A Baked Alaska as a Birthday Cake

Baked Alaska. 

My younger son turned the big 5 oh  today, and funny thing he asked me to make him a Baked Alaska as a birthday cake.  He remembers when he was five and his Dad and I made him one and he and all his little friends were amazed that the cake did not melt when placed in the oven.

His Dad is a gourmet cook, and unfortunately I am making this cake without his help so I'll see how it goes.

For the cake part I used a brownie mix--a new one I found that appears to be a bit more healthful than the one I usually use.  At least it has protein in it from whole grains.

Brownie mix used to prepare the cake part of the Baked Alaska. 

While the cake was baking I prepared the ice cream.  I lined a small bowl with plastic wrap, making sure to cover the inside of the bowl completely.  We had decided on strawberry ice cream which I happened to have on hand, ice cream from Local Fresh here in Raleigh.  After softening the ice cream at room temperature I packed the soft ice cream into the prepared bowl and smoothed the top.  Into the freezer goes the plastic wrapped ice cream.

Lining the bowl with plastic.

Packing ice cream in the plastic lined bowl. 

When the brownie cake is done and cooled on a rack, I cut out a 6-inch round piece to use as the base of the dessert.  This was placed in the freezer for several hours.

Cake on rack to cool. 

Round piece of cake on baking pan placed in freezer for several hours.  

It's better to place the cake on a cardboard cake plate to protect the bottom from melting when in the oven.

Frozen cake placed on cardboard cake plate. 

Remove ice cream from freezer and invert onto the chocolate cake layer. Wrap in plastic wrap and put back into the freezer until ready to bake.  You want the cake and the ice cream frozen hard before baking.

Unmold the ice cream and place on top of the cake.  Wrap in plastic wrap and place back into the freezer. 

On Birthday Day I made the meringue.  I used six egg whites with 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/2 vanilla sugar (from Penzey's).  The egg whites were beaten in a mixer until they formed stiff peaks, and then I spread the meringue all over the ice cream and down to the bottom so that the cake and ice cream were completely covered with meringue.  I used the back of a spoon to make little swirls on the meringue.  Back into the freezer for another couple of hours.

Beat on high until soft glossy stiff peaks form. 

Ice the frozen cake with meringue, using the back of a spoon to make little swirls for a decorative touch.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and use the broiler.  Place the cake in the middle rack and brown for about two minutes.  I let this one stay in a bit too long and it scorched on the top. You need to probably keep the oven door open and watch it constantly so as not to scorch and maybe bake instead of broil.   I'll know next time.  Fresh strawberries on top for serving will remedy the scorched top. I kept the cake in the freezer until ready to serve.

Scorched on top.

Top with strawberries to hide the scorched top.  Ready to serve. 

Sliced.  The ice cream slid around on the cake when I sliced it. 

Next time I will not use a brownie mix for the cake, I will bake a sponge cake that will be easier to slice through than the brownie which was still frozen and if I had waited until the cake was thawed the ice cream would have melted. 


It's ready to eat!!!!  It was good.