How to Make an Ice Cream Cake

Co-authored by Emily Margolis

Last Updated: November 18, 2020

Ice cream cakes, with layers of cake, ice cream, and icing, are the perfect birthday or special occasion treat. When you make one at home instead of going the store-bought route, you can customize the flavors to create a unique, delicious confection. This recipe is made with layers of sponge cake and a whipped topping.

Ingredients

½ cup (60 g) of flour
½ cup (55 g) of cornstarch
4 eggs, separated
¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 mL) of vanilla extract
¾ cup (170 g) of granulated sugar
4 cups (2 pints) of ice cream
2 cups (470 mL) of heavy whipping cream
½ cup (68 g) of confectioners (powdered) sugar

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making the Cake

1
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and grease and flour the pan. Use butter or margarine to grease a 9 in (23 cm) round cake pan, taking care to ensure that the bottom and sides are completely greased so the cake won't stick to the pan. Sprinkle a little flour in the center of the pan and tip it from side to side, so the flour coats the bottom and sides of the pan. Then, tap away the excess flour.
2
Mix together ½ cup (60 g) of flour and ½ cup (55 g) of cornstarch. Either use a sifter to sift the ingredients or place them in a small bowl and stir them together with a whisk.
- If you'd like to make a chocolate ice cream cake, add 1/2 cup (42.5 g) of cocoa powder to the mixture.
- For a spice cake, add 1/2 teaspoon (1.15 g) of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon (0.55 g) of nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon (0.525 g) of ground cloves.
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3
Make the egg yolk, vanilla, and sugar mixture. Use an electric mixer to beat together 4 egg yolks, ¹⁄₂ teaspoon (2.5 mL) of vanilla extract, and ½ cup (115 g) of granulated sugar. Continue beating until the mixture becomes thick and pale, which takes about 5 minutes.
4
Make the egg white mixture. Place the egg whites and a pinch of salt in a medium mixing bowl. Using a whisk or clean beaters, beat the whites until they form soft peaks. Continue beating the mixture and add the remaining ¼ cup (55 g)of granulated sugar. Keep beating until the egg whites become stiff and glossy.
5
Combine the ingredients. Carefully fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Fold in the flour mixture with a spatula. Be careful not to overmix the ingredients; continue folding them until they are just combined.^{[1]
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6
Pour the batter into the cake pan. Spread it evenly into the pan with a spatula.
7
Place the cake pan in the oven and bake it for 35 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees halfway through to ensure it cooks evenly. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, invert it onto a wire rack or plate, and let it cool completely.
- If the cake seems to be sticking to the sides of the pan, run a rubber spatula around the edge of the cake before attempting to invert it.
- If the cake breaks when you invert it, place the pieces on a plate and allow them to cool. You can still use the cake.
8
Slice the cake. Using a large serrated knife, slice the cake crosswise so that you have 2 thin discs of cake. Wrap each in plastic wrap and place them in the freezer for several hours. You can assemble the cake when the halves are frozen solid.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Layering the Ice Cream

1
Soften the ice cream. Let the pints of ice cream sit out on the counter for a few minutes. When they become soft enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the ice cream into a large bowl. Stir the ice cream with the spoon until it has the consistency of spreadable icing, but isn't too runny.
2
Get the cake ready. While the ice cream is softening, remove the cake halves from the freezer. Unwrap one half and place it on a cake plate. Set the other half aside for now.
3
Alternate cake and ice cream layers. Spread 2 cups (1 pint) of ice cream over the first cake half using a spoon and an offset spatula or knife. Try not to let it spill over the edges of the cake. You should have a thick, solid layer of ice cream. Place the second layer of cake on the layer of ice cream. Spread the second pint of ice cream on top of the cake.^{[2]
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- For a smaller cake, you can leave off the second ice cream layer.
- If you'd prefer to have the cake layer on top, you can still have 2 ice cream layers; after spreading the first ice cream layer, make a layer of crushed cookies or chocolate chips, then spread the second pint of ice cream on top of that before adding the second cake layer.
4
Freeze the cake. Place the cake in the freezer until it is completely frozen, which will take about two to four hours.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Finishing the Ice Cream Cake

1
Make the whipped topping. In a mixing bowl, beat 2 cups (470 mL) of heavy whipping cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks begin to form. Add ½ cup (68 g) of confectioners (powdered) sugar, and continue beating until the topping becomes stiff.
- Don't overbeat the topping, or it will turn into butter. If this happens, add 2–4 tablespoons (30–59 mL) of heavy whipping to the bowl and incorporate it until you reach the desired texture.
- You can add a few drops of food coloring to the whipped cream so that it matches your ice cream. For example, if you're making a strawberry ice cream cake, add a few drops of red food coloring to make a pink topping.
2
Top the cake. Remove the cake from the freezer. Spread the whipped topping on the cake using an offset spatula. If you wish, spread more topping onto the sides of the cake to hide the layers.
- You can decorate the cake with sprinkles, chocolate chips, or fruit if you desire.
- For a fancier cake, place the whipped topping in an icing bag and pipe it onto the cake in a pretty pattern.
3
Freeze the cake. Place it back in the freezer to let the topping harden. The cake is ready to serve when the topping is stiff.

Expert Q&A

Question

Is the topping of gelatin needed?

Emily Margolis
Professional Baker
Emily Margolis is a baking entrepreneur in Baltimore, MD. With over 15 years of baking experience, she founded Baking with Chef Emily in 2018, offering private baking lessons in the D.C. area.

Emily Margolis

Professional Baker

Expert Answer

No, it is not. The whipping cream and confectioners sugar are robust enough to stand on their own.
Question

Do I make a shaped cake with ice cream? Say if I wanted to make a soccer Jersey... Do I make the cake base first and then cut out the shape? And then just add the ice cream on top and shape it?

Emily Margolis
Professional Baker
Emily Margolis is a baking entrepreneur in Baltimore, MD. With over 15 years of baking experience, she founded Baking with Chef Emily in 2018, offering private baking lessons in the D.C. area.

Emily Margolis

Professional Baker

Expert Answer

Yep, you can do exactly that! You can create any shape you like and even tint the whipped topping whatever color you want.
Question

How long is the process for making an ice cream cake?

Qamar

Top Answerer

It depends on freezing time, but it will usually take three to four hours for the whole process.

Warnings

If serving this at a party, get the cake immediately before it is served and put it away after everyone's had their share. If you lack doing this step, the ice cream will melt, leaving a sticky mess and a soggy cake.

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