How To Make a Homemade Ice Cream Cake
Do you want to know how to make ice cream cake desserts? I have an easy ice cream cake recipe that is adjustable for any occasion! I’ll show you each step and how you can adjust it for whomever you are making it for. This has been a favorite for my kids for as long as I can remember.
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I’ll be demonstrating this cake as I make my son’s birthday cake. Each family member gets to pick what they want. I’ll be using a 9×13 pan.
Here are the ingredients needed for the ice cream cake
- The crust of your choice – Oreo cookies, graham crackers, cookies
- Your favorite ice cream flavor – 1/2 – 1 gallon. I just use store-bought ice cream
- Frosting of your choice – canned frosting, whipped cream
- Decorations of your choice
Ice Cream Cake Video
Here are the instructions to make your own ice cream cake
THE BOTTOM:
For the bottom decide what you want – graham crackers, cookies, etc. I usually crush them into cookie crumbs in a baggie with my rolling pin. This cake happens to be for my son’s birthday and he wants the cookies to be whole – easier for me 🙂
Next pick the flavor of ice cream that you want. You’ll need a 1/2 gallon. Let it sit out so it gets nice and soft, this way it’ll be easy to press and spread over the crust of your choice. My son picked Cookies n Cream. I scooped out the entire container and put the dollops of ice cream all over the pan. I gently pressed the ice cream and spread it over until it looked like this. Place the pan in the freezer and let it get good and solid before moving to the next step.
Toppings – my son didn’t want any, but if you are interested here is a great place to add toppings on the ice cream layer like chocolate or caramel syrup, hot fudge sauce, peanuts, m-n-m’s, fruit, etc.
After the ice cream is nice and solid, add your top. I usually use cool whip and it spreads on nice and smooth. My son decided he wanted frosting. Spread which ever you choose and place in the freezer.
Decorating – you have so many options – you can decorate with syrup, fruit, nuts, sprinkles, etc. My son is a huge fan of the TV show “The Flash”. I decorated using the spray frosting cans to make a Flash emblem, added sprinkles, and a boarder.
Once you are done decorating, put it back in to freeze until it’s ready to be served.
When you are ready to serve it – depending on how cold your freezer is you may need to let it sit out for about 10 minutes before you slice it.
Just pop the leftovers back in the freezer, if you have any!! Not likely
Here are some of the suggestions to the possibilities…
- Oreo cookie crust with chocolate & peanut butter ice cream, reeses, cool whip topping – my daughter’s favorite
- Oreo cookie crust with coffee toffee ice cream, heath bars, cool whip topping – my husband’s favorite
- Oreo cookie crust with vanilla ice cream, chocolate and caramel syrup, peanuts, cool whip – my mom’s favorite
- Oreo cookie crust with strawberry ice cream, strawberries, bananas, chocolate syrup (like a banana split), cool whip – my brother’s favorite
- Oreo cookie crust with mint chocolate chip ice cream, and whipped cream frosting – one of my favorites
- Graham cracker crust with pumpkin ice cream, cool whip – one of my other favorites
- Make a cake layer of your favorite cake mix like chocolate cake, then wait for that to cool down to room temperature. Add a layer or chocolate fudge, and then a layer of chocolate ice cream. If you don’t like all of those layers of chocolate, change it up to a different kind of cake or ice cream.
The possibilities are endless for any special occasion…
When it comes to leftover ice cream cake, I always use an airtight container so that I can place the lid on it and put it back in the freezer. You can always cover it with plastic wrap as well.
How To Make An ice cream cake video
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How To Make an Ice Cream Cake
Ingredients
- Crust of your choice – Oreos graham crackers, cookies
- Ice Cream of your choice – 1/2-1 gallon
- Frosting of your choice – canned frosting whipped cream
- Decorations of your choice
Instructions
- For the bottom decide what you want – graham crackers, cookies, etc. I usually crush them in a baggie with my rolling pin.
- Next pick the flavor of ice cream that you want. You’ll need a 1/2 gallon. Let it sit out so it gets nice and soft, this way it’ll be easy to press and spread over the crust of your choice. My son picked Cookies n Cream. I scooped out the entire container and put the dollops of ice cream all over the pan. I gently pressed the ice cream and spread it over until it looked like this. Place the pan in the freezer and let it get good and solid before moving to the next step.
- If you are interested here is a great place to add toppings like chocolate or caramel syrup, peanuts, m-n-m’s, fruit, etc.
- After the ice cream is nice and solid, add your top. I usually use cool whip and it spreads on nice and smooth. My son decided he wanted frosting. Spread which ever you choose and place in the freezer.
- Decorating – you have so many options – you can decorate with syrup, fruit, nuts, sprinkles, etc.
- Once your done decorating, place back into the freezer until it’s ready to be served.
Video
Check out some of my other dessert recipes!
Sounds yummy. We are going to a St. Patrick’s day party and I always take a dessert. Maybe I’ll make this one and make Shamrocks on the top for decorations.
Thank you Kathy, and I love that idea. I’m hoping to post my Bailey Chocolate Cake for St. Patrick’s Day too 🙂
Oh Chas! I love this! I wish I had seen it yesterday. My grandkids are celebrating birthdays this month but after this week they are going on a “sugar detox”, according to their mom! They will be here in 5 min. so no time to do this, but I will remember this for a special surprise soon. Even if I have to wait until next year, it’s a great idea! Actually, it might be fun in the summer. Our house is the “Ice Cream House” meaning they have ice cream every time they are here for lunch. LOL This is just perfect!
Thank you Linda and I know your grand kids will LOVE making it with you too 😉
That ice cream cake looks great!
Thank you 🙂
This looks so easy and delicious! What a great recipe. I love that it is so versatile. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Whitney 🙂
I love this! Thank you for this tutorial. It’s so much simpler than the one I found last year. My daughter is asking for ice cream cake again this year, but everyone agrees it needs to be tweaked some from last year. 🙂 I’ll be pinning this… and just in time. I need the cake in 2 weeks! 🙂 Thanks!
Awe, I’m so glad that you want to give this a try and want to make it for your daughter. That fills my cup for the day 🙂 Please let me know what you end up making and I would love to know your thoughts. Thanks for the Pin!
You had me at easy! This looks doable!
Thank you Tracy
I’m sure your son loved this cake! It sounds delicious and I love the fact that it’s easy. Thank you for sharing with us on Party in Your PJ’s. Pinned!
Thank you Teresa
I love ice cream cakes. This is perfect for a birthday party or week-end treat. Thanks for sharing on Sunday’s Best.
Thank you Rhonda and we love how it’s so adjustable to suit everyone’s liking.
Our youngest got me into watching The Flash, now he’s left home and doesn’t watch any more and I’m still watching! The cake sounds super simple, and nice that people can pick exactly how they want it. Very versatile.
Thank you Julie and I love that you watch The Flash too!
Hmm, graham crackers. S’mores? Wish I knew how to turn marshmellow cream into something spreadable…like the marshmellow topping that you get at Dairy Queen. Any ideas?
Great idea Cathy, as for something more spreadable… what if you heat it up a little bit and then pour it on?