Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 teaspoon red food color
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (see note)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans. In large mixer bowl beat butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add eggs and food color; blend well.
Stir together flour, cocoa and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to batter mixture, beating until well blended.
Stir baking soda into vinegar; fold carefully into batter (do not beat). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
One day before assembling cake: Thaw ice cream until soft, but not melted (about 15 minutes at room temperature). Place in bowl and stir until smooth. Line 9-inch cake pan with plastic wrap and fill with ice cream, pack down and smooth the top. Place in freezer.

To assemble cake:
(Can be assembled and frozen 24 hours before serving.)
Place one cake layer on serving plate. Remove and unwrap ice cream layer; place on cake, place remaining cake layer on top. Frost with your favorite buttercream frosting. Sprinkle on coconut and press onto icing. Return to freezer. Remove 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Place stars randomly on cake.

Directions

To make stars:

Tint 1/4 package of rolled fondant blue, 1/4 red, leave remaining 1/2 white. Follow instructions on package for tinting and rolling. Roll 1/8-inch thick; cut stars and let dry overnight. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

(Note: to make sour milk: use 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup.)