"Boston cream pie is not a pie at all; it’s a cake. In the mid-19th century, the layered sweet was traditionally baked in pie tins, hence the name. In this icy version, we’ve swapped out the vanilla pastry cream for custardy vanilla ice cream and added an extra layer of chocolate ganache for good measure. Game plan: Make sure you have enough room in your freezer before you begin. You’ll need a flat area at least 10 by 10 by 5 inches to accommodate the cake comfortably, depending on the size of the flat dish or baking sheet holding it. To slice the frozen cake, warm a sharp knife in hot water for about 30 seconds, then use a kitchen or paper towel to dry the knife. Slice the cake while the knife is still warm, pushing the knife down into the cake and slowly removing it. Clean the knife off and repeat warming, drying, slicing, and cleaning with each cut into the cake. If the cake is still too frozen to easily slice, let it sit for another 5 minutes. This recipe was featured as part of our Make Your Own Ice Cream Treats project...."
INGREDIENTS
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For the cake:
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Butter, for coating the pan
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1 cup cake flour, plus more for coating the pan
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon fine salt
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1/4 cup vegetable oil
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2 tablespoons water
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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3 large eggs, whites and yolks separated, at room temperature
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3/4 cup granulated sugar
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For the ganache:
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8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
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1 cup heavy cream
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1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
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To assemble:
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1 quart Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
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INSTRUCTIONS
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For the cake:
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Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat an (8-inch) cake pan generously with butter, then flour, tapping out any excess flour; set aside.
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Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to combine; set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine oil, water, vanilla, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Whisk on medium speed until mixture is light in color and looks slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Tur
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Wash and dry the mixer bowl and whisk attachment. Place egg whites in the bowl and whisk on high speed until soft peaks form (they should droop over like soft-serve ice cream), about 30 seconds. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and con
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the surface of the cake is golden brown and springs back when pressed and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool slightly,
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For the ganache:
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Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl; set aside.
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Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Pour over chocolate and let stand until chocolate has softened, about 5 minutes.
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Add butter and stir until smooth. Let cool slightly before using.
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To assemble:
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Place ice cream in the refrigerator until slightly softened, about 30 minutes. Place the cooled cake in the refrigerator to chill, about 30 minutes. (Chilling the cake ahead of time will prevent the ganache from streaking.)
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Meanwhile, cut a 30-inch-long piece of parchment or waxed paper and fold it lengthwise until it is 4 inches wide. Place a small saucepan of water over low heat and bring to a simmer.
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Once the cake is chilled, slice it horizontally into 2 equal disks. Place the top half of the cake cut side up on a large, flat dish or baking sheet. Return the second half to the refrigerator. Tightly wrap the parchment strip around the perimeter of
