Name: Ice-Cream-Cone Cake
Cook time: 3 hr
Total time: 4 1/2 hr
Yield: Makes about 20 servings
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 3 sticks (3/4 pound) unsalted butter, softened; 1 3/4 cups sugar; 4 large eggs at room temperature 30 minutes; 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups whole milk; 7 flat-bottomed wafer cones; 1 1/2 cups whole milk; 9 large egg yolks; 3/4 cup sugar; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 3 1/2 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao if marked), chopped; 6 sticks (1 1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened; 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract; 2 cups coarsely crushed 2-inch chocolate wafers (28 small cookies); Equipment: 2 (8- by 2-inch) round cake pans; a small offset spatula; 2 large pastry bags each fitted with 1/3-inch star tip; 1 small offset spatula; 2 large pastry bags each fitted with 1/3-inch star tip

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Photo by Roland Bello

Kids (and more than a few adults) will almost certainly shriek with joy at the sight of this fantasy dessert. Golden, buttery cake layers sandwich chocolate cookie crumbs and are topped with a custard frosting that calls to mind soft-serve ice cream. Crisp wafer cones are filled with batter and baked into their own little cupcakes, then crowned with swirls of ice-cream-style frosting.

Cooks' notes:

· Cake and cones can be baked 1 day ahead and kept, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
· To quick-chill custard for vanilla buttercream, set in an ice bath and stir until cold, about 5 minutes.
· Vanilla buttercream (without chocolate and cookies) can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature and beat before using.
· We used Ateco 824 star tips for our cake. If you have only 1 pastry bag and tip, pipe vanilla buttercream first, and then chocolate.

Recipe notes

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