This weekend we were in Poughkeepsie for my goddaughter Ruth’s First Communion. The guest of honor had requested ice cream cake for the celebration, and . . . well, when I got a look at the wall of LOVELY cake pans on Elizabeth’s wall, I couldn’t help myself.

“No grocery story cake for us!  We’ll MAKE an ice cream cake!” We selected a seashell cake pan (the symbol of baptism), and got busy. We used (for this 10 cup mold):

1-1/2 half gallon cartons of vanilla ice cream
1 C crushed M&Ms (you can also use chocolate animal crackers and a squirt of chocolate shell syrup)
1 pint strawberries
1 recipe/jar your favorite chocolate sauce

Step 1:  Take ice cream out of freezer for about 1/2 hour beforehand to soften.

Step 2:  Line cake pan with plastic wrap. Open carton flat, and slice ice cream in 1/2 inch slices. Layer the ice cream in the mold, pressing into crevices with back of spoon. Repeat until entire mold is full about 1 inch thick.

Step 3:  Prepare filling as needed (crush M&Ms or combine chocolate cookie crumbs and chocolate shell), sprinkle over first layer of ice cream. Keep filling about 1 inch away from edges.

Step 4:  Layer another 1″ of ice cream over filling, pressing gently to seal.  When the mold is full, wrap with plastic wrap and freeze several hours or overnight.

Step 5:  When frozen, dip mold in warm water, pulling gently on plastic wrap to release cake. Invert onto plate. Return cake to freezer on serving plate.

Step 6:  Select 6 large strawberries, wash and pat dry. Slice not quite through from tip to stem to form about 6 thin layers (still connected to the stem). Fan by turning gently clockwise. Set on plate, repeat with remaining strawberries. Place on ice cream in decorative pattern. Freeze.

Step 7:  About 15 minutes before serving, remove from freezer. Squirt chocolate sauce in decorative pattern (I followed the lines of the shell).  Serve and watch it disappear!

I served this with my banana bread.