“Ice Cream” Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cups cold water
2 pints nondairy ice cream, flavors of your choice, softened
10 to 15 chocolate-cream sandwich cookies (such as Droxies at Keebler.com), finely ground in a food processor
1 cup strawberry topping or pie filling
16 oz. nondairy whipping cream (try Rich’s at Richs.com), whipped according to package directions (add a drop of food color in the last 30 seconds, if desired)
Tube(s) of decorator frosting, optional

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Stir in the vanilla, vinegar, and oil. Add the water and stir well. Immediately pour the mixture into the two cake pans, dividing evenly, and bake at 350ºF for 30 to 35 minutes.
• Allow the cakes to cool before removing them from the pans, then divide each cake into two layers.
• Put the bottom layer of one cake on a serving platter. Spread one pint of the nondairy ice cream over the top and sprinkle it with the ground cookies. Top it with the top piece of the cake, placed upside down so that the flat side faces up.
• Spread the strawberry topping over the cake and top it with the bottom layer of the other cake. Spread that cake with the remaining ice cream and top it with the final piece of cake so that the rounded side is face up. Ice the entire cake with the nondairy whipped cream.
• Decorate the cake, if desired, then place it, uncovered, in the freezer for several hours to firm up.

Makes one cake or 8-10 servings