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If the idea of baking a rainbow cake seems like too big a feat, take a look at this heavily sprinkled birthday ice cream cake from Secret-Layer Cakes ($20) by Dini Kodippili. In case you need further convincing to make it, the author states in the recipe intro, “This cake looks like a funfetti cannon exploded all over it. Kids love rainbow colors and funfetti, so it’ll be perfect for a summer birthday party! A fudgy blondie layer is packed with funfetti and topped with a cake batter-flavored funfetti ice cream layer. Top it with some sparklers to complete the look.” This particular recipe is just one of *many* within the pages of this cookbook that will give you an excuse to throw a party for yourself or just because… cake.
Funfetti Explosion Birthday Ice Cream Cake
Reprinted with permission from Secret-Layer Cakes by Dini Kodippili, Page Street Publishing Co.
(Makes one 8-inch (20-cm) cake)
Ingredients:
Funfetti Blondie Layer:
- 170 grams (6 ounces) unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 250 grams (8.8 ounces) brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 175 grams (6.2 ounces) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (113 grams) funfetti (rainbow) sprinkles
Funfetti Cake Batter Ice Cream Layer:
- ¼ cup (59 milliliters) whipping cream
- ¼ cup (61 grams) milk powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.9 Liter (64 ounces [4 pints]) vanilla ice cream, softened
- 1 ½ cups (339 grams) funfetti (rainbow) sprinkles
Stabilized Whipped Cream:
- ½ cup (118 milliliters) water
- 3 ¾ teaspoons (19 grams) powdered gelatin
- 5 cups (1 Liter) plus 1-2 Tablespoons (15-30 milliliters) chilled whipping cream, divided
- 1 cup (130 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple gel food coloring
To Decorate:
- Funfetti sprinkles
- M&M’s® candies
Directions:
- Funfetti Blondie Layer: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter an 8-inch (20-cm) wide, 3-inch (8-cm) tall springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and dust the sides with flour.
- Melt the butter, salt, and brown sugar in a heatproof bowl in 30-second intervals in the microwave. Stir to form a smooth butter-sugar mixture. Set aside to let cool slightly.
- Once the butter-sugar mix has cooled, add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and the flour. Fold in the funfetti sprinkles.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes (the blondie should still be soft and fudgy in the middle). Let the blondie cool in the pan. When it has cooled, line the sides with parchment paper or acetate paper. Refrigerate the blondie layer until the ice cream is ready.
- Funfetti Cake Batter Ice Cream Layer: Microwave the cream until it’s warm, but not hot. Add the milk powder and dissolve it completely. Add the vanilla and stir to combine. Let cool.
- Place the softened vanilla ice cream in a bowl, add the cooled milk powder mixture, and stir to combine. Fold in the funfetti sprinkles. Spread the ice cream over the funfetti blondie.
- Place the ice cream in the freezer until it freezes and hardens completely. This makes it easier to frost the cake quickly.
- Stabilized Whipped Cream: Place the water in a small bowl and evenly sprinkle the gelatin over it. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes to let the gelatin bloom. Microwave the bloomed gelatin in 10-second intervals, stirring in between, until the gelatin is completely dissolved (making sure that the gelatin does not boil).
- Add 5 cups (1.2 L) of the chilled whipping cream and confectioners’ sugar to a cold bowl. Whisk with the whisk attachment of your hand mixer on medium speed. Add the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of chilled cream to the hot, dissolved gelatin and stir to temper the gelatin. Add this gradually to the cream that is being whipped (being careful to pour it near the whisk, so that the gelatin gets mixed in with the cream immediately!). Whisk gently until you get soft peaks that still hold their shape. Use immediately.
- Work quickly to frost the frozen ice cream cake. Divide the whipped cream into 7 portions, then combine 2 to make one larger portion (so that you have 5 small portions and 1 double portion). Color the small portions with red, orange, yellow, green, and blue gel food coloring. Color the double portion with purple.
- Decorate: Remove the completely frozen funfetti ice cream cake from the freezer, and unmold from the springform pan. Spread the whipped cream on the sides of the cake to create a rainbow pattern — either rainbow patches, or rainbow ombre stripes — starting with red at the bottom and purple at the top edge and on the top of the cake. You can use the leftover whipped cream to pipe rainbow swirls on top of the cake as well.
- Sprinkle some funfetti sprinkles and M&M’s on top (in the center). Return the cake to the freezer until you’re ready to serve.
Check us out on Instagram @BritandCo to add more color to your life! Check out our list of Colorful Easter Desserts for more ideas.
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(Photos via Dini Kodippili)
