Must-Make Ice Cream Cake Recipes

Chris Court

We all scream for ice cream…cakes! They’re spectacular make-ahead desserts and can be as simple or as fancy as you please. Whatever you choose, they’ll appeal to adults and kids alike and are a delightful way to celebrate a birthday or end a dinner party.

Start Slideshow

1 of 22

Chocolate Ice Cream Cake with Hazelnuts and Marshmallow Swirl

Chris Court

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

The definition of decadence! Team up chocolate cake with marshmallow swirl, chocolate ice cream, and toasted hazelnuts for this over-the-top dessert.

Advertisement

Advertisement

2 of 22

Brownie Sundae Ice Cream Cake

Johnny Miller

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

We’ve taken everything we love about the classic sundae and turned it into one 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.

3 of 22

Coffee Meringue-Ice Cream Cake

Jonathan Lovekin

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

Advertisement

4 of 22

Chocolate-Berry Ice Cream Cake

Con Poulos

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

A triple-threat dessert, thanks to the layers of raspberry sorbet, blackberry-studded vanilla ice cream, and moist chocolate cake.

5 of 22

Baked Alaska Bombe

Frederic Lagrange

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This was 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.

6 of 22

Raspberry Ice Cream Cake

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Transform storebought or homemade pound cake into a dessert that’s fancy enough for company by layering it with vanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries and finishing it with a snowy dusting of powdered sugar.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

7 of 22

Striped Ice Cream Cake

Ditte Isager

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

8 of 22

Fudgy Ice Cream Cake

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

9 of 22

7-Layer Ice Cream Cake

Johnny Miller

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Want to elicit oohs and aahs from your guests? Serve this show-stopping 7-layer number. It’s easier to make than you might think, especially if you use store-bought frozen pound cake.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

10 of 22

Baked Alaska with Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Ice Cream

Nigel Cox

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Not for the faint of heart! Chocolate cake and ice cream are enrobed in a thick blanket of meringue and baked until beautifully caramelized.

11 of 22

Striped Frozen-Yogurt Terrine

Johnny Miller

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Substituting froyo is a healthy, delicious way to enjoy ice cream cake. Whip up colorful purees with summer fruits and Greek yogurt, layer them with your favorite whole-wheat biscuit crackers, and freeze.

12 of 22

Matzo Chocolate-Mint Ice Cream Cake

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

13 of 22

Banana Split Bombe

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

What does a banana split want to be when it grows up? This sensational bombe! Banana cake, three kinds of ice cream, and a topping of chocolate and pistachios create flavor fireworks.

14 of 22

Lemon-Raspberry Semifreddo

Johnny Miller

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

A five-ingredient marvel that only requires 15 minutes of prep -- just amp up lemon curd with heavy cream, layer with ladyfingers and raspberry puree, and freeze.Try Our Other Elegant But Easy Semifreddo Recipes

15 of 22

Peaches-and-Cream Ice Cream Cake

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

16 of 22

Tropical Sorbet Terrine

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Cool down with this four-ingredient terrine. All you need is three kinds of sorbet (coconut, raspberrey, and mango) for the layers and shredded coconut for the topping.

17 of 22

Genoise Roll with Lemon Blackberry Semifreddo

Steve Baxter

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Yes, rolled cakes can be frosty, too! In this recipe, genoise is filled with lemon-blackberry semifreddo and finished with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.

18 of 22

Igloo Cake

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Definitely a weekend project, but look how adorable it is! The igloo has a chocolate-vanilla ice cream cake interior and a buttercream frosting exterior. Marzipan penguins up the cuteness factor.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

19 of 22

Black-and-White Ice Cream Tart

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Super versatile and only calls for three ingredients? That's our kind of dessert. Chocolate sandwich cookies and butter form the simple crust, and vanilla ice cream serves as the chilly filling.

20 of 22

Sea Turtle Ice Cream Cake

Kirsten Strecker

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Kids will go gaga for this clever turtle cake. The whole thing is edible, from its mint-chocolate-chip ice cream shell and black licorice mouth to its white candy eyes and chocolate-mint wafer feet.

21 of 22

Neapolitan Baked Alaskas

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

The only way to make Neapolitan ice cream more of a crowd-pleaser is to cover it with fluffy meringue.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

22 of 22

Inside-Out Strawberry Ice Cream Cake

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Whoa, ice cream on the outside? Yes, this topsy-turvy dessert smothers buttermilk-and-strawberry cake in vanilla ice-cream frosting.

Up Next

Advertisement