Pretzel Drumstick Ice Cream Cake

Summer has made it to D.C. ....well, my definition of summer. My friends keep insisting it's only Spring but once I see my boyfriend melt into a puddle I know Summer has begun. 

my spoils from strawberry picking!

When I moved to DC I was very enamored by this idea that in the Summer people go to pick berries. Growing up in Arizona,  a state where the plants are set to kill you, the idea of a sweet little strawberry just sitting in the sunshine was enticing. Now I go every year. Perhaps you recall such tales from when I went blackberry and blueberry picking, or cherry picking. I have fallen madly in love with Butler's Orchard, a little farm outside of Washington, DC. Summer for Brandon may start with melting into a puddle, but for me Summer is when I finally make it out berry picking!

I planned out the perfect day for Saturday: Pennsylvania Dutch Market and Strawberry Picking! Tis the season after all! Now, I didn't take photos at the market....pretty sure that's a no no, BUT, I did take pictures of some of the foods I scored for my strawberry picking picnic! Those beautiful sandwiches are made on bread so fresh it was still warm when I cut it! On the left, we have my personal favorite made with Gorgonzola, pepper turkey, and strawberries on warm soft freshly baked bread. On the right we have Brie, strawberries, basil, and pepper turkey. Amazing! 

As if the sandwiches weren't good enough, I of course picked up every kind of potato salad I saw: German, red, and yellow. I love love LOVED the German potato salad. I truly did. It had bacon? What was not to love?!

if you are wondering, all the plates and cups came from Anthropologie

I also made us up some lemonade and brought a few fixing to please the crowd. I highly recommend trying basil in your lemonade. Ever since I made lemon basil soda I can't leave the combination alone. I love the peppery kick it adds. If you're more of a traditionalist, perhaps adding pomegranate schnapps or watermelon liqueur will be more your style. Just add 50ml to a cup of lemonade and you've got yourself a nice little cocktail!

TIP: Summer calls for lemonade in a hurry. I keep frozen lemon juice ice cubes in the freezer, and a jar of simple syrup at the ready. Voila! Instant homemade lemonade! Throw a few lemon juice cubes in a glass, add simple syrup and water! 

After a LONG day in the beautiful summer sun walking around strawberry fields, picking over a Pennsylvania Dutch Market, and picnicking in the beautiful fields of Butler's Orchard we needed a cold treat: Pretzel Drumstick Ice Cream Cake! It's a little sweet, a little salty, a bit of crunch and super easy. Perhaps you noticed that luscious cake up top? If not it's posted below, yet again. It was a great centerpiece for sitting around and talking about our lovely excursion!

Making a Drumstick Cake was super fun! I got the idea to do it as an adaptation from an ice cream sandwich cake I saw on RealSimple.com.  I had thought I'd have a rough time cutting the cones in half to create the scalloped look. NOPE! It was easy and really a great use for fancying up a Drumstick into a pretty ice cream cake!

My day was perfect. The sun was gorgeous, the strawberries ripe, the bread freshly baked, the boyfriend remained solidified despite the heat, and the ice cream cake was rich. Absolutely wonderful. I hope all of you get to enjoy the same. If not the strawberries and sunshine, at least the cake!

Enjoy!

Pretzel Drumstick Ice Cream Cake
Full disclosure: Nestlé has provided me with free product and other items in order to help with my review, but anything I receive from Nestle does not affect my thoughts on its company or their products. 

1 box of Nestle Pretzel Cone Drumsticks
1 box mix for brownies, plus the eggs and oil it asks for (I used Ghirardelli dark chocolate mix)
1 cup caramel sauce
1 cup of pretzels

Bake brownies according to box instruction in an 8 inch round pan. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Cut brownies into a top and bottom layer. Line another 8 inch pan with plastic wrap, covering the bottom and sides. Place bottom layer in to pan. Set top layer aside.

Cut the ice cream tops off of the Drumsticks. Set aside. Cut each drumstick in half and place ice cream side down on top of the brownie. Repeat with remaining Drumsticks.

Take the ice cream tops of the Drumsticks and smash together to create a chunky ice cream. Layer this over top of the Drumstick Cones.

Crumble top half of the brownies over top. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the freezer for 4-6 hours.

When ready to serve remove the cake from the pan and top with caramel sauce and pretzels.