Ice cream cake

Set the oven to 350.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl and whisk to mix.

In another large bowl whisk the milk, oil, egg and vanilla.

Whisk the wet into the dry until just coming together, then add the half cup of hot coffee. The batter will look far too liquidy and is meant to.

Spray an eight inch pan, line the bottom with a parchment round and transfer the batter in.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes at 350, until the centre springs back when pressed gently or a skewer comes out clean.

Line a second eight inch cake pan fully with plastic wrap in both directions, leaving overhang to pull on, and chill it in the freezer 15 minutes.

Scoop the softened ice cream into the lined pan until full, cover with another sheet of plastic wrap and press it flat.

Freeze the ice cream layer at least two hours until quite firm; it can be made a day or two ahead.

Chop the Oreos small.

Centre the cooled cake layer on a cake plate and smooth one cup of room temperature hot fudge over it in one thick layer.

Sprinkle the chopped cookies on and press them in.

Pull the ice cream layer out by the plastic, remove the plastic leaving the bottom sheet on, flip it upside down onto the cake and centre it, then fold the overhanging plastic over to cover.

Freeze at least an hour. For days ahead, wrap well in plastic and then foil.

Whip the cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla, starting low and working up to high, about three minutes, stopping at very soft peaks.

Finish to stiff peaks by hand so it does not turn to churned butter.

Reserve one cup of whipped cream in a piping bag with a closed star tip and hold it in the fridge.

Cover the cake with the remaining whipped cream and smooth it with an offset spatula and bench scraper, poking any cookies or fudge back in.

For substantial decorations, freeze the frosted cake 45 minutes to an hour so it can support the added weight.

Warm the hot fudge or ganache so it flows but is not hot enough to melt the whipped cream, then pipe a band along the edge and reinforce the drips you want.

Press crushed cookies gently around the bottom as a skirt and pipe a wave or dollops on top.

The finished cake keeps in the freezer about two weeks, covered loosely once frozen through. Let it sit on the counter about five minutes before slicing.