How to Create and Decorate a Simple Ice Cream Cake

This homemade ice cream cake takes things up a notch, with a rich, chocolatey crunch layer between the cake and ice cream, plus a luscious whipped cream frosting to top it all off. It’s more than just ice cream on cake – it's a treat.

Nicole McLaughlin, also known as NicoleMcmom, shares her tried-and-true recipe and decorating tips for making an ice cream cake that not only looks impressive and tastes incredible, but also saves you money compared to store-bought cakes.

Get Nicole's Recipe for the Ultimate Easy Ice Cream Cake

This ice cream cake is perfect for summer celebrations or birthdays year-round. It's better and more affordable than store-bought cakes! With layers of soft cake, crunchy cookies, rich ice cream, and a silky, buttery frosting, every bite is a sweet delight. —NicoleMcmom

Ingredients

• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 (15.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup oil
• 3 large eggs
• ½ gallon vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
• 2 cups chopped chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo®)
• 1 (7.25 ounce) bottle chocolate shell topping (such as Magic Shell®)
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• decorating icing (optional)
• candy sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease two 8-inch round cake pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs until moistened. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, then pour the batter into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for 32 to 38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. While the cakes bake, line another 8-inch round cake pan with plastic wrap, letting the sides overhang about 6 inches. Unwrap the ice cream and slice it into large pieces, pressing them into the lined pan. Cover with the plastic wrap and form into an even layer. Freeze for 1 hour.
5. Once the cakes are done, let them cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
6. Place one cake layer on a freezer-safe plate, saving the other layer for later (you can freeze it for up to 4 months).
7. In a medium bowl, mix the chopped cookies with the chocolate topping. Spread the cookie crunch evenly over the cake layer. Carefully invert the frozen ice cream layer on top, smooth side up. Return to the freezer for 1 hour.
8. In a stand mixer, whisk the cream on medium speed. Gradually add powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the cake and freeze for another hour.
9. Decorate with icing and sprinkles, then freeze for at least 30 minutes (or up to a week) before serving.

Nicole's Expert Tips

• When you spread the "crunchies" on the cake, try to keep within the border of the cake itself and don't extend beyond the edge. This helps keep things smooth when you're applying the icing layer.
• Ice cream melts quickly, so once you put the ice cream layer on the cake (smooth side up!) return the cake to the freezer for 1 hour. Don't skip or shortcut this step!
• When you frost the cake with the sweetened whipped cream, apply a thick, even layer all the way around and on top. The thick layer on the sides will come in handy when you do the next step.
• Nicole recreates the iconic ridged pattern on the ice cream cake simply by holding the edge of a serrated knife against the side of the cake as she rotates the cake. (Be sure to watch the video to see how she does it.) #genius
• For best results, freeze the cake overnight.
• To make the ice cream cake party-perfect, Nicole pipes a ring of store-bought frosting around the bottom edge and strews candy sprinkles around the top.
• To slice your ice cream cake: Remove the cake from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Fill a tall glass or pitcher with hot water and place your knife into it to heat the blade it before slicing. Wipe the blade and return the knife to the hot water before making the next slice.

You can connect with Nicole on Dinogo as NicoleMcmom, or follow her on Instagram at @nicolemcmom.

Discover more tips, tricks, and ideas from Nicole:

• How To Turn Plain Chicken Breast Into 5 Completely Different Dishes
• How To Make Perfect Deviled Eggs
• How To Use and Care for a Cast Iron Skillet
• Create Easy One-Pot Meals With This Simple Formula
• 12 Surprising Ways To Use Your Food Processor