Ok, I tried the About.com recipe, which was essentially chocolate milk, sweetened condensed milk and cool whip. (I added some HersheyÂs syrup to make it more chocolate-y). It didnÂt turn out to be what I hoped for, and given the ingredients, I know why - itÂs really more like ice milk than ice cream. It didnÂt freeze well in the ice cream maker, instead staying at a WendyÂs Frosty consistency  and thatÂs kind of what it tasted like, too (which isnÂt bad of course, just not what I was going for) When I put it in the freezer, it froze very solid, too solid. Taking it out of the container was like a granita. the next time we're in this "predicament" of too much chocolate milk, I'll try a recipe with more fat, either from cream or eggs. Until then, I have a stash of this ice milk in the freeze which will make quite a few awesome milk shakes...

Tennessee Banana-Black Walnut Cake with Caramel Frosting courtesy Paula Deen Yield: 12 servings Cake: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 2 ripe bananas, mashed 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup chopped black walnuts* Frosting: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more as necessary 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1 (16-ounce) box confectioners sugar 2 cups finely chopped black walnuts, for garnish (optional)* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans. For the cake: In a medium bowl, stir together flour and baking soda; set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream together shortening and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add flour mixture, mix until just combined. Stir in black walnuts. Pour into prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pans on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare frosting. Melt butter in small saucepan. Add brown sugar and 1/3 cup cream. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Transfer to a large bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat in confectioners' sugar a little at a time until smooth. If frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon heavy cream at a time until consistency is right. Sandwich 2 layers of cake with frosting. Frost the outside of the cake. Press chopped black walnuts on the sides of the cake, if desired. *Cook's Note: DO NOT substitute English walnuts for black walnuts. BANANA SPICE CAKE Yield: 12 servings Bananas, pecans and currants give rich flavor to this recipe. Baking 1 hrs. 20 min. 3/4 cup currants or raisins 1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, melted* 2 eggs 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 3 medium bananas, peeled, chopped 1/2-inch 3/4 cup chopped pecans Topping Ingredients: Vanilla ice cream, if desired Caramel sauce, if desired Instructions: Heat oven to 325°F. Combine currants and orange liqueur in small bowl; let soak 30 minutes. Drain well. Set aside. Combine sugar, butter, eggs, orange peel and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves. Beat until well mixed. Stir in soaked currants, bananas and pecans by hand. Spoon into greased and floured 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 80 to 90 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove sides of pan. Cool completely. (Cake may dip slightly in center upon cooling.) Top each serving of cake with ice cream and drizzle with caramel sauce, if desired. *Substitute LAND O LAKES® Soft Baking Butter with Canola Oil. Calories: 330 Banana Cake Cockaigne Adapted from Joy of Cooking Grease and flour 2 round cake pans (8 or 9 inch) or one 9X13 inch rectangular pan. I usually line pans with waxed paper before I grease and flour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Mash two ripe bananas, or enough to make one cup. Add 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (fat free is OK) ot buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla Sift together: 2 1/4 cups flour (Cake flour) 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt Cream in a large mixing bowl: 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup butter Add 2 eggs, one at a time, Add the flour mixture, alternating with the banana puree, STIR until smooth after each addition. ( DO NOT OVER MIX...THINK MOISTEN) Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and bake at 350 until the cake springs back when touched, about 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if serving warm or frost with a chocolate frosting, mock whipped cream frosting. or a cream cheese frosting. I make it with the Mock Whipped Cream Frosting and sprinkle the filling and top with a crushed Heath Bar. Mock Whiipped Cream Frosting Ingredients: 2/3 cup milk 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup sugar 2/3 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened 1/2 teaspoon vanilla combine milk, 2 tablespoons flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil (4 to 6 minutes). Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Cover surface with plastic food wrap; cool completely (1 hour). Beat 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in large bowl at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Continue beating, gradually adding cooled flour mixture and scraping bowl often, until light and fluffy. Frost cooled cake. Banana Cake Mocha Frosting: 6c powdered sugar 1/2c cocoa 1/2c butter, softened 1/2c brewed strong coffee Sift powdered sugar and cocoa` together. Add softened butter and mix on very low speed till incorporated. Add coffee and beat till smooth.

Is the recipe you mean by the base? It's from the University of Illinois Extension. How to Make a Friendship Cake Starter There are a least a hundred versions of the starter and the resulting bread or cake recipe going around. There is one with fruit, one with nuts, one made with whole wheat flour and raisins and the list goes on and on. Here is one method for starting the starter. Friendship Cake Starter Recipe 1 package active dry yeast 3 cups warm water (105° to 115°F), divided 2 cups all purpose flour, sifted 2 tablespoons sugar Starter food Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water, stirring well; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly. Combine remaining water, flour and sugar in a medium size, non-metallic bowl; mix well. Add dissolved yeast and stir well. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or cheesecloth and let stand in a warm place (80°-85°F) three days, stirring 2-3 times daily. Place fermented mixture in refrigerator at this point. Stir daily and use within 11 days. Always bring starter to room temperature before using in cake recipe. Allow to set in a warm place for one hour or longer before using. Stir well, then measure amount needed for recipe. Or on day 10 divide the mixture. Measure two to three cups starter for recipe. Divide remaining starter into one cup portions. Place in plastic or glass containers, loosely cover with plastic wrap. Keep one cup for yourself and give one cup each to friends along with the "Nurturing Your Starter" instructions and cake recipe. Nurturing Your Starter Starter Food--Your starter should have a sweet yeasty smell. If at any time you notice signs of spoilage toss the starter and begin again. Do not add milk, cream, or eggs to starter or it may produce harmful bacteria. Day #1 -- The day your receive your 1 cup of starter, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon, let it sit on a counter, loosely covered with crumpled plastic wrap or wax paper for one day. Do not refrigerate at this point. Use a nonmetallic container. Day #2, 3, 4 -- Refrigerate, stir the mixture each day, keep loosely covered. Day #5 -- Transfer starter to a larger glass or ceramic jar or bowl. Add the following "starter food." 1 cup water 1 cup flour 1 cup sugar Stir to mix, cover loosely and return batter to the refrigerator. Mixture will expand. Your container should not be more than half full. Refrigerate the starter at this point. Day #6, 7, 8, 9 -- Stir only and keep refrigerated, loosely covered. Day # 10 -- You may need to transfer the batter to an even larger container. Add more starter food and stir. Allow starter to sit at room temperature for one hour. Remove 3 cup for three friends, and measure 3 cups for the following recipe. Note: If you keep a cup for yourself, start over, beginning with Day #1. Fruit & Nuts Friendship Cake 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 cup sugar 2 cups all purpose flour 2/3 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons baking powder 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup chopped apples 3 cups starter 1 cup raisins or chopped nuts 1 egg plus 2 egg whites Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, set aside. In another large bowl mix starter, egg and whites, sugar, oil and vanilla. Add flour mixture, apples and raisins or nuts. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan or 9 x 11 loaf pan. Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool, dust with powdered sugar. Note: Any combination of fruit and nuts can be used as long as the total equals 2 cups. Try crushed, drained pineapples, dates, pecans, or almonds.

Here is the recipe I use, everyone loves it: Chocolate Melting Cake 10 TB unsalted butter, diced 1 1/2 cup sugar 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped 2 TB cornstarch 3 large eggs plus 4 large yolks at room temperature 2 tsp Grand Marnier (I refuse to buy this just for this one recipe & don't miss it) Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat to 350°F. Lightly butter 8 ramekins & dust with granulated sugar. Melt bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate and 10 TB butter in a bowl over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth, remove from heat to cool a bit. In a large bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups sugar and cornstarch together. Add chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Add eggs, yolks and liquor and whisk until fully combined. If chocolate is still warm, you may need to temper the eggs as you add them to the chocolate. Scoop 1/2 cup of batter into each buttered ramekin. Place filled ramekins on baking sheets and bake until tops are set, have formed shiny crusts and are beginning to crack, 16-20 minutes. Cool for before serving and serve with coffee ice cream. I don't think Carnival dusts the ramekins with the granulated sugar which adds an interesting crunch to the edge that I like. Otherwise, it tastes very similar. You may have to adjust cooking time, my oven is a few degrees off & takes 20-21 minutes to get it the way I want it. I can't remember where I got the recipe, possibly from someone on this forum.