20 Must-Make Ice Cream Cake Recipes
What better way to cool off on a hot summer day than with a slice of one of these decadent treats?
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Whether celebrating a birthday, hosting a socially distanced summer cookout, or just enjoying warm summer weather, ice cream cakes are one of our favorite cooling desserts—and we think you'll agree. Another thing we love about them? The possibilities really are endless: Start with a cookie crumb crust or a base made from blondie or brownie batter, top the base with your favorite flavors of ice cream (think beyond the usual chocolate and vanilla), then garnish with classic ice cream shop toppings such as sprinkles, maraschino cherries, whipped cream, nuts, and lots and lots of hot fudge or caramel sauce.
In the Brownie Sundae Ice Cream Cake that you see right here, we've taken everything we love about the classic chocolate sundae and turned it into an extravagant ice cream cake. We're talking layers of brownies, vanilla and strawberry ice cream, crunchy peanut butter, and crushed raspberries topped with whipped cream, sugared peanuts, and cherries. We also have an ice cream cake recipe that swaps out the brownie for a chocolate chip-studded blondie. Layered with vanilla ice cream and covered with a velvety chocolate ganache, it's just the slice for a serious sweet tooth.
You will also find cake recipes inspired by classic ice cream sundaes such as a banana split, a Neapolitan-inspired layer cake, and an over-the-top baked Alaska cake. The beauty of these ice cream cake recipes is that you can swap in different flavors based on what you love the most.
Skip the cup or cone and cool off with a slice of these ice cream cake recipes.
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Banana-Split Ice Cream Cake
Inspired by the old-fashioned sundae, this ice cream sheet cake is garnished with all of the fixings—bananas, maraschino cherries, bananas, walnuts, and a cloud-like whipped cream topping.
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Triple-Chocolate Ice Cream Cake
Chocolate lovers will adore this over-the-top ice cream cake. Sliced chocolate cake is layered with white chocolate ganache and chocolate ice cream, then topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
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Berries-and-Cherries Ice Cream Cake
Fresh berries and cherries are folded into a combination of softened cherry ice cream and whipped cream for this sweet-tart ice cream cake covered in silky chocolate ganache.
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Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake
Instead of the usual chocolate ice cream, we lightened up this Neapolitan-inspired ice cream cake with pistachio ice cream, which gives each slice a pale green hue. It's topped with sliced strawberries and chopped pistachios.
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Blondie Ice Cream Cake
This may be our most genius ice cream cake recipe ever. Instead of the usual cookie crumb crust, this dessert features a base made from blondies. More chopped blondies are folded into softened vanilla ice cream, which is spread into the pan and covered with chocolate ganache.
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Grasshopper Dome Ice Cream Cake
Enjoy a slice of mint chocolate heaven with this ice cream cake. It's formed in a glass mixing bowl, which gives it a distinctive dome-like shape.
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Eggnog Semifreddo Genoise Cake with Meringue Frosting
For the holiday season, make this ice cream cake, which is spiked with rum, and spiced with ground nutmeg, and topped with a billowing torched meringue.
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Chocolate Ice Cream Cake with Hazelnuts and Marshmallow Swirl
The definition of decadence! Team up chocolate cake with marshmallow swirl, chocolate ice cream, and toasted hazelnuts for this over-the-top dessert.
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Coffee Meringue-Ice Cream Cake
Surprise and delight the coffee lovers in your life with this stunning dessert. Elevate store-bought coffee ice cream with flaky sea salt and ground coffee beans and sandwich the whole shebang between coffee-swirled meringues.
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Chocolate-Berry Ice Cream Cake
This is a triple-threat dessert, and that's thanks to the layers of raspberry sorbet, blackberry-studded vanilla ice cream, and moist chocolate cake.
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Baked Alaska Bombe
This was once served at Martha's birthday party, so you know we had to pull out all the stops. Stripes of raspberry, blueberry, and vanilla ice cream are encased in meringue frosting and served with fresh blueberries, almond dacquoise cookies, and raspberry and blueberry coulis.
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Striped Frozen-Yogurt Terrine
Substituting frozen yogurt is a healthy and delicious way to enjoy ice cream cake. Whip up colorful purées with summer fruits and Greek yogurt, layer them with your favorite whole-wheat biscuit crackers, and freeze.
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Striped Ice Cream Cake
A simple angel-food sheet cake serves as the base for this five-stripe wonder. Colors and flavors provided by blueberry jam, vanilla ice cream, raspberry sorbet, and peach sorbet.
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Fudgy Ice Cream Cake
Alternate graham crackers with vanilla ice cream and homemade fudge sauce to make this impressive cake. Whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa are the perfect final flourish.
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Seven-Layer Ice Cream Cake
Want to elicit oohs and ahhs from your guests? Serve this show-stopping seven-layer number. It's easier to make than you might think, especially if you use store-bought frozen pound cake.
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Baked Alaska with Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Ice Cream
This treat is not for the faint of heart! Chocolate cake and ice cream are enrobed in a thick blanket of meringue and baked until beautifully caramelized.
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Matzo Chocolate-Mint Ice Cream Cake
Ice cream cake is the perfect dessert for any special occasion, including Passover. Spread matzo crackers with rich chocolate ganache and crown them with chocolate and mint chip ice cream.
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Peaches-and-Cream Ice Cream Cake
Make the most of peach season with this luscious dessert. It includes a layer of vanilla ice cream mixed with fresh peaches, two layers of peach sorbet, and a base of buttermilk cake.
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Inside-Out Strawberry Ice Cream Cake
Whoa, ice cream on the outside? Yes, this topsy-turvy dessert smothers buttermilk-and-strawberry cake in vanilla ice-cream frosting.