Lemon Ice Cream Cake

Bliss on a hot summer's day. The cooking time includes the freezing time and is only a guesstimate. Please make this cake as close to serving time as possible: you will not want the cake layers to freeze too much, as it will make the cake cutting more difficult.

• Ready In: 5 hrs
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 gallon  lemon sherbet or 1⁄2 gallon ice cream
• 1  white cake mix
• 3  egg whites
• 1 1⁄2 cups cold water
• 1⁄2-1  teaspoon  lemon flavoring
• 12  ounces Cool Whip, thawed (1 tub)
• 1  drop  yellow food coloring (optional)
• 1  lemon, zest of, cut in superfine strips

Directions

1. Allow ice cream or sherbet soften slightly.
2. Scoop into 9-inch pan line with saran wrap, smooth the surface, cover and freeze for 4 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F.
4. Grease and flour bottom only of 2 9-inch pans.
5. Blend cake mix with egg whites, water and lemon extract.
6. Beat according to instructions on the box.
7. Pour into the 2 pans, dividing evenly.
8. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean: the top should "spring" back, when lightly touched in the center.
9. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then invert onto wire rack.
10. Cool completely.
11. Trim tops of the 2 cakes even, also trim off all crust (sides and bottom) completely, to have white cake only (makes for a more elegant presentation).
12. Remove ice-cream round from freezer and let sit for a few moments, to make the surface soft.
13. Mix food color into Cool Whip at this time, if you choose to.
14. Put 1 cake round on large plate, add the frozen ice-cream round and top with second cake layer.
15. Push down lightly for the ice-cream to adhere better to the cake rounds.
16. Cover the cake with Cool Whip, making swirls with a spatula.
17. Sprinkle with lemon strips.
18. Return to the freezer until ready to serve depending on the setting of your freezer.