Chocolate Ice Cream Cake with Almond Butter Swirl

Prep time: 15 minutes, plus time to churn ice cream and freeze cake overnight

Cook time: 35 minutes

Yield: one 8-inch four-layer cake (18 servings)

INGREDIENTS:

CAKE:

• 3 cups blanched almond flour (or 1 cup coconut flour if nut-free)
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 6 large eggs (12 eggs if using coconut flour)
• 1 cup Swerve confectioners’-style sweetener or equivalent amount of liquid or powdered sweetener
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or coconut oil if dairyfree), melted but not hot
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cashew milk (or full-fat coconut milk if nut-free) (½ cup milk if using coconut flour)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or other extract of choice, such as raspberry
• 1½ cups grated zucchini

ICE CREAM:

• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or coconut oil if dairy-free), softened
• 4 large eggs
• 4 large egg yolks
• ½ cup unsweetened cashew milk (or water if nut-free)
• ¼ cup MCT oil (creates a smooth ice cream)
• Seeds scraped from 2 vanilla beans (about 8 inches long), or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ cup Swerve confectioners’-style sweetener or equivalent amount of powdered stevia or erythritol
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (keeps the ice cream soft)
• almond butter swirl (omit for nutfree)
• ½ cup almond butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter (or coconut oil if dairy-free), melted
• ¼ cup Swerve confectioners’-style sweetener or equivalent amount of liquid or powdered sweetener

CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or coconut oil if dairyfree)
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk if dairy-free)
• ¼ cup Swerve confectioners’-style sweetener or equivalent amount of powdered stevia or erythritol
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

• Ice cream maker

INSTRUCTION:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with coconut oil spray.
2. To make the cake, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon (if using), baking soda, and salt until blended.
3. In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sweetener for 2 to 3 minutes, until frothy and lightened in color. Add the melted butter, cashew milk, and extract to the egg mixture and mix to combine.
4. Squeeze the water out of the grated zucchini if it seems wet, then add the zucchini to the egg mixture and stir to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring only enough to combine.
5. Pour the batter evenly into the pans and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake layers to cool completely in the pans.
6. Meanwhile, make the ice cream layer: In a blender, combine the butter, whole eggs, egg yolks,
   cashew milk, MCT oil, vanilla, sweetener, cocoa powder, and salt. Blend until very smooth. Place in an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions.
7. While the ice cream is churning, make the almond butter swirl, if using: Combine the almond
   butter, melted butter, and sweetener in a small bowl and beat until smooth with the hand mixer. Place in the refrigerator to chill until the ice cream is almost done. In the last 30 seconds of churning, add the swirl to the ice cream maker.
8. When the cake layers are fully cool, run a knife around the edge of each pan to loosen the cake, then tip the pan over and pop out the cake. With a large sharp knife, cut each cake layer in half horizontally to create 4 thin layers. At this point, the cake layers can be frozen, or you can assemble the ice cream cake immediately and then freeze it.
9. To assemble, take one sliced layer of cake and set it in a parchment paper–lined springform pan (the walls of the springform pan will help support the cake as you build it). Then scoop some ice cream on top of it and spread it in an even layer. Once the ice cream layer is level, place a second cake layer on top, then add another layer of ice cream. Repeat with the remaining layers of cake and ice cream so you have 4 even layers. Freeze overnight.
10. Once frozen, make the chocolate glaze: Place the butter and chopped chocolate in a double boiler or in a heat-safe bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Heat on medium, stirring often, until the chocolate is just melted (don’t let it burn!), then add the cream, sweetener, and vanilla. Stir until smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and place in the refrigerator to cool for a few minutes before using.
11. Remove the frozen ice cream cake from the freezer. Drizzle the glaze on top of the cake and put it
    back in the freezer to set. Allow to thaw a bit before slicing and serving. Store extras in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month.

NOTE:

• This is just one option for layering this cake. You could also put one unsliced cake layer in the bottom of the pan, add all the ice cream to form the middle layer, and then add the second cake layer and the glaze on top, as shown in the photo. For the cake pictured, I also used the almond butter swirl mixture to make a separate layer on top of the ice cream instead of adding it to the ice cream to create a swirl. However you layer it, it will be delicious!