I only have so much virtue in me. I try to eat well and feed my family wholesome meals, and most days I do a decent job. But sometimes my reserves run out—after a long day of parenting, keeping promises, and tidying the house—and I collapse into something indulgent like this recipe.
Some recipes demand you drop everything the first time you see or hear about them. This is one of those. Full disclosure: it’s packed with fat, sugar, flour, cream, candy and chocolate. It will not help your waistline. It will, however, deliver pure, unapologetic delight. So yes—go get the ingredients now. And because every great recipe deserves a little backstory, here’s mine.
My dad, who runs a summer camp, calls me occasionally to report on something delicious he’s discovered. The other day he left a message: “I have to tell you about something really decadent. REALLY decadent. Call me.” I called immediately.
He described a dessert his camp group had assembled: a layer of ice cream sandwiches across the bottom of a 9×13 pan, topped with hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream and another layer of ice cream sandwiches. Camp food sometimes gets a bad rap, but not at his camps—this sounded brilliant.
I went straight to the store with a plan to take the idea even further. Into my cart went two boxes of regular-sized ice cream sandwiches (no mini versions here), a jar of butterscotch caramel, a roll of heavy-duty foil, a pint of heavy cream and four king-sized Twix bars. I was determined to build a Twix Ice Cream Sandwich Cake. I was ready to be delightfully naughty.
I lined a 9×13 pan with foil, leaving an overhang on the long sides so I could lift the frozen cake out later for easier slicing. I arranged one layer of ice cream sandwiches across the bottom, spreading warmed hot fudge sauce over them. After a quick chill in the freezer, I whipped the cream to stiff peaks and spread it over the hot fudge. I drizzled butterscotch caramel and sprinkled crushed king-sized Twix bars on top. (Pro tip: freeze candy bars for at least 30 minutes, then smash them in their wrappers—easier to break up and less messy.)
I added the second layer of ice cream sandwiches, pressed them gently into the whipped cream, spread the remaining butterscotch caramel and scattered the rest of the crushed Twix over the top. The whole pan went into the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up.
The boys and I waited impatiently with forks in hand. When the cake was firm, I used the foil cradle to lift it out, placed it on a cutting board, and sliced generous squares. Each piece got a final drizzle of hot fudge before we dug in.
Result: Whoa. Twix Ice Cream Sandwich Cake. Yes, it’s as gooey, creamy and over-the-top as it sounds. It felt like permission to be a little unrestrained for a day—and I may have tucked a tiny corner piece away in the back of the freezer for later. Angels need sustenance, too.
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Cook’s Notes
- Keep frozen candy bars in their wrappers and pound them with a rolling pin, rubber mallet or meat tenderizer to break them without a mess. Open the wrapper and sprinkle directly onto the dessert.
- To check whipped cream for firm peaks: lift the mixer head or beaters. If the cream forms a peak that stays upright, stop. If it curls over, whip a few more seconds. Overwhipping will turn it to butter.
Twix Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 2 boxes regular-sized ice cream sandwiches 12 count
- 1 cup hot fudge sauce Homemade or store-bought
- 2 cups butterscotch caramel sauce A 17 oz store-bought container works fine
- 1 pint heavy cream for whipping
- 4 king-sized Twix bars Freeze at least 30 minutes and smash while wrapped
- Also helpful but optional: heavy-duty aluminum foil
Instructions
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Press a sheet of aluminum foil into a 9×13-inch pan with a 2-inch overhang on each long side to create a cradle for lifting the frozen cake. You can skip this and slice in the pan if you prefer.
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Arrange one box of ice cream sandwiches in a single layer on the bottom of the pan, trimming as needed to fit.
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Warm hot fudge if needed to make it spreadable, then spread evenly over the ice cream sandwiches. Freeze briefly while you whip the cream to firm peaks, then spread the whipped cream over the hot fudge.
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Drizzle about 1/2 cup of butterscotch caramel (warmed if necessary) over the whipped cream and sprinkle half the crushed Twix bars on top.
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Arrange the second box of ice cream sandwiches over the top and press gently into the whipped cream. Spread the remaining butterscotch caramel and scatter the remaining crushed Twix over the surface. Freeze until very firm, at least 2 hours. If freezing longer, cover tightly to prevent freezer burn.
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Use the foil to lift the cake from the pan for easier slicing, or cut directly in the pan. Optional: drizzle each serving with extra hot fudge before serving.
This post originally published July 26, 2013.