Ice Cream Strawberry Shortcake

I decided a while back to make my own ice cream cakes because I didn't want to spend the money for one and I didn't really like them other than maybe the ice cream if I purchase them from an ice cream parlor. They weren't too hard to figure out how to make, plus anything homemade is wonderful. The hard part it taking the time depending on the kind I wanted to create. The easy part is that I can just make them up as I go and now; I can make anything from Cookies and Cream to Raspberry Moose ice cream cakes. For my mother's birthday, I prepped this ice cream version of a Strawberry Shortcake the night before (along with a gluten-free one) to finish on the morning of her birthday.

Ice Cream Strawberry Shortcake-

Ingredients for Ice Cream Cake:
Yellow cake (enough to make two round cakes). Make from scratch or a box.
1/4-1/2 gallon of strawberry ice cream
1 can of Sweet and Condensed Milk

Directions:
Make cake as directed into 2 round cake pans. Turn over both cakes onto a baking sheet to cool.

Pour half of a can of Sweet and Condensed Milk on each round cake.

Freeze at least 2-4 hours 

Scoop out strawberry ice cream and smash into one of your round can pans filling it to the top. Once filled, run warm to hot water on the bottom of it to loosen it and with a rubber spatula, scrap around edges of pan and pop out ice cream mold to sandwich between the two layers of cake.

Freeze again for at least another 2-4 hours

Ingredients for Cake Topping:
1 small box of Instant Vanilla pudding
1 cup of milk
1 (8- ounce) container of whipped topping or equal amount of heavy whipped cream.
About 12 vanilla cream cookies (or golden Oreos).

Directions:
Crush the 12 vanilla cream cookies. Combined pudding and milk and mix with a whisk. Stir in whipped cream and crushed cookies.

Spread over entire cake and freeze for at least another hour.

Add fresh Strawberries and about 6-8 cookies for garnish.

Let cake sit out about 10 minutes before serving to make it easier to cut.

Substitutions and Suggestions: 

You can always make this a day or two ahead. 

The longer you freeze (especially towards the end) the better your cake holds up.

You can freeze with garnished cookies and they will soften up this way.

Substitute instant pudding (at liquid stage) for Sweet and Condensed milk.
Omit crushed cookies for a smooth cake topping.
Cake mix and ice creams are interchangeable.
For a gluten-free version, use a gluten free cake mix or your own recipe.
Make into any shape so long as you can layer ice cream and moisten the cake with the Sweet and Condensed milk.
For a multi-layer cake, cut 2 part cakes in half for 4 layers.
You can also double up on the ice cream for a taller cake.