Vegan Peanut Butter Zig Zag Melted Ice Cream Cake

I did this cake for the So Delicious 2013 Recipe Contest earlier this year. The idea was placed out there to come up with ideas using one or more of their products. Let’s just say, the research and development department had been well primed for this project. I LOVE their ice creams, and make a point to highlight them whenever someone starts to go down that “man, you can’t eat ice cream” road. Having a mild-to-moderate obsession with chocolate and peanut butter combinations, this zig zag had been something of a staple in the house for several years now. Coming back to the recipe contest, it was a given that I was going to do something with the ice creams, just a function of what it would be. Melting the ice cream and turning it into a cake worked out great a way to enjoy the ice cream in a new form.

Ingredients

For the Cake

1/2 pint So Delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert

1-1/2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
4-1/2 tablespoons water
1-1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dairy-free buttery spread (such as Earth Balance)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting

5 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup dairy-free buttery spread
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon safflower oil (or other neutral-tasting oil)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup vanilla dairy-free creamer (such as So Delicious French Vanilla Coconut Milk Creamer)
Ganache

1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
2 tablespoons dairy-free buttery spread
2 tablespoons vanilla dairy-free creamer (such as So Delicious French Vanilla Coconut Milk Creamer)

Instructions

For the Cake

Preheat oven to 375ºF
Get ice cream out of the freezer and set aside in a bowl allowing to melt.
Mix flax and water in small bowl and set aside.
Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the buttery spread, sugar, flax mixture and vanilla. Add in the melted ice cream.
Gradually add in the flour mixture
Pour into a greased 9-inch cake pan.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool completely before adding frosting and ganache.
Frosting
Mix together the flour and cocoa, and set aside.
Mix the buttery spread, sugar, oil and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium for one minute. Blend in the creamer, followed by the flour mixture.
Refrigerate for 10 to 30 min before frosting cake
Ganache
Combine ingredients and heat in small saucepan until melted. Drizzle over cake.