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Chocolate-Berry Ice Cream Cake

Berries are a dream team in this triple-decker dessert. Cool and sweet raspberry sorbet is the perfect topper to blackberry-studded ice cream; rich chocolate cake sets it all off.

Chocolate-Berry Ice Cream Cake

Everyday Food editor Sarah Carey shows you how to make a fabulous ice cream cake that's fun enough for a summer soiree and elegant enough for a dinner party. Best of all, the freezer does most of the work!

Everyday Food, May 2011
  • Prep Time 15 minutes
  • Total Time 4 hours
  • Yield Serves 8
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Ingredients

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen blackberries (5 ounces)
  • 1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
  • 1 pint raspberry sorbet, softened

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat an 8-inch springform cake pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in egg yolk, buttermilk, 1/4 cup warm water, oil, and vanilla. Pour batter into pan and bake until cake pulls away from sides and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack, 1 1/2 hours. Cut one or two pieces parchment paper 1 inch taller than pan side and place between cake and inside of pan, overlapping if necessary (parchment should fit snugly around entire circumference of cake).

  2. Place blackberries in a medium bowl and lightly mash with a fork. Stir in vanilla ice cream. Working quickly, spread ice cream mixture in an even layer over cooled cake with a small offset or rubber spatula. Freeze until ice cream is very firm, 2 hours. In a small bowl, stir sorbet until spreadable. Spread in an even layer over ice cream and freeze until set, 1 hour (or, covered, up to 1 week). To serve, unmold cake and peel away parchment.

Cook's Note

To get perfect portions, run your knife under hot water between slices.

Recipe Reviews

Reviews (2)

  • awesome_baker77
    2 Sep, 2012

    i melted the vanilla icecream wayyy too much! i added the berries anyway... and put it back in the freezer! I'm sooo nervous rite now cuz i put the vanilla icecream tht wuz really melty on the cake!! i put it directly in the freezer... thts whr it is rite now!

  • awesome_baker77
    2 Sep, 2012

    i melted the vanilla icecream wayyy too much! i added the berries anyway... and put it back in the freezer! I'm sooo nervous rite now cuz i put the vanilla icecream tht wuz really melty on the cake!! i put it directly in the freezer... thts whr it is rite now!