Celebrating 10 with Watermelon Ice Cream Cake

It's a big deal to turn 10 and Sasha did that on July 30th.  We had an early birthday party for her before leaving for Indiana which will be her 2nd birthday party. Having three birthday parties in one year should happen at least once in a lifetime. We made a 'watermelon' ice cream 'cake' for her birthday. It's easy and fun to make with kids. Here's how:

Start with 2 bowls that nest into each other and put slightly softened vanilla ice cream around the bottom bowl to form the rind. The smaller bowl will make the form that the watermelon fruit will set in.Then put the bowl in the freezer to harden.

Next, slightly soften raspberry sherbet which will be the watermelon fruit and add chocolate chips for the watermelon seeds.  Sasha LOVES white chocolate so she asked that we use white chocolate chips - like seedless watermelon that has white seeds! We added a few chocolate chips here so you'd get the idea.

Once the vanilla is hardened, remove from freezer. Place hot water in the top bowl for just a few seconds, enough to barely melt the bowl from the ice cream & once you feel the top bowl move, remove it carefully so you don't spill hot water on the vanilla.  Once the bowl is removed, fill the hole from the small bowl with raspberry sherbet and chocolate seeds.

The green skin of the watermelon is made from whipped cream colored with green food coloring.  Here is Sasha whipping the cream. The cream should be well chilled.

Remove the frozen vanilla and raspberry layers from the freezer. Have hot water in the sink so you can gently unmold the layers from the bowl by setting the bowl into the hot water for just a few moments.  Once you feel or see that the ice cream has separated from the bowl, place a platter over the top and invert the frozen layers onto the platter.  Once that is done, 'frost' the ice cream layers with the whipped cream. Return to the freezer to harden off.

Here is a finished slice of the watermelon birthday cake.  It is a fun project to do with kids and they love the finished results.  Try it sometime.

It's a tough job licking the beaters, but someone has to do it!  Jake and Nina were great helpers.

Sasha, the birthday girl with her gifts!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Sasha, happy birthday to you.