Christmas celebration chocolate ice-creamcake

Grand occasions deserve all the bells and whistles - serve this wonderfully rich Christmas celebration ice-cream cake and reap the praise!

Ingredients (serves 12)

• 583g chocolate packet cake mix (with ready-made frosting)
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 litres vanilla ice-cream, softened rose-pink food colouring
• 2 x 55g Turkish Delight chocolate bars, finely chopped green food colouring
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint essence
• 6 Mint Slice biscuits, finely chopped
• 1/2 x 30g Flake chocolate bar, crushed silver cachous, raspberries and crumbled
• Flake chocolate bar, to serve

• Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 9cm-deep, 11.5cm x 20cm (base) loaf pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang on all sides.
  2. Place cake mix in a large bowl. Add eggs, oil and 3/4 cup cold water. Using an electric mixer, beat on low speed for 30 seconds or until just combined. Increase speed to medium. Beat for 2 minutes or until well combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, covering with foil if overbrowning, or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  3. Wash and dry loaf pan. Grease pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, allowing a 6cm overhang on all sides. Using a serrated knife, level cake top. Carefully cut cake horizontally into thirds.
  4. Divide ice-cream between 2 bowls. Tint 1 portion pink. Fold in Turkish Delight. Tint remaining portion green. Fold in peppermint essence, biscuit and crushed Flake.
  5. Place cake base in prepared pan. Top with pink ice-cream mixture. Smooth surface. Top with middle cake layer. Top with green ice-cream mixture. Smooth surface. Top with cake top. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight or until firm.
  6. Stand at room temperature for 3 to 5 minutes to soften slightly. Turn out onto a plate. Top with frosting, cachous, raspberries and crumbled Flake. Serve.