To make this modern icebox cake, the whizzes at America’s Test Kitchen mixed lemonade concentrate into vanilla ice cream for a refreshing summer dessert beyond compare. Those contrasting (and zingy) layers are made with a combination of lemon curd and Cool Whip. And the crust? Not-too-sweet animal crackers, of course.
That abstract swoosh of color on top is done by dipping a paintbrush in yellow food coloring and brushing it wherever the mood takes you.
You’ll find this and other clever no-bake frozen dessert recipes in “The Complete Summer Cookbook: Beat the Heat with 500 Recipes that Make the Most of Summer’s Bounty” (America’s Test Kitchen, $33).
Frozen Lemonade Cake
Serves 12
INGREDIENTS
5 ounces animal crackers
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of table salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 pints vanilla ice cream
16 ounces Cool Whip Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 container frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 (10-ounce) jars lemon curd
1 teaspoon yellow gel food coloring, divided
DIRECTIONS
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Process crackers, sugar and salt in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add melted butter and pulse until combined, about 8 pulses. Transfer crumb mixture to greased 9‑inch springform pan. Using bottom of dry measuring cup, press crumb mixture firmly into bottom of pan. Bake crust until fragrant and beginning to brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Scoop vanilla ice cream into large bowl and, using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, break up the scoops. Stir and fold ice cream to achieve smooth consistency. Stir ice cream, 2½ cups whipped topping and lemonade concentrate in bowl until combined. Pour half the ice cream mixture into cooled crust and smooth top with offset spatula. Transfer pan and bowl with remaining ice cream mixture to freezer and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
Stir lemon curd, ½ teaspoon food coloring and remaining 2½ cups whipped topping in separate bowl until combined. Spread lemon curd mixture in even layer over frozen ice cream layer. Return pan to freezer until firm, about 1 hour.
Scoop remaining half of ice cream mixture into large bowl and, using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, break up scoops of ice cream. Stir and fold ice cream to achieve smooth consistency, then spread over frozen lemon curd layer, smoothing top with offset spatula. Freeze cake until fully firm, at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
Remove sides of pan and slide thin metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake to cake plate or pedestal. Smooth sides of cake with offset spatula. Dip 1‑inch paintbrush in remaining ½ teaspoon food coloring and lightly drag across top of cake, painting straight yellow stripes 2 to 3 inches long, refreshing brush with food coloring as needed. Slice and serve.
— “The Complete Summer Cookbook: Beat the Heat with 500 Recipes that Make the Most of Summer’s Bounty” (America’s Test Kitchen, $33)
