American Flag Ice Cream Cake

16oz box white cake mix (plus required ingredients)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (.3 oz) bottle blue food coloring
5 drops red food coloring
non-stick cooking spray
3 pints raspberry sorbet
2 1/2 pints vanilla ice cream
2 pints heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Coat a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Prepare the cake mix as directed on the package.  Add the cocoa powder and food coloring to the batter.

Transfer to the prepared pan and bake until done, about 45 minutes.

Let the cake cool completly, then remove from the pan.  Use a serrated knife to level the domed top of the cake.  Cut a 5-inch circle from the center of the cake.  Freeze the large cake ring.

Cut a 6-by-30-inch strip of parchment paper.  Spray a clean springform pan with non-stick spray and then line the side of the pan with parchment paper.  Use a little tape on the outside of the paper ring to keep it from curling back up.  The paper will extend above the rim of the pan so you can build a tall cake.

Let 1 pint of sorbet soften at room temperature.  Use a rubber spatula to spread the sorbet in an even layer at the bottom of the prepared pan.  Freeze until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Let 1 pint of vanilla ice cream soften.  Use a rubber spatula to spread an even layer of vanilla ice cream on top of the sorbet.  Freeze until firm, then repeat to make 1 more layer each of sorbet and ice cream.  You will have 4 layers total.  Freeze until firm.

Place the blue cake ring on top of the ice cream, pressing gently.  Return to the freezer.

Use the top of the ice cream container as a guide.  Place some sorbet between some plastic wrap and flatten to make a 5-inch round disc.  Transfer the flattened sorbet into the hole in the cake, smoothing as needed.  Freeze until firm.

Repeat the last step using the vanilla ice cream.  Place the layer on top of the sorbet layer.  Repeat steps to create one more sorbet layer on top.  Freeze until firm.

Make the whipped cream:  Beat the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Remove the springform ring and parchment paper from the cake.  Cover the cake with the whipped cream.  Freeze until ready to serve.

Makes 1 cake

Adapted from Food Network Magazine