This easy Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream Cake is a perfect frozen dessert for summertime. A layer of chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream and frosted chocolate whipped cream. This recipe is easy to customize to just about any flavor!
If you love ice cream cakes, you’ll love this Oreo ice cream cake too!
Easy Homemade Ice Cream Cake
For as long as I can remember, ice cream cakes have been a staple birthday cake in our house when we were kids. My dad STILL makes his own ice cream cake for his birthday at nearly 70 years old and sends us a picture every year. Lucky for him, he was visiting me when I made this recipe, so I got his final sign off.
Traditionally our ice cream cakes were two cake layers, cut in half (so they’re thin) and then spread with thin layers of ice cream, then the whole thing was covered with Cool Whip. Whoever’s birthday it was picked both the cake and ice cream flavor.
My version of Chocolate Ice Cream Cake is a little easier to make with a single layer of cake and a single layer of ice cream. However, this could easily be adapted to multiple layers.
This recipe features a layer of favorite chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream and covered with chocolate whipped cream. There’s a fun twist though, I actually mixed some of the chocolate cake into the ice cream! No cake goes to waste here.
While frozen cakes are perfect for summertime, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy this all year round, especially for birthdays! If you’ve never made an ice cream cake before, it’s much easier than you think. Be sure to read through all the tips, especially about the assembly!
What You’ll Need
- Sugar
- Vegetable Oil
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Sour Cream: sub with yogurt (Greek or plain) in needed
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cocoa Powder: for the cake and the topping
- Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt
- Hot Brewed Coffee: you can milk if you don’t want to use coffee.
- 1/2 Gallon ice cream: your favorite flavor
- Heavy Cream: for the whipped cream topping
- Powdered sugar
How to Make Ice Cream Cake
- Bake the cake: First prepare the cake layer according to the instructions and cool it completely.
- Prep the ice cream: About 20-30 minutes before you’re ready to assemble remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow it to soften.
- Freeze the cake layer: Then level off the top of your cake so it’s flat. Save that piece of cake that you cut off because we’re mixing it back into the ice cream! Place the bottom layer of cake in the freezer. When it’s cold it will be easier to spread the ice cream over top.
- Prepare the pan: Line your pan with plastic wrap. If you have a springform pan, you can place a cake board or piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, then place the layer of cake on top.
- Make the ice cream layer: Measure out about 3 cups of ice cream OR use the entire half gallon for even more ice cream, crumble the extra chocolate cake and then mix together.
- Assemble the cake: Evenly spread the ice cream over the layer of cake. The cake layer might have shrunk a little bit, so some of the ice cream will drip over the sides of the cake, but that’s okay because we are going to cover it with whipped cream.
- Refreeze the cake for 2-4 hours until the ice cream has refrozen.
- Prepare a batch of chocolate whipped cream. To frost the cake, remove it from the pan and place the whipped cream in a large piping bag and pipe it around the outside edge of the cake and on the top. Gently smooth with an angled spatula. Decorate with leftover whipped cream. Refreeze for 30-60 minutes before slicing.
Tips for Serving
- The best pan to use: If you have a springform pan that is the same size as your cake pan, I recommend assembling the cake in the springform pan. It’s easier to remove the edges. Regardless, I recommend lining the pan with plastic wrap so it’s easier to remove the cake before frosting. A cake collar (affiliate link) will also work.
- To slice the cake: you can let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes first. Run a sharp knife under hot water each time you cut the cake, it will be easier to slice.
- Serve this with fresh berries to make it even better!
How to Customize an Ice Cream Cake
The best part about ice cream cake is that it’s so simple to customize with endless flavor options.
I like to use store-bought ice cream for the obvious reason that it makes this recipe that much easier to throw together. But also, because you can buy any flavor of ice cream making it that much easier to change the flavors.
However, my favorite was to customize the ice cream is to add my own mix-ins. So for this recipe, I added chocolate cake into the ice cream, but here are a few other suggestions, think of it like the menu at Cold Stone, the options are endless!
- Crushed cookies: Oreos, chocolate chip, sugar cookies, you name it.
- Brownies or edible cookie dough
- Candies: M&Ms, Kit Kats, Snickers, gummy worms, you get the idea.
- Nuts, sprinkles or chocolate chips
Flavor Variations
Do you want to make this with homemade ice cream instead? Here’s a few recipes that would work great with the chocolate cake. This list includes no-churn ice cream recipes as well as recipes that require an ice cream cakes.
Ice Cream Maker Recipes:
- Strawberry ice cream would pair great with a strawberry whipped cream topping
- Sweet Potato ice cream for a fall treat
- Espresso Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream would be great for a coffee variation
No-churn Ice Cream
- Do you love coffee? Try this Tiramisu ice cream
- This Brownie Batter ice cream would be insane with the chocolate cake
- Try this Baileys ice cream for a boozy treat.
How to Store a Frozen Cake
If you have a cake carrier or another tall container, it’s best to place it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. Once sliced, you can also place plastic wrap along the cut edges to prevent icicles from forming.
This cake will stay fresh for 5-7 days in the freezer if properly stored.
Print
Chocolate Ice Cream Cake
- Prep Time: 6 hours
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours 28 minutes
- Yield: 10 slices
- Category: Cake
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Easy Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream Cake is a perfect frozen dessert for summertime. A layer of chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream and frosted chocolate whipped cream.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 3/4 cup (143g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (59ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (59ml) sour cream (substitute with Greek or plain yogurt)
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (28g) cocoa powder (Hershey’s Special Dark is my favorite)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons (4.6g) baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup (157ml) hot brewed coffee (or milk)
For the ice cream & topping
- 1/2 gallon (48oz) ice cream or 3 heaping cups (flavor of choice)
- 1 3/4 cups (413ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup (28g) cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup (98g) powdered sugar
- 1–2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and grease & dust the edges with a combination of flour and cocoa powder.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until the eggs and oil are well incorporated and the batter is lighter in color. Next mix in the sour cream and beat until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Then alternate adding half the dry ingredients followed by half of the coffee and mix just until the flour starts to incorporate. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir the batter from the bottom to the top to ensure it’s well mixed.
- Bake at 350°F for 28-30 minutes. Test the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. Cool Completely.
To assemble:
- About 20-30 minutes before you’re ready to assemble remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow it to soften. Then level off the top of your cake so it’s flat. Set aside top piece of cake that you cut off because it’s being mixing it back into the ice cream. Place the cake layer in the freezer.
- Transfer the cake layer to an 8-inch springform pan, or line your cake pan with plastic wrap or parchment paper along the bottom and up the sides if you want to remove the cake from the pan. If it fits, place a cake board in the bottom of the pan. Place the cake layer in the bottom of the pan.
- Measure out about 3 cups of ice cream, crumble the extra chocolate cake and then mix together.
- Evenly spread the ice cream over the layer of cake. Refreeze the cake for 2-4 hours until the ice cream has refrozen.
For the whipped cream topping
- Prepare the whipping cream. Chill the bowl in the freezer or refrigerator for 5-10 minutes.
- Pour the heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until the cream starts to thicken to soft peaks. Slowly add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla extract, beating until combine. Then continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form.
- To frost the cake, remove it from the pan and place the whipped cream in a large piping bag and pipe it around the outside edge of the cake and on the top. Gently smooth with an angled spatula. Decorate with leftover whipped cream. Refreeze for 30-60 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Store this cake in the freezer using a cake carrier or another tall container, it’s best to place it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. Once sliced, you can also place plastic wrap along the cut edges to prevent icicles from forming. This cake will stay fresh for 5-7 days in the freezer if properly stored.
- To slice the cake: Let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes first. Run a sharp knife under hot water each time you cut the cake, it will be easier to slice
- Customize this: Mix in your favorite cookies or candies into the ice cream
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 478
- Sugar: 33g
- Sodium: 205mg
- Fat: 30.5g
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 112mg
This is my 4th time in viewing your recipe. Plus my 4th time to make a similar ice cream cake! Each time I learn something new or what clearly was not a good addition! Thanks for all the tips! My family has shared that it is the best cake ever!!! Each cake requested is a different flavor, we are not getting bored!!
That is so fun Romona, thank you so much for sharing!
could i just bake the cake in my
spring form pan and leave it in there and add
ice cream on top once it’s cooled?
You can as long as your springform pan doesn’t leak. If it leaks at all, the cake batter will drip out of the bottom of the pan. With cheesecakes, you have a crust as a barrier, but with cake batter you don’t. You can test this by filling it with water to see if it leaks.
I am making this cake for a crowd of about 25 so I want to use a 10 inch cake pan. How would I adjust my ingredients to make it a decent size in the 10 in cake pan?
Hi Cassie- I have not tested it, but it you’d like a thicker cake, I’d recommend following this recipe for the cake layer, and baking it as a single 10 inch layer. This is basically a double recipe of the cake (using 3 eggs instead of 4).
I made this for desert it was really good everyone loved it … and its easy
Yes Barb!! That is wonderful!!!
I want to make this, but it calls for 3 cups of ice cream in the recipe. But the ingredient list says 1 gallon of ice cream is needed. Which is correct? Thanks.
Hi Kay- You’ll need 1 gallon, and you can scoop 3 cups of ice cream from it. Or if you like an extra tall layer, you can use the whole gallon.
Google says there are 16 cups in a gallon of ice cream.
Apologies, it is a half-gallon or 48oz. The serving size (2/3 cups * 9 servings per container) indicates there is 6 cups in a full half gallon but I did in fact measure it out and I had 3 heaping cups, with a little leftover in the container, so I gave the option to either use a full half gallon or you can measure out 3 cups.
YES! Definitely one of my favs!
Thanks Dad! haha
Delicious cake! The whipped frosting was perfect as the icing. We used coffee ice cream and crumbled Oreos in it.
Thank you so much Sarah! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Thanks Sally, since I know you LOVE cake batter and sprinkles, I feel that you will LOVE the cake batter whipped cream!
HAHA! Happy Birthday Dad!