The secrets of an ice cream cake

Everyone loves ice cream, and everyone loves cakes.  But an ice cream cake?  So much better.  When you go to a store (unless you want to spend the big bucks) you normally have very limited options of flavors for this delicious frozen dessert.  The trick is- to spend way less money, and get the flavors you want!  It is not hard at all, but there are a few steps that are very important.

Step # 1:  Pick out 2 of your favorite ice creams-  in this picture I used cookies and cream and mint chocolate chip.
Step # 2: Grab a box of cookies- oreos, grasshoppers (the chocolate covered chocolate mint cookies like Girl Scout Thin Mints)  chocolate chip, graham crackers.  Crush them up in a gallon ziploc bag.
Step # 3:  Get out 2 round cake pans and some sturdy non-stick foil.  Line both pans with the foil
Step # 4:  Press cookie pieces in bottom of both pans.  (If you are using graham crackers or some other dry cookie you may want to mix them with a few tablespoons of melted butter or chocolate to help them stick together better.
Step # 5:  Take out ice creams and let them soften enough so you can stir them and spread them in the pans on top of the cookie crust but not so much that it's liquid.  You may add in chopped strawberries, pieces of cookie dough, nuts, chopped candy bars, more crushed oreos or pretty much anything you find delicious
Step # 6:  Carefully spread one of your types of ice cream in one pan, and the other flavor in the other pan.  Freeze them for several hours, but not all day or all night, or they will be very hard to slice.
Step # 7:  Make whipped cream.  Cool Whip does hold up better than fresh whipped cream and doesn't melt, but doesn't taste quite as good.  Whichever you choose will work.  If you are making it- Beat a large container of whipping cream with a tsp of vanilla and some stevia or powdered sugar (til sweet enough) until it looks the consistency of whipped cream
Step # 8:  Once the ice cream pans are frozen solid, take one out and leave the other one in.  Flip it upside-down onto a plate and carefully peel off the foil.  Flip back onto a plate so the cookie part is on the plate.  Stick this plate back into the freezer and take out the second pan and repeat.  Stick this plate back into the freezer and take out the first one, spreading quickly the whipped cream on the top and replacing in the freezer.  Repeat with the second.
Step # 9:  The most important part is to leave the cake in the freezer until right when you are going to serve it, because it begins to melt within minutes.  Take out both pieces and stack one on top of the other, frosting the sides with whipped cream.  Replace in freezer until ready to eat- hopefully soon!

You may of course press cookie pieces around the entire cake, but just remember to keep putting it back in the freezer when it starts to melt.  They taste absolutely delicious, and it's awesome that you can make them however you please!

** To make this easier, you can always make it in a 9x13 inch pan.  Just put cookie pieces right in bottom of pan (leave out foil) and spread the ice cream on top.  Freeze and top the whole thing with whipped cream. This is faster and won't melt so easy (and won't make a mess), it just depends on how you want it to look, but the taste will be the same.**