The following is an excerpt from the 2011 revised edition of Ice Cream Cakes – the most authoritative, professional guide to producing and marketing ice cream cakes and pies, as well as other frozen dessert specialties.
As you know, being in the ice cream business has many rewards. One of them is selling a beautifully decorated ice cream cake or pie to customers, and watching them leave your shop with a smile of satisfaction and anticipation. And even better, it might mean that they come back again and again for another cake or pie as a repeat customer. Developing this take-home segment of your business can be the difference between success and failure, especially in the cold winter months.
It may seem like an overwhelming task to make ice cream cakes and pies from scratch like the pro’s do, but there is no mystery to it. All that is required is a little technical knowledge, the proper tools, and a great desire to build a successful dessert business.
POTENTIAL
It is not uncommon or unrealistic to expect sales in frozen dessert cakes and pies to exceed 25% of your sales at various times of the year. And, the icing on the cake (so to speak), is that it can be very rewarding!
Holidays are BIG BUSINESS for the entrepreneur who has developed a frozen dessert cake and pie clientele. Everyone has a birthday, so tap into the “birthday cake market” and let your customers know with brochures and visual displays all the reasons why they should purchase a delicious ice cream or frozen yogurt cake or pie from your store. While most ice cream cakes are sold for birthdays, selling them year ’round for other holidays and celebrations can increase your sales dramatically. Think about it. Every month of the year provides an opportunity to sell a dessert geared to a special celebration or activity. The month of June is a prime example: birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, summer parties, bridal showers, Father’s Day, and more. What a month!
A dessert display that constantly changes to reflect the holiday or season will attract the attention of your customers. You will find that some will diligently place their order for a special custom cake days in advance, while others will spontaneously purchase a cake or pie directly out of your display. The ability to satisfy both types of customers with a delicious, beautifully decorated cake or pie will guarantee repeat business as well as make potential customers out of everyone who has ever tried one of your desserts.
This is a very exciting time to be in the frozen dessert business. Yes, people are more aware of fat and calories, but their desire for the most satisfying indulgence is still very much alive. By producing your own ice cream and frozen yogurt cakes and pies, you have the opportunity to appeal to a wide variety of customers, from the most gourmet palate to the customer with real health concerns.
Let’s get started! You provide the desire, and we’ll take care of everything else. One last thing, you must promise to practice, again and again… and maybe even some more. Soon, you will be making the most fabulous-looking cakes and pies you ever imagined in your own shop just like the one below.
Want to read more? The 2011 revised edition of Ice Cream Cakes is now available in our book store. In the meantime, here’s a recipe to get you going.
RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE
ICE CREAM CAKE
Tastes like cheesecake, only much more refreshing. Makes a perfect summertime dessert.
INGREDIENTS
8 oz. Basic cookie crumb crust
- graham meal 6.4 oz.
- margarine 1.6 oz.
35-40 oz. Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
12 oz. Processed raspberries, divided
6 oz. Non-dairy whipped topping (Rich’s)
5 oz. Graham crackers (broken)
16-20 Fresh raspberries
PREPARING THE BASE & FILLING THE CAKE
Soften or melt margarine. Blend graham crumbs with margarine and sugar until thoroughly combined. Press mixture (3/8″ layer) evenly into bottom of pan. If necessary, briefly freeze pan to harden. On top of graham base, layer with ice cream. Layer 8 oz. processed raspberries and broken pieces of graham crackers. Layer again with ice cream until it reaches level of top of pan.
Freeze cake approximately 8 hours or overnight, until filling is frozen solid.
FROSTING & FINISHING TOUCHES
Remove cake from mold by wiping outside of mold with a warm wet towel. Place cake on 9″cake board. Using plain fine graham meal, roll sides of cake with graham meal. Freeze cake.
Working quickly, spread 4 oz. non-dairy topping evenly on top of the cake.
Fill drizzle bottle with raspberry puree. Drizzle thin lines of raspberry (3/4″ apart) across the top of the cake. Using a toothpick, cut through lines of raspberry puree to create a “feather” pattern.
Fill pastry bag with remaining non-dairy whipped topping. Using tip #2-E, pipe a shell border all the way around side of cake. Place raspberries on top of shell border, one raspberry on every third shell. Place 6-8 raspberries in center of cake.
Makes (1) 8″ cake - Approximately 47 oz. - Serves 10
