CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM CAKE

FOR THE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CAKE:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups canned chocolate flavored syrup
1/2 cup water
FOR THE PEPPERMINT FILLING:*
1 quart vanilla ice cream
2/3 cup crushed peppermint candy (or 2 tsp peppermint extract plus 1/8 tsp red food color)
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp light corn syrup
1 tbsp butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.

Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla in large mixer bowl; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add alternately with chocolate syrup and water to creamed mixture. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-20 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove and cool completely.

Wrap each layer separately in foil; freeze several hours.

TO MAKE THE PEPPERMINT FILLING:
Line 2 (9-inch) cake pans with aluminum foil; chill in freezer.

Soften ice cream; quickly stir in crushed peppermint candy or extract and food color. Divide evenly between pans; cover and freeze.

TO ASSEMBLE:
Remove cake and peppermint layers from freezer. Remove ice cream from pans; peel off foil Alternately layer peppermint and chocolate layers ending with chocolate. Return to freezer while preparing glaze.

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
Combine cocoa, water, corn syrup and butter in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly to avoid scorching, until mixture begins to boil and become somewhat thickened. Remove from heat; add sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth.

Spoon onto top of cake. Garnish, if desired, with crushed peppermint candy. Return to freezer until serving time.

*Any flavor ice cream can be substituted for the vanilla ice cream and peppermint.

MAKE AHEAD TIP:
The wrapped cake and ice cream layers may be made ahead and stored in the freezer until needed.

Adapted from source: magazine clipping