Ice "cream" cake #Dairyfree & Birthday Party

Another year has passed by so quickly and our big girl just turned nine years old.  It is hard to believe how fast time is running...Alena wanted a real Birthday party this year complete with cake, games, craft, and dinner.  A party like the ones I grew up with - parents entertaining us with fun games, and crafts.

The hostess

For the 2012 Birthdays in our family {I just remember that mine was not included} I have been making - as you may already know - Ice "Cream" Cakes.  It started with Mia Rosie - Vanilla/Raspberry - then Ron - Vanilla/Peach - and now Alena.  Alena however is a complete chocolate lover. No question...so her selection was Chocolate/Blood Orange.  It turned out great {however I think vanilla is much prettier} and everyone loved it.  Oh, and I cheated as the actual cake was baked from a box.

Chocolate Blood Orange Ice Cream Cake
1 box of dairy free Vanilla or Chocolate Cake {I used Trader Joe's Vanilla & added 2 Tbs chocolate}
   Soy/Almond/Hemp Milk
   Egg
   Oil or vegan margarine
2 - 14 oz containers of Ciao Bella Blood Orange Gelato
1 - Quart So Delicious Chocolate Velvet Ice "Cream"
1 - organic untreated orange
6 - marshmallows cut in half

1. Bake cake according to instructions and use your preferred milk substitute, as well as "butter'
    substitute.  Keep 1 container of Gelato on counter to soften
2. Let cake cook down and place a "Tortenring" {catering?}, or aluminum foil between the cake/and
    the pan. It should go all the way to the top of the pan, it will make it easier to remove the pan at
    the end.
3. Spread softened container of gelato on the cool cake.  Cover with aluminum foil and put in
    freezer for at least 3 hours; or until firm.
4. Soften chocolate ice "cream" - spread 1/2 of the container of soft ice "cream" on top of gelato.
    Cover and return to freezer for at least 3 hours; or until firm.
5. Repeat step 3
6. Repeat step 4. Let cool for about an hour, then decorate the cake with orange slices and
    marshmallow. Cover and return to freezer for at least 2 hours or until firm.

Remove 30 minutes before serving!!!

And the party?!  All the kids had a lot of fun.  First there was the ice cream cake;

next a game of "Topfschlagen" {it literally translates to "hit the pot". The eyes of the player are covered, then a pot is hidden with a little gift underneath and the player gets on his knees with a wooden spoon to find the pot}, followed by  the "Mummy" game {kids are in pairs of two and one person wraps the other in toilet paper},

The Mummy Game 

and finally Musical Chairs.

Musical Chairs

For the craft we made Santa's - some kids made Elf's.  I had prepared the craft by covering empty rolls of toilet paper with red felt {I used a glue gun}, and also glued the "head" on top.  The kids decorated, using low heat glue guns, the craft with eyes, beard {cotton balls}, hat, buttons, belt, etc.

And finally the Birthday girls choice for dinner - Wieners...