Giant Ice Cream Sandwich
Recipe Overview
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 24
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes (1 hour prep, 10 minutes baking)
How to Make It
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Coat two 12×17-inch rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray, then line them with parchment paper—leave an overhang on the short sides for easy removal later.
Prepare your cake mix according to package instructions, adding one extra egg (this helps the cake hold its shape when frozen). Divide the batter evenly between the two baking sheets, spreading it smooth with an offset spatula. Bake until the cake is set and springs back lightly when touched, 8–9 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely on the sheets.
Take one cooled cake and measure 2.5 inches in from each long side—mark these spots with toothpicks. Use a ruler to score a straight line between the toothpicks, then remove the toothpicks and trim the cake along the scored lines to make a 7-inch-wide rectangle.
Round the corners of this trimmed cake with a sharp knife, then use a straw to punch holes in a grid pattern: 4 holes across and 10 holes down (this prevents air bubbles and helps the ice cream adhere). Trim the second cake to match the size of the first, but skip the holes. Freeze both cakes for 30 minutes to firm them up.
Take the cake without holes and invert it onto a clean baking sheet—peel off the parchment paper. Use kitchen shears to snip open one carton of ice cream, then slide the entire block onto the cake. Repeat with two more cartons, arranging them side by side to cover the cake completely. Cover the ice cream with plastic wrap and press down gently with your hands to smooth the surface and fill any gaps.
Carefully lift the second cake (with holes) using a thin spatula and place it on top of the ice cream, hole-side down. Trim any excess cake from the edges to make a neat rectangle, then smooth the sides of the ice cream with a spatula. Wrap the entire sandwich in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours to set.
