July 4th Dessert

I am a huge fan of ice cream and when combined with cake, whipped cream and fresh fruit...well that puts me right over the top!

This looks like a little tower of delight to me!

This was just the right ending to a delightful 4th of July with family!

Place a flag and sprig of mint on top and you have a cute little dessert that is delicious and refreshing on a very warm 4th of July in Michigan!

Cake:

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 2/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1.5 quart Breyer's Strawberry ice cream
Whipping cream
Combination of fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries
Fresh mint

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Using a 15" x 10" jelly roll pan, spray surface, then line with wax paper and spray again.

In large bowl beat sugar and butter until thoroughly blended (5 minutes or so). Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt~stirring with whisk until blended well.
Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk (beginning and ending with flour)~mixing well after each addition.
Beat in the vanilla and almonds extracts and pour the batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 20 minutes
Cool in pan, on wire rack, for 10 minutes~then remove cake from pan.
Carefully remove wax paper from cake and cool completely.
After cooling I wrapped the cake in foil and placed in freezer for one day because of my schedule and it was just fine.
The night before serving I allowed the ice cream to soften a little and spread evenly over entire cake...cover with plastic wrap or foil and freeze.
Remove cake from freezer and cut with desired cutter (I used a 2" round cutter)~
You will want to work quickly...place one cake round on bottom and top with another round (ice cream side down). Repeat until all cake is cut and place back in freezer until ready to serve.
Whip desired amount of cream.
Place each cake tower on individual plate, top with whipped cream, and garnish with fruit combination and mint sprig (and flag if desired)

This is a great dessert for a nice warm summer day!

Enjoy~