It is July 21st and it National Ice Cream Day! I thought this Easy Ice Cream Sandwich Cake would be a prefect frozen dessert to share on this special day.
This may surprise you but not until recently did I discover this totally awesome ice cream dessert. My husband, our two girls, and I drove up to visit his Grandma (aka GiGi) in Palm Desert a couple of weeks ago and she surprised us with this easy, delicious, out of this world ice cream dream dessert. I honestly thought it was the best ice cream dessert I have ever had. When I found out how EASY it was to make I knew once I got home I had to remake it and share the recipe with the world!
So thank you Grandma GiGi for passing this dessert recipe down to us. This will be a recipe that will never be forgotten and made on a regular basis in our home.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AN EASY ICE CREAM SANDWICH CAKE
- Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches: You can choose whatever ice cream sandwich flavor you’d like. You can also use regular sized but you will need to cut them to fit the pan.
- Cool Whip: Store bought or homemade.
- Chocolate Ganache: Store bought or homemade.
- Caramel Sauce: Store bought or homemade.
- Chopped Peanuts: You can use a different nut or omit all together. You can also replace or add other toppings.
WHAT SUPPLIES YOU NEED
- 8×8 Baking Dish: Metal, glass or disposable pan is fine. Either will do. I love using Fat Daddio pans.
HOW TO MAKE EASY ICE CREAM SANDWICH CAKE
Arrange a layer of 8 mini ice cream sandwiches on the bottom of a 8×8-inch baking dish.
Now place half of the (8 ounce) container of Cool Whip on top of the mini ice cream sandwiches.
Then drizzle some warm chocolate ganache and caramel sauce on top of the Cool Whip.
Repeat layering with remaining 8 mini ice cream sandwiches, the other half of the (8 ounce) container of Cool Whip, and a drizzle of chocolate ganache and caramel sauce.
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Top if off with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts.
Cover dish with aluminum foil and freeze until set, at least 30 minutes.
HOW TO MAKE WHIPPED CREAM
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup heaving whipping cream
- 1 to 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
Place a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer along with the beaters or whisk attachment in the fridge or freezer until well chilled, at least 20 minutes.
Add in the cream, sugar, and vanilla to the chilled bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes.
The cream whips quickly and if over-whipped, will become curdled and lose its silky texture. If you’re worried about this happening, start mixing on low speed, then gradually increase the speed as the cream thickens. If you accidentally over-whip the cream, and it looks curdled and heavy, pour in a little bit more cold heavy cream, and fold it in gently by hand with a spatula until it smooths out.
Use immediately or cover tightly and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. You can freeze prepared whipped cream however it may lose its creamy texture.
This recipe yields 2 cups but can easily be doubled or tripled. The amount of heavy cream you use doubles in volume as you whip it. For example, if you need 2 cups of whipped cream, use 1 cup of heavy cream.
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS:
Place chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.
Stir well, and then return to microwave and heat in 15-second increments, stirring well in between, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Set aside.
HOW TO MAKE CARAMEL SAUCE
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature cut up into 6 pieces
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS:
Heat sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly with a high heat-resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Make sure you stay close by and keep an eye out because it can burn quickly.
Once sugar is completely melted, carefully add the butter. Whisk the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2 minutes. The caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added so be careful as it may splatter a bit.
Next, slowly and carefully drizzle in the heavy cream while whisking. Since the heavy cream is colder than the hot caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble when added. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. The caramel will be a thin liquid but it will thicken as it cools. Allow to slightly cool down before using.
Cover tightly and store for up to 1 month in the refrigerator. You will need to reheat the caramel before using in the microwave or on the stove top as caramel solidifies in the refrigerator.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do you store ice cream cake?
If you don’t finish the cake in one sitting, wrap it up and place it back in the freezer. Seal your cake in an airtight container to prevent it from getting frost bitten. If your ice cream cake is frozen and sealed tight, it will keep for several months.
Can I use store bought whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and caramel sauce?
Absolutely! Whatever makes it easier for you to do go ahead and do it!
Can I double this recipe?
Yes! You can double this recipe and use a 9×13-inch dish pan.
Can I add other toppings?
Yes! Toppings are endless on this ice cream cake! See below all the options you can use.
- Biscoff Cookie Butter
- Candy (M&M’s, Reese’s Pieces, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Gummy Bears, Chocolate-Covered Raisins, Heath Bars, Butterfingers, Whoppers)
- Caramel Corn
- Brownies
- Chocolate Chips (White Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Andes Mint Chip)
- Chopped Pretzels (Chocolate-Covered Pretzels)
- Chocolate Sauce
- Chopped Pretzels (Chocolate-Covered Pretzels)
- Cereal (Golden Grahams, Fruity Pebbles, Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms, Trix)
- Cookies (Oreos, Nila Wafers, Graham Crackers, Wafer Cookies, Biscoff)
- Fruit (Strawberries, Bananas, Blueberries, Raspberries, Pineapple, Cherries, Coconut flakes)
- Granola
- Honey
- Jam (Apricot, Raspberry, Cherry)
- Mini marshmallows
- Nutella
- Nuts (peanuts, almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans)
- Strawberry sauce (Homemade Strawberry Sauce)
- Sprinkles
- Toffee Bits
Make sure you post your photos on Instagram and tag me in them so I can see your creations from my blog #eazypeazylemonsqueezee
Easy Ice Cream Cake
- July 21, 2019
- 9
- 1 hr
- Count the memories not the calories! Cals/Serving
- Print this
Ingredients
- 16 Mini Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches, unwrapped
- 1 (8 ounce) container of Cool Whip
- 1/2 cup chocolate ganache, warmed
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce, warmed
- 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, more or less to your liking
- SUPPLIES:
- 8x8 baking dish
- Aluminum foil
Directions
- Step 1
- Arrange a layer of 8 mini vanilla ice cream sandwiches on the bottom of a 8×8-Inch baking dish.
- Step 2
- Now place half of the (8 ounce) container of Cool Whip on top of the ice cream sandwiches. Then drizzle 1/4 cup warm chocolate ganache and 1/4 cup caramel sauce on top of the Cool Whip.
- Step 3
- Repeat layering with remaining 8 mini ice cream sandwiches, the other half of the (8 ounce) container of Cool Whip, and drizzle the rest of the chocolate ganache and caramel sauce. Top if off with a sprinkle of peanuts.
- Step 4
- Cover dish with aluminum foil and freeze until set, at least 30 minutes.
