Funfetti Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake

• 16 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 16 oz Cool Whip (2 tubs)
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sprinkles
• 2 cups edible cookie dough balls

Optional:

• chocolate ganache drizzle
• sprinkles

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8” round pans.

Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder, sugar, and salt) in a stand mixer on low (with a paddle), until fully combined.

Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.

Pour in egg whites, and mix on low until just incorporated.  Mix in the buttermilk in two installments, on a low speed. Add in vanilla, espresso, and oil, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium high for about 30 seconds.

Divide evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan. Place cake layers on a rack to finish cooling.

To accelerate the cooling process, I like to pop my cake layers in the freezer once I’ve removed them from the cake pans.

As the cake layers cool, prep the no-churn ice cream. Combine cream cheese, sugar, milk and vanilla together in the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer.

Mix with a paddle attachment at a medium speed until completely combined. Gently fold in the cool whip, mini chocolate chips, and the cookie dough balls (reserve a handful to decorate the top of the cake).