brownies laced with cinnamon. Whipped meringue frosting. You’ll be floating on cloud 9!

Guess what we did? We all piled in the car – three kids, two adults and our new puppy dog – and we drove. And drove. And drove some more.

With summertime plans scuttled and camps cancelled, we thought… ROAD TRIP. Let’s surprise my father-in-law for his 70th!

And you know what? It was a GREAT idea!

The kids, who have been itching to DO SOMETHING for months, did fabulously on the long drive. We celebrated every hundred miles clocked on the odometer, and cheered each time we crossed into a new state. The kids loved seeing this beautiful country of ours.

(AND BONUS, we were able to visit with my mom, dad, aunt and uncle, along the way!!)

Through thick and thin on the road, spirits remained high in anticipation of long days by my in-laws’ pool, an abundance of cousin time, and of course the BIG surprise.

Only one thing was left, I had to come up with a stunner of a celebration cake – ice cream on top!

Of course it would need to be perfectly summer, perfectly delicious, and perfect for the whole gang!

THIS IS IT! Fom the cinnamon brownie base right on up to the tips of the meringue peaks, this ice cream cake shoots and scores.

Happy birthday, Michael! And to all those summer birthdays 🙂

Are there ice cream substitutions?

If we didn’t have so many kids in our group, I might have gone with coffee ice cream as this is one of my father-in-law’s favorites. The version in the photos uses  chocolate, but the great thing about this recipe is that it can be made with your favorite flavor!

Here are some suggestions:

• Coffee ice cream
• Sea salt caramel ice cream
• Chocolate chip ice cream

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Who’s ready for some fun?

So as a reminder, here’s how it works. Watch this short 6 min. video where one of my kids helps me demonstrate a kitchen technique, then we use it to make a YUMMY recipe!

** Video will be enjoyed by adults and kids alike. This is part of the special Key Lime Kids series, designed to help families during these challenging times by providing entertaining and engaging activities to do at home. **

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Our goal is to help as many families as possible, so please share this with a friend.

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Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Cinnamon Brownie Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Prep Time25 mins

Chill Time3 hrs 30 mins

Servings: 1 9" Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients

• ½ cup all purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon divided use
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 ½ quarts milk chocolate ice cream

For the meringue:

• 3 large egg whites
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325. Butter a 9” springform pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, or alternatively line with aluminum foil and butter or spray the foil with nonstick spray.
• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the cocoa powder and whisk until combined, then whisk in the sugar. Let cool for a few minutes while you whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
• Whisk the eggs into the butter mixture, then stir in the flour and chocolate chips. Pour into your prepared pan and smooth the top, then bake for 15-18 minutes. Let cool in the pan then place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
• Take the ice cream out and leave to soften on the counter for 15 minutes. Empty it into a bowl and add the ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Stir until soft and spreadable, then spread it evenly over the brownie layer. Return to the freezer while you prepare the meringue topping.
• Place the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla and water in a large heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl is not resting in the water (this will cause the egg whites to cook too fast and scramble).
• Using hand held beaters, beat the egg whites over simmering water for 5 minutes. They will inflate and turn white and fluffy. Take off the heat and continue to beat for 1-2 more minutes, then place in the refrigerator to cool down.
• Top the ice cream with the meringue layer and return to the freezer for at least 3 hours and up to overnight. You can simply spread the meringue layer over the ice cream, or use a piping bag to decorate it. To serve, remove the sides from the springform pan, remove the parchment or foil, slice and serve right away.

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