Ice Cream Cake
Layers of vanilla and chocolate ice cream over a crushed chocolate biscuit base, topped with chocolate sauce and nuts.
Where This Goes Wrong
Press the base down hard.
Soften the ice cream, do not melt it.
If the slices stick, dip the knife in hot water.
Add the sauce at the last moment.
Making Ice Cream Cake
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Line the base of a 20 cm springform tin with cling film. Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter and press firmly into the base.
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Soften the vanilla ice cream until spreadable and spread it over the base. Level the top.
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Spread the softened chocolate ice cream over the vanilla. Cover and freeze for 5 hours until solid.
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Run a warm knife around the edge and release the tin. Top with the chocolate sauce and hazelnuts and slice with a hot knife.
What's Going On Here
Ice cream cake is mostly patience. You spread, you wait, you spread again, and nothing goes near an oven.
The base is crushed chocolate sandwich biscuits and melted butter, pressed hard into a 20 cm springform tin. Press it with the back of a spoon until it is flat and tightly packed. A firm base is what lets you cut clean slices. A loose one crumbles when the knife goes through.
Let the ice cream soften at room temperature until it spreads like thick paste, not until it is runny. Melted ice cream refreezes grainy and icy. Spread the vanilla first, level it, then add the chocolate.
Freeze the cake for 5 hours until solid. Take it out 10 minutes before slicing, run a warm knife around the edge, and finish with chocolate sauce and chopped nuts just before serving. Choose ice creams that suit each other, as a mild vanilla beside a bitter chocolate shows off both.
After You've Cooked It
Keeps in the freezer for 1 month, covered. Soften for 10 minutes before slicing.
Good With
- Fresh berries
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate sauce
- Hot coffee
Common Questions About Ice Cream Cake
How long does Ice Cream Cake take to make?
About 20 minutes of hands-on work — 20 minutes of preparation and of cooking — plus 5 hours of Freezing, so allow 5 hours 20 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 10.
What are the key tips for making Ice Cream Cake?
Press the base down hard. Soften the ice cream, do not melt it. If the slices stick, dip the knife in hot water. Add the sauce at the last moment.
What should I serve with Ice Cream Cake?
Fresh berries; Whipped cream; Chocolate sauce; Hot coffee.
Can Ice Cream Cake be made ahead or frozen?
Keeps in the freezer for 1 month, covered. Soften for 10 minutes before slicing.
Is Ice Cream Cake suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Ice Cream Cake?
About 437 kcal per serving, with 6 g protein, 47 g carbohydrate and 25 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
What's in a Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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