Friday, December 26, 2008

Mixed Ecosystems Cake

I made this igloo ice cream cake for Christmas. The recipe is from my December 2006 Martha Stewart Living Magazine. The cake is very time consuming because it involves ice cream, and has to be made in steps over several days time -- a true labor of love. I found the cake and butter cream recipes to be very good and easy to work with. The chocolate cake was moist, and easily molded to line the glass bowl that I used for the igloo shape. The center of the cake is chocolate and vanilla ice creams. And the icing was a delicious white-chocolate butter cream that I'll definitely use again. I molded the penguins out of fondant but you could also use marzipan.

My husband, a biologist, gave me flack when making it because I was mixing ecosystems. Penguins live in Antarctica and since humans don't dwell there, igloos would be nonexistent. I explained the cake was fictional, but he suggested that I make Inuit people or polar bears instead of penguins. I argued that penguins were easier to make, and well, cuter. Our friend even suggested making puffins. So maybe next time, if I ever feel ambitious enough to make this cake again, I'll make a true Arctic igloo cake with puffins.

4 comments:

Lisa said...

I love this little guy and the cake he is sitting near. North or South, his surroundings look yummy! :)

Steph said...

Adorable!!! I'm sure the hubby didn't let the ecosystem blend interfere with his enjoyment of the cake!

Lady Katherine said...

I love your cake and the little blue guys. You are a wonderful baker! Its so just too cute!

Mad Queen said...

Okay, how can I not comment... your cake is so stinkin' cute! And forget mixing ecosystems... penguins were a MUST because they are not only easy, but darling...everyone loves penguins, even if their true story is sad (thank you March of the Penguins that made my whole family cry and Emma vowed to never watch it again EVER!). Super cute... how could you possibly eat it?