It's faster than you think to make the best ice cream cake that will put Dairy Queen to shame!
My kids absolutely love ice cream cake! I love it because the big kids can make it 100% on their own and it feeds a crowd. Whether you are just looking for a fun treat after a day of summer chores, or needing to entertain a birthday party, this fits the bill.
More crowd-pleasing treats I love are Popcorn Cake and Jam Bars. They both adapt to whatever you have on hand to stick in 'em and they can be cut in various sizes to feed anyone.
Key Ingredients
Brownies - I love this recipe from Good Cheap Eats, but you can use any recipe that you love. I make sure it's a bit of a fudgy recipe vs cake-like, as that will press into a firm crust much easier.
Ice Cream - I wasn't kidding when I said the kids can make this recipe. We love Mac's own mint chip version he created.
How to Make Ice Cream Cake with Brownie Crust
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Bake your brownies in a parchment-lined pan and let cool enough to touch.
Step 2: Crumble the entire pan into chunks and reserve a bit for the topping. Press the rest into a firm crust and pop in the freezer.
Step 3: Whip up your ice cream mixture.
Step 4: Churn according to your machine's specific instructions.
Step 5: Layer the ice cream over the brownie crust and smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle reserved brownie pieces on top and freeze until solid.
Tips and Tricks
- Keep in mind this needs several hours to firm up. It all depends on how cold your freezer is and how firm your ice cream is out of the machine.
- Feel free to add more toppings. If they are small like mini candy, chocolate chips, or the crumbled brownies, I do that before freezing.
- Add whipped cream, chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, etc. to each slice when serving.
- Use a hot knife for easy slicing.
FAQs
It's always my preference to make things from scratch, but we are also in the rhythm of making ice cream from our milk abundance. But absolutely, if you are in a busy season or you don't have cows, go for store-bought. It's still a homemade cake you assembled in your kitchen! Make only brownies from scratch but store ice cream, for example.
That's the beauty of this ice cream cake - no allergens if need be! I know many can't even eat anything from an ice cream parlour due to nut allergies. This way, you can either use non-dairy ice cream from the store, or make from-scratch cow's milk ice cream that has never touched nuts. I'm sure a gluten-free brownie mix would also work if you have a favourite!
A 9x9" brownie recipe will crumble and press into the perfect crust for a 9x13" cake. If you only make 9x13 brownies that's fine - just crumble and use only part of it. My ice cream recipe is about 1 ½ quarts, but you can use whatever you like that fits in your pan. Just keep in mind the thicker it is the more difficult it is to slice.
Photos by Dante from Shire by the Sea
More Sweet Treats
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Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake
Ingredients
- 1 9”x9” batch of your favourite brownies
- 1 batch Mac's Mint Chip Ice Cream about 1 ½ quarts
Instructions
- Bake your brownies and let them cool enough to handle. Crumble them up with a fork. Reserve a loose ¾ cup, crumbled and not packed, stored in the fridge.
- Line a 9” or 10” round springform pan OR a 9x13” pan with parchment.
- Press the remaining brownies into the base of the pan to create an even layer. If you want to press some up the sides of the pan you can but I don't usually do it.
- Pop into the freezer. It needs to be frozen solid before you can add the ice cream.
- Make the ice cream according to your ice cream machine's instructions.
- Spread your finished ice cream into the chilled brownie base, then sprinkle the reserved brownie crumbles on top.
- Pop the ice cream cake back in the freezer. Depending on how your freezer is and how cold the ice cream was is how long it will take to firm up all the way, but I’m usually safe to make after lunch and serve after dinner.
- Slice, with a knife run under hot water before slicing if necessary, and serve!
Notes
- Obviously you can use any combos here! Blondies or brownies. Mint chip or coffee ice cream. The sky's the limit!
- Feel free to add syrup, whipped cream, anything you like when you plate your slices.
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