Mango Chocolate Sandwich Ice Cream Cake

Hi everyone, first of all, I hope each one of You is doing well. Sending You all the biggest virtual hug from Sunny Sweden.

Summer is almost here, and of the things, I love to make in the summer-time are Ice Cream Cakes. If you follow me on Instagram @passionforbaking

You have probably seen these pictures on one of the posts, with this 3 layers chocolate sandwich ice cream cake as You see below that I made a few days ago.

I made a 3 layers fudge cake and filled it with mango ice cream, strawberry ice cream and spread a chocolate ganache on top. I love the fudge chocolate cake layers, but I felt the mango and strawberry ice cream was missing something. I should have added some lemon zest and lemon juice. I wanted to re-make the cake but decided to go for another flavor. Mango and chocolate as someone on Instagram told me her son has a birthday soon and he loves mango and strawberry together.

Instead of making 3 layers of chocolate cake, I made two layers and filled the middle with mango ice cream. In the ice cream recipe I use Greek Yogurt it gives lightness and a bit of a tang to cut through the cream and sweetened condensed milk. I also used finely grated lemon zest and lemon juice and about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon citric acid in the ice cream base. Citric acid is also known as sour salt/ lemon salt it gives a lovely lemon boost to the mango ice cream, making it a bit more fruity. If you can’t find it just leave it out or add a bit more lemon zest instead.

I use an adjustable ring and acetate sheets when making this ice cream cake, not only it allows the cake ring to come off the ice cream cake easier, but it also leaves your ice cream cake with smooth and straight sides! If you don’t have one, it fine as well.

I decorated the cake in a very homemade style, with the chocolate ice cream and piped some swirls on top, and sprinkled some sprinkles on top.

Perfect for birthday party´s for kids, If they don’t like mango ice cream, double the chocolate ice cream instead, they will love it.

I love this version, the only thing I would change is to add just 2/3 of the mango Ice Cream because of the chocolate ice cream layer gets softer quicker than the mango ice cream layer, You can also just make 3 layers of chocolate cake instead of two layers and fill each layer with half the mango ice cream and use the chocolate ice cream to decorate the outside of the ice cream cake. Either way, this ice cream cake is delicious and the fudgy chocolate layers are so delicious, I wanted to create a chocolate cake that stays relatively soft when frozen into an ice cream sandwich. It is just very rich and dark, almost truffle-like a perfect match together with ice cream.

Two-layer fudge Chocolate Cake

140 gram all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
280 gram superfine or white sugar
135 gram dark bittersweet chocolate 70 %, finely chopped
30 gram unsweetened cocoa powder
225 gram strongly brewed coffee
170 gram sour cream at room temp
2 large eggs, beaten at room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste ( optional)

Mango Ice Cream

200 gram frozen mango cubes or fresh
350 gram Greek Yogurt, cold
480 gram heavy cream, cold 35 to 40%
275 gram sweetened condensed milk, cold
2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, optional
1 lemon, finely grated lemon zest and lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon citric acid ( optional)

Chocolate Ice Cream

100 gram superfine sugar or white sugar
50 gram best-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder ( optional)
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
50 gram boiled water
500 ml Heavy cream, cold
250 gram sweetened condensed milk, cold

Direction for the two-layer chocolate cake

Scroll all the way down for step by step pictures.
Preheat the oven to 165 C°/ 325 F°. Grease and flour two or three 20 cm ( 8 inches) round cake pans and line with parchment circles.
In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, add the sugar and with a whisk combine, set aside for now.
In a medium bowl add the finely chopped dark chocolate and cocoa powder, pour the strongly brewed coffee on top, and whisk until smooth.
Wisk in the sour cream, the beaten eggs, and vanilla bean paste if using.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix lightly until just combined.
Scrape the side and the bottom of the bowl to make sure all of the dry ingredients are combined with the wet ingredients.
This recipe gives you about 1080 gram cake batter, divided it into two 20 cm ( 8 inches) round cake pans, about 540 gram in both baking pans. I use a scale.
Bake the cakes 2 x 20 cm (8 inches) in the middle of the oven for about 25 to 35 minutes, start checking for doneness at 25 minutes. Remember each oven is different. About 20 to 25 minutes for 3 x 20 cm ( 8 inches) round baking pans. Start checking for doneness around 20 minutes.
Let the cakes cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minuter, run a knife around the edges to loosen, and carefully turn the layers out onto wire racks. If you bake the cake in three pans the cake is more fragile.
Peel off the paper, and let cool completely. If not using the cake layers right away, wrap the cakes in plastic wrap.

Direction for the Mango Ice Cream

For this recipe you can use fresh mango or frozen mango cubes, If you are using fresh mango, peel the mango, remove the stones from the fruit, and puree in a food processor until smooth.
If you are using frozen mango, let the frozen mango taw 30 minutes before process the mango in the food processor. Add the frozen mango cubes in a small food processor and process until smooth.
Place the mango puree in the refrigerator to get cold while you prepare the ice cream base.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment ( or in a large bowl using and using an electric beater), add the cold greek yogurt, vanilla bean paste, and pour cold heavy cream on top.
Beat the mixture at low speed for a minute, then beat the mixture on medium speed until medium-stiff peaks form.
Use a spatula to scrape the side and the bottom of the bowl, add the lemon zest and lemon juice.
Pour over the cold sweetened condensed milk, and whip on medium speed for about 1 to 2 minutes more or until it is fluffy.
Add the cold mango puree, and mix for about a minute more.
With a spatula combine, have a taste to see if you like it, or add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon citric acid to get a lovely sour boost in the mango ice cream.
For this ice cream cake, I don’t recommend using all of the mango ice creams as I did, as I mention in my blog post above it takes too long for the mango ice cream to get soft if you use all of it in one layer. I recommend just using 2/3 of the mango ice cream. The rest just freeze it in a small ice cream container for You to enjoy later on.
Place your cooled chocolate layer, which you will place top-down, on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or a silicon matt, make sure that your baking tray fits into your freezer if you have a small freezer use a 20 cm parchment paper lined springform instead. If you using a baking tray place an adjustable cake ring around the cake, and secure it.
I use acetate on the inside of the adjustable cake ring it can be purchased in pre-cut strips (sometimes referred to as cake collars) or in sheets, allowing you to trim to the length and width you desire. The acetate not only allows the cake ring to come off the ice cream cake easier, but it also leaves your ice cream cake with smooth and straight sides! If you don’t have one, it fine as well.

Pour 2/3 of the mango ice cream on top of the chocolate cake, tap the pan on the counter a few times or use a spatula instead, to make sure there are no air pockets in the ice cream. If you made three cake layers, divide the mango ice cream into the two layers.
Add the second half of the cake, which you will place top-down, Wrap the ice cream cake in plastic wrap.
Put the cake in the freezer for at least 6 hours to harden.

Direction for the Chocolate Ice Cream