This easy, step-by-step guide to making the perfect Ice Cream Cake will be your new favorite! No baking is required for this nostalgic, tasty layered dessert. Filled with crushed Oreos, fudge, caramel, and chocolate and vanilla ice cream, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Ice Cream Cake
- Easy – Each layer is just one or two ingredients making putting it together simple! You’ll love how easy it is.
- Amazing Texture and Flavor – Crushed Oreos, silky ice cream, sticky caramel, and thick, gooey fudge. Oh my!
- Fun for All Ages – Whether it’s for a birthday cake or a simple family dessert, people of all ages will enjoy this ice cream cake recipe.
Ice Cream Cake Recipe
There’s something truly magical about ice cream cakes and making them at home just got SO much easier with this layer-by-layer recipe. Just like in our Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake the crunchy Oreos add texture and make the whole thing even more tasty.
If you love fudge and caramel together, you’ll love the cookie layers, whose flavors remind me of our Turtle Pie Recipe! The cake is topped with a light whipped frosting that you can decorate however you choose. It’s truly the perfect dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients in Ice Cream Layer Cake
The ingredients are all easy to find in your local grocery store, and can also be substituted to fit your preferences. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream – These are the flavors we used to make this recipe, however, you can substitute with your favorite flavors, and even use dairy-free ice cream if you’d like!
- Oreos – Regular Oreo cookies work great in this recipe but you can substitute with store brand, organic, gluten-free, or a different cookie altogether.
- Fudge and Caramel Sauce – Choose the brands you like the most. Look for a thick, rich hot fudge sauce. Salted caramel would be a tasty choice.
- Heavy Cream – Thick and creamy, the heavy cream whips into a light and fluffy whipped frosting for the cake.
- Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar sweetens the frosting, and incorporates smoothly for a silky, fluffy icing.
- Vanilla – Use vanilla extract to flavor the icing, or swap it with almond extract for a flavor twist.
- Salt
How to Make an Ice Cream Cake
Use a springform pan for this recipe. It’s tall enough for the layers and makes removing the cake a cinch! Here’s how to do it:
- Line the pan with plastic wrap and set aside.
- Mix the softened chocolate ice cream with crushed Oreos and press into the pan. Freeze for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix the remaining crushed Oreos with the caramel and set aside.
- Add the warmed fudge sauce to the top of the ice cream, freeze for 20 minutes, and add the caramel mixture. Freeze for 20 more minutes.
- Press the softened vanilla ice cream into an even layer, and freeze for at least 1 hour.
- Add the frosting ingredients to a bowl and whip with a mixer until it forms stiff peaks.
- Remove the frozen cake from the pan, frost, decorate, cut into slices, and serve!
TIP – Run your knife under hot water before slicing the cake layers to make smooth cuts!
Ice Cream Cake Ideas
Customizing this Ice Cream Cake Recipe is easy! Here are some ideas to make it your own:
Ice Cream Flavors – This recipe uses the classics of chocolate and vanilla, but your options are endless here! Use strawberry, cookies n’ cream, mint chocolate chip, butter pecan, fruit-filled, nut-filled, candy-filled — Anything goes!
Cookies – The crushed cookies give the cake texture and add flavors as a layer of the cake. Oreos work well because they stand up to the ice cream without disintegrating. Golden Oreos, Thin Mints, Biscoff cookies, and firm chocolate chip cookies would all be great choices.
Toppings – The whipped frosting is so good on this ice cream cake, but you can sprinkle and drizzle so many other things on top. Try fresh fruit, toasted nuts, coconut, chocolate shavings, or crushed pretzels for a salty bite.
Storing
Ice Cream Cake needs to be stored in the freezer. Cover it tightly (either with plastic wrap or in a large airtight container) and freeze for up to 1-2 weeks.
TIP: Even if the cake is sliced, it can still be stored well! Just add a piece of parchment paper between each slice and then store in an airtight container.
More Frozen Dessert Recipes to Try
- Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream
- Moose Tracks Ice Cream
- Banana Pudding Ice Cream
- Frozen Mango Margarita
- Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino
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Ice Cream Cake
Equipment
- Springform Pan
Ingredients
Layer 1
- 2 quarts chocolate ice cream softened
- 1/2 cup crushed Oreos
Layer 2
- 3/4 cup hot fudge warmed
Layer 3
- 1 1/2 cups crushed Oreos about 16 Oreos
- 4 Tablespoons caramel warmed
Layer 4
- 2 quarts vanilla ice cream softened
Whipped cream frosting:
- 2 cups heavy cream chilled
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Sprinkles for topping
Instructions
- Let the chocolate ice cream thaw for about 20-30 minutes at room temperature.
- Line a springform pan with plastic wrap. Set aside.
- Combine the chocolate ice cream with ½ cup of crushed Oreos. Mix well to combine.
- Add to the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes to set.
- Meanwhile, combine the 1 1/2 cups of crushed Oreos with 4 tablespoons of warmed caramel. Set aside.
- Pour the fudge over the chocolate ice cream.
- Freeze for 20 minutes.
- Let the vanilla ice cream thaw for about 20-30 minutes while you do the next step.
- Add the crushed Oreo/caramel mixture on top, press down, and freeze for 20 minutes.
- Add the vanilla ice cream on top and freeze for at least 1 hour.
- To make the whipped cream, add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt to a large bowl. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Frost the cake with the whipped cream and decorate as desired.
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