This Homemade Ice Cream Cake Is A Childhood Dream Come True

When it comes to celebration desserts , ice cream and cake are the most timeless choices. Roll them both together in the form of an ice cream cake for a party dessert guaranteed to please a crowd of any age.

This no-bake ice cream cake recipe is awash in sensory delights. Think of it as an ice cream party—the toppings, textures, and the divine smell of an ice cream parlor—all packed into a single cake.

Decorate it with toppings customized to the guest of honor’s preferences, and you’ve got the dreamiest homemade celebration cake ever.

Ice Cream Cake Ingredients

To make ice cream cake, you will need only affordable, readily available indients:

• vanilla wafer cookies (like Nilla Wafers)
• chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreos)
• salted butter
• chocolate ice cream
• hot fudge topping
• whipping cream
• powdered sugar
• vanilla instant pudding mix.

Allow more than six hours to make this ice cream cake (including the freezing time), which serves 12. So plan ahead.

What Does Ice Cream Cake Taste Like?

Whipped topping adds a lightness and delicateness that balances the decadent density of the ice cream in this cake. The fudgy, cookie layer is rich and gooey, and the vanilla wafers have a crispness as well as a subtle but familiar taste that rounds out the whole confection.

Tips From the Test Kitchen

This is a fairly simple recipe—even kids could help—but our Test Kitchen provided a few tips to make it easier:

• Stirring the ice cream to the consistency of frozen yogurt before freezing this cake helps prevent air bubbles and creates neat layers for the tidiest look.
• Freezing very well between all the layers is absolutely critical to the success of the final result. Rushing this step can cause ice cream to melt and sink, resulting in uneven layers.
• Use the pudding mix to help hold the whipped topping together—it also imparts a sweeter taste. But you can achieve a similar Dairy Queen-like taste without the pudding mix: Just add a teaspoon of vanilla extract instead.

Is There Actually Cake in Ice Cream Cake?

Some ice cream cakes, like this Red Velvet Ice Cream Cake , use ice cream as a filling within a layered or rolled cake. This recipe for ice cream cake includes no actual cake at all—just layers of cookies and ice cream finished with whipped cream and fudge.

For an even easier variation on the classic dessert, try our recipe for Ice Cream Sandwich Cake , which uses store-bought ice cream cookie sandwiches as the base.

Ice Cream Cake Decorating Ideas

When it comes to decorating an ice cream cake, you’re limited only by your imagination, so get creative!

Add Oreos on top to hint at what’s inside, or try vanilla wafers to nod to the crust. Top with maraschino cherries for a look and taste that leans into the classic old-school celebration vibe. Or decorate in any combination of colors and flavors the guest of honor loves most of all.

Don't forget to serve with candles and confetti!

Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin .