Homemade Ice Cream Cake Recipe

Recipe Information

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Freeze Time: 6–8 hours
Total Time: 7–9 hours
Yield: 12–16 servings

Ingredients

For the Cake Layer

1 box cake mix (any flavor) or homemade cake
Ingredients required by the cake mix package

Popular Cake Choices:

Chocolate Cake
Vanilla Cake
Funfetti Cake
Red Velvet Cake
Devil’s Food Cake

For the Ice Cream Layer

2 quarts (about 2 liters) ice cream, slightly softened

Flavor Ideas:

Vanilla
Chocolate
Cookies and Cream
Mint Chocolate Chip
Strawberry
Cookie Dough
Rocky Road
Peanut Butter Cup
Coffee
Salted Caramel

Crunch Layer (Optional)

20 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
4 tablespoons melted butter
½ cup chocolate fudge sauce

Whipped Cream Frosting

2 cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Decoration Ideas

Sprinkles
Chocolate chips
Cookie crumbles
Candy pieces
Chocolate curls
Fresh fruit
Caramel drizzle
Chocolate sauce

Instructions

Step 1: Bake the Cake

Prepare and bake the cake according to package or recipe directions.
Use two 8-inch round cake pans or one 9×13-inch pan.
Allow the cake to cool completely.

Step 2: Prepare the Pan

Line a springform pan or cake pan with plastic wrap.
Leave enough overhang to help lift the cake later.

Step 3: Create the Ice Cream Layer

Remove the ice cream from the freezer.
Let it soften for 10–15 minutes.
Spread the softened ice cream into the prepared pan.
Smooth the top with an offset spatula.
Freeze for 1–2 hours until firm.

Step 4: Make the Crunch Layer (Optional)

Mix crushed cookies with melted butter.
Stir until evenly coated.
Spread over the frozen ice cream layer.
Drizzle with fudge sauce.
Freeze for 30 minutes.

This layer adds the classic ice cream cake crunch.

Step 5: Assemble the Cake

Option A: Two-Layer Cake

Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
Carefully remove the frozen ice cream layer from the pan.
Place it on top of the cake.
Add the second cake layer.

Option B: Single Cake Layer

Place the cake layer on a serving platter.
Top with the frozen ice cream layer.

Step 6: Freeze

Wrap the assembled cake tightly.
Freeze for at least 4–6 hours or overnight.

The cake should be completely firm before frosting.

Step 7: Make the Whipped Cream Frosting

Add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a chilled bowl.
Beat until stiff peaks form.
Do not overbeat.

Step 8: Frost the Cake

Remove the cake from the freezer.
Quickly frost the top and sides with whipped cream.
Return to the freezer for 20–30 minutes.

Step 9: Decorate

Choose your favorite toppings:

Chocolate Lovers

Chocolate chips
Chocolate curls
Fudge drizzle

Cookies & Cream

Crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
Mini cookies

Strawberry Shortcake

Fresh strawberries
Crushed vanilla cookies

Birthday Cake

Colorful sprinkles
Candies
Whipped cream swirls

Flavor Combinations

Cookies & Cream Dream

Chocolate cake
Cookies and cream ice cream
Cookie crunch layer

Mint Chocolate Chip

Chocolate cake
Mint chocolate chip ice cream
Chocolate ganache drizzle

Strawberry Delight

Vanilla cake
Strawberry ice cream
Fresh strawberries

Peanut Butter Chocolate

Chocolate cake
Peanut butter cup ice cream
Peanut butter drizzle

Birthday Party Cake

Funfetti cake
Vanilla ice cream
Rainbow sprinkles

Mocha Madness

Chocolate cake
Coffee ice cream
Chocolate-covered espresso beans

Expert Tips

Work Quickly

Ice cream melts fast, so keep components frozen whenever possible.

Use a Springform Pan

It makes removing the ice cream layer much easier.

Freeze Between Layers

Firm layers are easier to stack and create cleaner slices.

Warm Your Knife

Dip a sharp knife in hot water before slicing for neat cuts.

Storage

Freezer

Store tightly wrapped for up to 1 month.

Serving

Let the cake sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before slicing.

Make Ahead

Can be made up to 3 days in advance.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with:

Hot fudge sauce
Caramel sauce
Fresh berries
Whipped cream
Chocolate shavings