Turkey Hill Ice Cream’s Ultimate Holiday Recipe Contest has ended and the winner is… Jessie G. of Falmouth, Maine! Try Jessie’s Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream Torte (recipe below). If you like cake and ice cream (and who doesn’t?), then you’ll love this recipe. The crushed peppermint stick candy adds a nice holiday touch, but if you’re making it after the holidays, you could probably substitute a number of other tasty morsels.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM TORTE
1½ cups flour
1¼ cups sugar
1¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup shortening
1 cup sour cream
1½ teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups Turkey Hill original vanilla ice cream (or more if needed)
½ cup crushed peppermint stick candy, divided
½ cup mini marshmallows
Bittersweet chocolate sauce for drizzling slices, and whipped cream to decorate (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray four 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray. Whisk together first 5 dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add shortening, sour cream, vanilla and eggs and beat with hand mixer for 2-3 minutes. Divide batter among cake pans, smoothing tops. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Cool in pan, then remove to a cooling rack. Freeze.

When ready to assemble, mix crushed candy (reserving a Tablespoon for top) into softened ice cream with mini marshmallows. Spread ice cream mixture between layers and just across top (don’t attempt sides). Sprinkle top with reserved crushed candy and freeze.

When ready to serve, let sit at room temperature for a few minutes and slice with a thin knife dipped into hot water. This gives the layered look of a torte without the difficulty of slicing cakes horizontally. Freezing the cake layers makes them easy to work with. Serve slices drizzled with bittersweet chocolate sauce and stars of whipped cream!

MF&L Staff at Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine.