Thin Mint Birthday Ice Cream Cake

Birthdays are for celebrating.  I am a firm believer in birthday cake as an essential component of any noteworthy birthday festivity.  Luckily, my husband John's birthday is on Monday, and we got the party started early (he is going to a Padres game that night, so we won't get to celebrate on his actual day since I won't get home from work before he leaves)!

I love to bake cakes, and birthday cakes are no exception.  I've always had a blast decorating with frosting and coming up with fun flavor combinations.  When I asked John what kind of birthday cake he wanted, he replied, "anything with chocolate, but you don't have to make me one."

Oh yes I do.  Who doesn't have cake on their birthday?  Psh.

Chocolate it was, my friends.  

John told me a long time ago about his childhood wish of having an ice cream birthday cake.  Since his birthday is in April and his family is from Wisconsin, April birthdays are usually a bit chilly for ice cream cake.  I knew this had to be in the cake-making plan.

John also loves mint.  We happen to have a few boxes of the beloved Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies in the freezer, so I wanted to incorporate these, too.

Can you tell I was really excited about making this cake? :)

I baked the cake from scratch using a fabulous recipe from The Grit cookbook (the awesome vegetarian restaurant in Athens, GA).  It was super easy, but you could use any chocolate cake recipe and bake it into 2 layers.  

Mixing away the dry ingredients...

It turned into this lovely chocolatey concoction.

Adding the wet ingredients (bubbles from apple cider vinegar!).  I tossed in a teaspoon or so of peppermint extract for kicks.

Poured into the pans...

After baking...the kitchen smelled divine!

I cut each cake layer in half and spread the softened mint chip ice cream (lowfat, of course! ;) ) between the layers...

We're getting there.  Be patient.

I made my trusty vanilla buttercream frosting and added crushed Thin Mints.  Brilliant idea, I must say.

Look at all that ice creamy goodness!

And the frosted beauty ready to be decorated.

Yay!  It's John's birthday!

What's a Thin Mint cake without some chocolate chips and crushed cookies on the side?

Pre-birthday song.

Doesn't that look tasty?  Please don't lick the screen.

Mmm...it's really good.  I'll have a bite for you :)

Happy, happy birthday to my sweet John!  I love you :)