This past week we celebrated two birthdays in our family and we did both in a “living with less” style.
Kolya turned 16 and his cake request is always an ice cream cake. A purchased ice cream cake is $20 or more, but a homemade one is right around $6.
If you’ve never made an ice cream cake it’s really easy. All you need is a tub of ice cream, two packages of Oreo-like cookies, and some ice cream syrup (optional). (I usually use a 9×13 Tupperware cake carrier that I turn upside down and use as a deep container for the rectangle cake.)
For Kolya’s cake, I got one package of Mint Oreos and one off-brand oreo-like cookies (if they had off-brand mint oreo-like cookies you can bet I would have chosen the off-brand!)
For the bottom layer, I crushed up the mint Oreos using a gallon size zip-lock bag and a rolling pin.
Leaving the ice cream out until it was soft, I then put a layer of ice cream on the Mint Oreos.
Then another layer of crushed oreo-like cookies topped with a layer of caramel and ice cream toppings.
Another layer of ice cream sprinkled with leftover oreos tops it all off. Freeze overnight and enjoy!
It may not look quite as pretty as a Dairy Queen cake, but we all agree it tastes even better than a store bought cake. And I definitely like the price!
For my birthday I wanted less calories so Mark made me a Weight-Watchers cake recipe and it was incredible!
1 chocolate cake mix
1 can diet coke
Mix together well and bake according to directions on box.
Ice with Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding mixed with Sugar Free Whipped Cream.
I don’t have a picture to share with you, but I can tell you it was incredible! Very moist, and absolutely yummy!
Do you have any living with less cake ideas to share?
For my sons' birthdays I usually find DIY cake ideas online. I've done a lion cake for a Madagascar b-day, I did regular cupcakes w/ pix of Bob the Builder that I printed and punched out, I've let the kids decorate cookies w/ cheap icing, and a monkey face for a Curious George party. Just google "cake ideas" and even add your theme and you'll get tons of helpful pix and some even have instructions. Way cheaper than buying a cake and pretty fun too!
Chocolate Éclair Cake
9 x 13 pan
1box graham crackers (regular or chocolate)
2 small boxes French vanilla pudding (works best but can use just vanilla pudding)
(use only 3 cups of milk with the pudding)
9 oz Cool Whip
Grease pan
Layer the bottom with graham crackers.
Mix pudding with milk and cool whip
Put half of the pudding mixture in the pan
Add another layer of graham crackers
Add the rest of the pudding
Top with Graham crackers
Frost
Refrigerate several hours before serving so it chills and is solid. It can be made the night before. (it keeps a few days in the frig, but gets soggy after too many days.)
Frosting: (can make it or can take a can of chocolate betty crocker fudge or chocolate frosting and heat in the microwave on medium til it melts (about 45 seconds) and cover with canned frosting, this is easiest and tastes fine.)
2 squares Baker Chocolate
2t lite Karo Corn Syrup
1 tsp vanilla
3 TBS butter
3 TBS milk
1 ½ cup powdered sugar
Another ice cream cake..
brownies in the bottom of the pan
top with hot fudge
get a carton of ice cream and cut it into rectangles,top
whip cream optional…
Mmmmmmmm….these all sound good!
I totally forgot about Eclair Cake… mmmm… might have to make me one of those!! 😉
I like to use 1 box cake mix (I think it works best with chocolate or Devil's food) and mix it with 1 can pure pumpkin. That is all you use, don't use anything called for on the box of cake mix. It is very thick, but eventually you will get it mixed up smooth using your blender. Make either 9×13 cake or cupcakes. It is so moist and delicious. You can frost, but you don't need to. It is that good.