ANIMAL CRACKER ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven according package instructions.
• Prepare the cake mix as per package instructions. Divide the mix, putting roughly 1/3rd of the mix in another bowl. Into the smaller amount, add pink food dye and mix in until desired color. Divide the white batter into two greased and parchment bottomed 8-inch cake pans. Drop the pink batter into the white batter in small spoonfuls and then marble the pink into the white using a skewer or butter knife. Bake cakes, cooking until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool.
• Remove the cakes from the pan, leaving the parchment round on the bottom of one of the cakes, and level off the tops of both cakes. Place the parchment bottomed cake back into the pan and spread the softened ice cream into an even layer. Invert the second cake, so that the bottom is the top of the cake, and place on top. Place in freezer for 4-6 hours, until ice cream is frozen.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, and then add the cream and vanilla. Beat until completely smooth.
• Remove the cake from the freezer gently run a knife or spatula around the ice cream and remove to a cake round. On a lazy susan, if you have one, lightly frost the cake with a crumb coat. Place back in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove from freezer and frost normally. Do not worry if the frosting is not perfect. Place the cake in the freezer while you prepare the drip. Transfer the remaining frosting to a piping bag.
• In a small bowl, melt the candy melts in 15 second intervals in the microwave until completely smooth. Thin the candy melts with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. The candy melts need to be thin enough to drip but thick enough to give control over the process. Transfer to a squeeze bottle and test on a plate held sideways, thinning with additional vegetable oil if necessary.
• Remove the cake from the freezer and slowly pipe the circumference of the cake, stopping and applying extra as to drip down edges. Remove top from bottle and pour the remaining mixture over the top and spread out to edges. While soft, stand animal crackers into top and sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles and 1⁄2 of the crushed animal crackers. Pipe remaining buttercream frosting around bottom edge and decorate with additional sprinkles and animal cracker crumbs. Keep in freezer until ready to serve.