Grasshopper Dome Ice Cream Cake Recipe (With Video)

Prep Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

4 hrs 15 mins

Servings:

12

Grasshopper desserts became popular in the 1950s and were inspired by the crème de menthe-based cocktail of the same name. These mint-chocolate confections often involve a mint mousse pie with a chocolate crumb crust or a chocolate cake with a mint frosting.

The flavor pairing is a classic—and one we played with in this dramatic grasshopper ice-cream cake, which is decidedly grown-up. It combines a chocolate dome cake with a mint-chocolate-chip ice cream filling and a crisp, shiny chocolate shell. The cake is baked in a heat-proof bowl, then hollowed out to make space for the ice cream filling. The hardest part is waiting for this delicious dessert to set in the freezer, but your patience will be rewarded when it's time to enjoy a decadent, frosty slice.

Grasshopper Dome Ice Cream Cake — Credit:
NGOC MINH NGO

What Is a Dome Cake?

Our marvelous grasshopper ice-cream cake is a dome cake, which is also called a hemisphere cake. That means it has a dramatic dome shape rather than the usual straight sides. Dome cakes aren't new, but they have been trending recently. There are three main ways to create a dome cake:

The simplest method involves baking the cake in a heatproof bowl—as we do for this ice-cream cake.
Sculpt a dome cake using layers; this requires skill and patience.
Use a store-bought dome cake pan like Fat Daddio's 10-inch hemisphere cake pan.

Make Ahead

Our grasshopper ice cream cake can be made a day ahead. Freeze it, uncovered. Remove from the freezer 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Directions

Preheat oven and prep bowl:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush bottom and sides of a large (approximately 10 inches in diameter and 5 inches deep) ovenproof glass, ceramic, or metal bowl with oil. Dust with cocoa, tapping out excess.
Make cake:

In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined, 30 seconds. Add oil, eggs, buttermilk, warm water, and vanilla; whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to prepared bowl.
Bake and cool cake:

Bake until set and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour, 25 minutes to1 hour, 45 minutes. Transfer bowl to a wire rack; let cool 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack; let cool completely.
Hollow out cake:

Cut a 1-inch-thick slice from bottom of cake with a serrated knife. Invert "bowl" of cake; using a metal spoon or your fingers, hollow out all but a 1-inch border of cake (reserve scraps for snacking).
Brush cake with melted chocolate and refrigerate:

Brush hollowed-out cake bowl and cut side of cake bottom with melted chocolate. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 20 minutes.
Fill with ice cream, assemble, and freeze:

Spoon ice cream into cake bowl, pressing to pack it all in and smoothing top. Return bottom of cake to bowl (it will be on top at this point). Cover with plastic; freeze until ice cream is firm, at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.
Unwrap cake:

Unwrap cake and place, dome-side up, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a wire rack.
Make the glaze:

Place chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and immediately pour over top center of cake, all at once. Shake baking sheet back and forth and tap it on a work surface a few times, if necessary, to ensure that glaze fully and evenly covers cake.
Serve:

Using two large, wide spatulas slipped underneath, transfer to a serving plate. Serve immediately.

Use a knife dipped in hot water, then wiped dry, to cut the cake into wedges.

Credit:
NGOC MINH NGO