Sweet, creamy ice cream, tart strawberries, and covered in a tender strawberry shortcake coating–just like the "old days", but better because it's vegan!
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper. To make the cake, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry and stir to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the middle rack for about 20 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched and the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
To make the filling, place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy and smooth.
To make the topping, place the cookies in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until cookies are finely ground and there are no large pieces.
Add the freeze-dried strawberries and pulse until they are combined with the cookies. Don’t over blend.
Add the coconut oil and pulse a few more times until combined. The mixture should be just moist enough to hold together when pinched
between two fingers.
Pour the filling over the cooled cake and smooth with a knife or offset spatula. Use your hands to evenly sprinkle the topping over the filling, gently pressing it in. Cover and place in the freezer for about 4 hours until completely chilled. To serve, let the cake set out at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes or put it in the refrigerator several hours before serving. Garnish with whipped cream and fresh berries, if desired.
