Ice Cream Layer Cake in 35 minutes

*Prep  35 minutes   Freeze  20 minutes + 2 hours   Eat 3 hours

This Ice Cream Layer Cake is a GREAT Celebration Cake or a “Summer is Here Cake”. There is no baking, no frosting, just fun planning and assembling. You can get creative and make it your own or customize it for a special person’s birthday. It’s beautiful and super easy to make.  Just get yourself an offset spatula and a springform pan, then plan a shopping trip.

Origin of the Ice Cream Layer Cake: Family Circle Magazine.

My friend Patti shared this brilliant dessert at a spring dinner party.  She said she found the recipe in Family Circle magazine in the 1980s.  I worked for McCall’s magazine back then. I saved some of the magazines from that time; here’s one with a young Oprah from August 1995 and recipes for America’s most luscious Fruit Pies inside.  During the 1990s, these two sisters were brought together under the ownership of The New York Times. There were the seven sister magazines – McCall’s, Family Circle, Woman’s Day, Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping and Better Homes and Gardens. Every woman in America read at least one of these magazines when I was growing up. These creative kitchen ideas like the Ice Cream Layer Cake were overflowing during that generation.  And beautiful desserts on the cover sold magazines.

Assemble your Ingredients. Visit your local supermarket.

This is the part where sugar plum fairies dance in your head!  Stand in the ice cream aisle at the supermarket and dream of your Ice Cream Layer Cake creation.  Envision what it will taste and look like.  I chose the standard box of 6 ice cream sandwiches (you might need 2 boxes).  I stretched one box for my 9 1/2″ cake by cutting each sandwich into 5 pieces. Then I chose an Amaretto Cherry Cordial ice cream and a Lemon Cheesecake ice cream.  Pick up some Oreo cookies plus any other garnishes for the top.

Have your ingredients ready!

Find a space in your freezer to keep going back to after each addition. Start by placing the springform pan in the freezer to get it cold. Crumble the Oreo cookies for your crust. Keep the ice cream sandwiches in the freezer; take out two at a time to cut and place in the springform pan. Place the first ice cream flavor on the counter to soften.

Basic Recipe in 35 minutes

Here is the recipe: Cut ice cream sandwiches for rim – 10 minutes – Freeze; press in an Oreo cookie crust – 5 minutes – Freeze; dollop in softened ice cream – spread with offset spatula – 10 minutes – Freeze;  dollop in second ice cream flavor – spread with offset spatula – 10 minutes – Freeze.  That’s it. Top it with some garnishes if you wish like Oreo cookies, sprinkles, fruit. whipped cream swirls or keep it simple and elegant. The key is the offset spatula.

Freeze everything as you go!

Cut the Ice Cream Sandwiches in 5 equal pieces or 30 pieces for the box of 6 sandwiches, which was enough for my 9 1/2″ springform pan.  Line up the ice cream sandwich pieces on the edge of the springform pan next to each other. Space them out, so that you have enough to go around. FREEZE!

Crumble oreo cookies in the food processor, add melted butter and then press the mixture on the bottom of the pan with a jar lid, filling in the space between the ice cream sandwiches.

First Ice Cream Flavor

Start with the first ice cream flavor.  I chose the Amaretto Cherry Cordial first, but next time I would reverse the two, so that the colorful flavor is on the top.  It depends on your overall design.

Dollop the softened ice cream all throughout the cake. DO NOT SPREAD until you have all the dollops in place.

Then, using an offset spatula, smooth the ice cream into all the spaces and smooth out the top using circular motion and rotating the springform pan. FREEZE this layer for 20 minutes and soften the Lemon Cheesecake ice cream.

Second Ice Cream Flavor

For the top layer, I chose a Lemon Cheesecake ice cream, which was more understated than the Amaretto Cherry, but the flavors were complementary. Dollop the softened Lemon ice cream on top of the Cherry layer. Spread in a circular motion until the spaces are filled.

Dollop enough Lemon Cheesecake ice cream until it reaches the top of the ice cream sandwiches. Using the offset spatula, smooth out the top layer. The completed Ice Cream Layer Cake looks dreamy.  FREEZE now for 2 hours before serving.

Place the Ice Cream Layer Cake on a cake plate, open the springform pan and a beautiful cake appears. An Ice Cream Layer cake is a spectacular way to celebrate any occasion. When serving cut a slice every two ice cream sandwich pieces.  I had 15 servings in this cake.  Of course, someone might enjoy a larger slice or seconds! Enjoy this Fresh Food in a Flash.

Print this Recipe.

Ice Cream Layer Cake

This Ice Cream Layer Cake is a GREAT Celebration Cake or a “Summer is Here Cake”. There is no baking, no frosting, just fun planning and assembling. You can get creative and make it your own or customize it for a special person’s birthday. It’s beautiful and super easy to make.  Just get yourself an offset spatula and a springform pan, then plan a shopping trip. I chose the standard box of 6 ice cream sandwiches for my 9 1/2″ cake by cutting each sandwich into 5 pieces. Choose two different complementary ice cream flavors and a box of Oreo cookies.

1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs (about 12 Oreo cookies)
2 Tablespoons melted butter
6 ice cream sandwiches
30+ ounces Ice cream Flavor 1
30+ ounces Ice cream Flavor 2

1. Crumble chocolate cookie crumbs in food processor. Add melted butter and process again. Set aside.

2. Find a space in your freezer to keep going back to after each addition. Start by placing the springform pan in the freezer to get it cold. Crumble the Oreo cookies for your crust. Keep the ice cream sandwiches in the freezer; take out two at a time to cut and place in the springform pan. Place the first ice cream flavor on the counter to soften.

3. Cut the Ice Cream Sandwiches in 5 equal pieces or 30 pieces for the box of 6 sandwiches, which was enough for a 91/2″ springform pan.  Line up the ice cream sandwich pieces on the edge of the springform pan next to each other. Space them out, so that you have enough to go around. FREEZE!

4. Press Oreo cookie crumbs in between the ice cream sandwiches with a jar lid to press the crumbs into the pan.

5. Dollop the first flavor of softened ice cream all throughout the cake. DO NOT SPREAD until you have all the dollops in place.

6. Then, using an offset spatula, smooth the first ice cream into all the spaces and smooth out the top using a circular motion and rotating the springform pan. FREEZE this layer for 20 minutes and soften the ice cream for the top layer.

7. Dollop the softened second layer on top of the first layer. Spread in a circular motion while rotating the pan. Dollop enough ice cream until it reaches the top of the ice cream sandwiches and then smooth out the top layer until smooth. FREEZE now for 2 hours before serving.

8. When serving, place the Ice Cream Layer Cake on a cake plate, open the springform pan and a beautiful cake appears.  Cut a slice every two ice cream sandwich pieces, giving you 15 servings.

Servings: 15    – 327 calories per serving