Let’s assemble this fun, frozen M&M cake:

1. Prepare Filling:

• Crush about 3/4 of the M&M’s candies. You can pulse them briefly in a food processor or place them in a sturdy zip-top bag and gently crush them with a rolling pin or mallet. Leave some slightly larger pieces for texture. Reserve the remaining 1/4 of the M&M’s (whole or roughly chopped) and the reserved crushed M&M’s for garnish.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the hot fudge sauce and 1 cup of the thawed Cool Whip. Whisk or stir until blended.
• Add the dry instant chocolate pudding mix powder to the Cool Whip/fudge mixture. Stir well for about 2 minutes until thoroughly combined and slightly thickened.
• Stir in the crushed M&M’s (the larger portion you crushed). Set aside briefly.

2. Assemble First Layer:

• Lay out a 24-inch long piece of aluminum foil on your work surface.
• Arrange 4 ice cream sandwiches side-by-side in the center of the foil to form the base layer (a 1×4 rectangle).

3. Add First Filling Layer:

• Spread half of the prepared Cool Whip/fudge/pudding/M&M mixture evenly over the first layer of ice cream sandwiches.

4. Assemble Second Layer:

• Place another layer of 4 ice cream sandwiches directly on top of the filling mixture.
• Spread the remaining half of the Cool Whip/fudge/pudding/M&M mixture evenly over the second layer of sandwiches.

5. Add Third Sandwich Layer:

• Place the final layer of 4 ice cream sandwiches on top.

6. Frost with Cool Whip:

• Gently spread the remaining thawed Cool Whip (from the 16 oz tub) over the top and sides of the assembled ice cream sandwich layers, frosting it like a cake.

7. Garnish:

• Sprinkle the reserved crushed M&M’s over the top.
• Press the reserved whole or roughly chopped M&M’s onto the top and sides for decoration.

8. Wrap and Freeze:

• Loosely wrap the entire cake assembly with the aluminum foil.
• Carefully transfer the wrapped cake to the freezer. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until completely firm and set.

9. Final Touches and Serve:

• Just before serving, unwrap the frozen cake. If desired, drizzle with extra chocolate sauce (like hot fudge, slightly warmed) and add sprinkles.
• Slice the frozen cake using a large, sharp knife (run under hot water for easier cutting) and serve immediately.

A super fun and easy frozen party cake!