Ice cream cakes were part of my childhood birthday party experience, but my first memorable ones weren’t until I was in my 30s and working at a restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Any time there was a staff birthday, I’d pick one up at Toscanini’s, a nearby scoop shop that makes (according to the New York Times) “the best ice cream in the world,” just before family meal. I’d inscribe “Happy Birthday” across the top in chocolate; add candles; and whisk it into the dining room, where the whole crew would sing loudly and off-key.
Those few minutes of goofy joy became a special ritual for a serious bunch like us, who spent our shifts laser-focused on shaping perfect agnolotti and nailing the sear on scallops. And the flamboyance and alluring contrast of those cakes set the tone: layers of cold, rich ice cream strewn with crunchy cookies or candy; gooey fudge; and plush cake, all wrapped up in a smooth coat of vanilla-scented whipped cream.
Fast-forward a decade or so, and I’m still charmed by those triple-decker cakes—only this time I decided to make my own for even more memorable festiveness. In full-circle good fortune, I got to talk shop with Gus and Mimi Rancatore, the brother-sister team behind Toscanini’s, and their cake maker, Karen Ross, who shared their approach and their philosophy about the dessert’s universal appeal. Its celebratory vibe is a big part of it, they said,
