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Birthday Baked Alaska: Coffee Ice Cream + Chocolate Cake

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What did I want to do when we got home from a 2-day camping trip yesterday? Nothing. I didn't even want to unload the car. But...

It was R's 12th birthday and he had asked me to take a Baked Alaska on the camping trip "so that he could share it with his friends." No. Then he asked if he could have it for his family birthday dinner - at home. How could I say no?!?

Make the cake and prepare the ice cream ahead of time so all you have to do is assemble and brown the meringue before serving this dramatic dessert.

*Note: the photos of the Alaska (not the candles and singing) are from a previous post. Sorry, I didn't take any new close-ups last night.

Chocolate Cake Ingredients

  • 3/4 C flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 t baking powder
  • 1/2 C olive oil
  • 1 C organic granulated sugar
  • 6 T unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 t honey
  • 1 t vanilla
  • dash of freshly ground salt
  • 1/2 t ground cardamom
  • dash of ground cinnamon
  • dash of ground nutmeg

 Meringue Ingredients

  • egg whites from 8 eggs
  • 1/8 t cream or tartar
  • dash of freshly ground salt
  • 2 T organic granulated sugar


Mix all the ingredients together  and bake in a buttered pan for 30-35 minutes until the cake is set.

For the ice cream, I usually do this the night before: line a bowl with plastic wrap, press slightly softened ice cream into the bowl, cover it tightly with more plastic wrap, and refreeze. For this cake I used the coffee blast ice cream from Trader Joe's.

Once you're all set to assemble, beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt and sugar until stiff peaks form. Line a baking sheet with parchment or heavy brown paper. Place cake in center. Turn molded ice cream out onto cake. Quickly and prettily spread meringue over cake - make sure to have lots of little peaks because that it what browns - all the way to paper to seal. Return to freezer.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake the Alaska on the lowest shelf, 8 to 10 minutes, or until meringue is lightly browned. Serve immediately!


Happy birthday, R-ball!
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Comments

  1. CatherineJune 2, 2014 at 10:40 AM

    A beautiful looking birthday cake. all the best. Blessings, Catherine

    ReplyDelete

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