Home / Recipes / Desserts / Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts / Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Over the top delicious and decadent, this Chocolate Ice Cream Cake combines layers of a cookie crust, creamy homemade vanilla and chocolate ice cream, rich chocolate sauce then is topped with a luscious chocolate ganache. It’s the ultimate ice cream treat for chocolate lovers! 

Ice cream cake on a white plate.


 

From a hot summer day to a special occasion, there is nothing better than enjoying a slice of ice cream cake! It’s the ultimate frozen dessert from the cookie base to the homemade ice cream and chocolate ganache on top.

This chocolate ice cream cake may seem over the top but I assure you it’s not hard to make! I first made this for an after dinner dessert with my daughter’s friend, it was the perfect cool and creamy treat after a slice of hearty lasagna

While we love this Nutella crumb cake for a winter treat and berry Greek yogurt pie in the spring, any dessert with ice cream is a given for summertime and this recipe does not disappoint. Every plate will be cleaned down to the last crumb! 

Why You Will Love This Ice Cream Cake

  • Chocolaty: With chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce and a chocolate ganache this frozen dessert is perfect for chocoholics. 
  • Customizable: Use a different flavor of ice cream, add in some mix-in’s or top with whipped cream, the options are endless!
  • Easy to make: With a no churn homemade ice cream, this layered cake with ice cream is simple to make with a little planning ahead for it to freeze.
  • Perfect for summertime: A frozen dessert hits the spot when warmer weather arrives, but no one is stopping you from making this year-round! 
The cake on a white plate.

Ingredients Needed

  • Chocolate cookie crumbs: For your cookie crust, you will need crushed chocolate cookies, Oreo’s or your favorite brand. 
  • Butter: This is needed to bind your crust together. 
  • Sweetened condensed milk: This is needed for both your vanilla and chocolate ice cream layers as it lowers the freezing point to provide a creamier consistency.
  • Whipping cream: Heavy whipping cream or whole whipping cream is what will give your no-churn ice cream their rich creamy texture. 
  • Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract will give your vanilla ice cream the best flavor. 
  • Unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder: This will give your chocolate ice cream the best chocolate taste. 
  • Chocolate sauce: Either a homemade chocolate sauce or quality store bought brand work. 
  • Chocolate ganache: This easy to make homemade recipe is made with quality dark chocolate, milk chocolate or a combination of two, whipping cream and butter.
Ingredients for the recipe.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

How to Make Death By Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

To start, make your cookie base by combining your cookie crumbs with melted butter in a small bowl and then place the crumb mixture into the bottom of the loaf pan and flatten with the bottom of a glass until firm. Place the cookie base in the refrigerator to chill. 

The crumb mixture in a bowl and in the pan.

Next, make your vanilla no-churn ice cream by whisking together the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in one bowl.

The sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in a white bowl.

With electric beaters, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

Cream whipped until stiff.

Add a small amount of the whipped cream mixture to the sweetened condensed milk mixture, combine and then gently fold in the remaining mixture. 

Mixing the sweetened condensed milk and cream together.

Now it’s time to make your no-churn chocolate ice cream! In a small bowl combine your sweetened condensed milk with the cocoa powder.

Mixing the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk.

In an electric mixer, beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Add a small amount of the whipped cream mixture to the sweetened condensed cocoa mixture, stir to combine then fold in the remaining whipped cream mixture. 

The whipped cream and mixing the ingredients together.

Assemble your ice cream cake by first removing the loaf pan with the cookie base from the fridge. Pour ½ the vanilla ice cream over it,  drizzle with ½ the chocolate sauce,

Adding the ice cream and sauce to the loaf.

Cover with ½ of the chocolate ice cream, drizzle again with chocolate sauce, then cover again with the remaining  vanilla ice cream.

Adding the chocolate layer to the loaf pan.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze until firm for approximately 5 hours or overnight.

Before serving, make your chocolate ganache by adding warm melted butter, whipping cream and chopped chocolate to a large bowl. Stir until your chocolate is smooth and melted. Cool for 2 minutes. 

The chocolate glaze in a bowl.

Remove your frozen cake from the freezer and lift out of the loaf pan to a plate. Cover with ganache.

Adding the glaze to the cake.

Decorate with chopped nuts or chocolate, slice and serve.

The finished ice cream cake on a white dish.

Variations

  • Frosting: If you would like to frost your cake, whipped cream will hold up best in the freezer without cracking or changing consistency.
  • Brownie base: Instead of a cookie base, you could use a prepared brownie base.
  • Cake base: Make a homemade chocolate cake or use a store bought cake mix for the bottom layer. You will only need one prepared 8 inch cake.
  • Mix-Ins: The easiest way to customize this frozen dessert is to add mix-ins! Add crushed Oreos or chocolate chip cookies to the vanilla ice cream or try peanut butter cups, M&Ms, Kit-Kats or crushed candy of choice added to the chocolate ice cream. 
  • Flavor of ice cream: Another simple way to add some variety! Try easy cappuccino ice cream or no churn chocolate chip ricotta ice cream

Expert Tips for Serving

  • Line your pan: Line your pan with plastic wrap or parchment paper leaving some hanging over the pan edges for easy removal once it is frozen.
  • Best pan to use: The best size pan to use is an 8 or 9 inch loaf pan, you could try a smaller springform pan but your cake will not be as thick. I used an 8 inch loaf pan.
  • Soften before slicing: Remove from the freezer about 5 minutes before serving for easier slicing. If you run your knife under hot water between slices, it will also make it easier to slice. This cake tends to be softer than store bought ice cream cakes so it will melt quicker.
  • Toppings: Fresh berries, sprinkles, mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts would all be great. 
The cake with glaze on a white plate.

How to Store Death by Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Any leftover cake should be stored in an airtight freezer safe container. Wrap it tightly to prevent freezer burn and store it for up to two weeks. 

How long to leave ice cream cake out to soften?

Usually 10-15 minutes at room temperature is enough to soften your death by chocolate ice cream cake for slicing. 

What other ice cream flavor combinations can I use? 

There are so many ice cream recipes to choose from! This recipe for coffee chocolate chip ripple ice cream plus the vanilla would be delicious, as would Baileys ice cream with the chocolate ice cream. For a more fruity frozen dessert, try the strawberry chocolate ripple ice cream

Can I use store bought ice cream?

You can but you will need to let it soften first before making the cake layers so it is easily spreadable. I really recommended making the no churn ice cream recipe, it’s already soft and when you pour it on the cookie base it won’t stick to it while spreading which could happen with a store bought ice cream. 

How far in advance can I make the cake?

You can make it a few days in advance. Then wrap well or store in an air tight container and keep frozen until ready to serve.

Ice cream cake on a white plate with a slice on a black plate.

So what are you waiting for? Why not give this Death By Chocolate Ice Cream a try and let me know what you think! Enjoy.

Chocolate ice cream cake on a white plate.

Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Rosemary Molloy
Over the top delicious & decadent, this Chocolate Ice Cream Cake is the ultimate ice cream treat for chocolate lovers! 
Prep Time 30 minutes
Chilling Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 659 kcal

Ingredients
  

COOKIE BASE

  • cups chocolate cookie crumbs (150 grams)
  • ¼ cup butter melted (53 grams)

VANILLA NO-CHURN ICE CREAM

  • ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk (174 grams)
  • cups whole or whipping cream (300 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

CHOCOLATE NO-CHURN ICE CREAM

  • ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk (174 grams)
  • cups whole or whipping cream (300 grams)
  • tablespoons unsweetened cocoa dutch processed

CHOCOLATE GANACHE FOR THE TOP

  • 8 ounces dark chocolate good quality or half dark and half milk or all milk (225 grams)
  • ½ cup whole / whipping cream (116 grams)
  • ¼ cup butter (53 grams)

EXTRAS

  • 1 cup chocolate sauce (store bought or homemade)

Instructions
 

  • Line an 8 x 4 inch (20 x 10 cm) loaf pan with plastic wrap, make sure the plastic hangs over the edges of the loaf pan.

COOKIE BASE

  • Heat butter until melted add the cookie crumbs and mix to combine. Place the crumbs at the bottom of the loaf pan, flatten with the bottom of a glass until firm, place in the refrigerator while making the no-churn ice cream.

VANILLA NO-CHURN ICE CREAM

  • In a small bowl whisk together sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, set aside.
  • Whip the cream until stiff peaks form, add a little whipped cream to the vanilla/sweetened condensed milk mixture to make it easier to combine, then fold in the rest of the whipped cream mixture, set aside.

CHOCOLATE NO-CHURN ICE CREAM

  • In a small bowl whisk together sweetened condensed milk and cocoa, set aside.
  • Whip the cream until stiff peaks form, add a little whipped cream to the cocoa/sweetened condensed milk mixture, then fold in the rest of the whipped cream mixture, set aside.

PUTTING THE CAKE TOGETHER

  • Remove loaf pan from the fridge, pour ½ the Vanilla Ice Cream over it, then drizzle with ½ the chocolate sauce on top, cover with ½ of the Chocolate ice cream, drizzle again with the remaining chocolate sauce, then cover again with the rest of the Vanilla Ice Cream, (or vice versa if you prefer). Cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze until firm for approximately 5 hours or overnight.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

  • In a large bowl add the butter, cream and chopped chocolate stir until smooth and melted, add a little extra cream if too thick (make sure the cream is warm), set aside 2 minutes to cool. Remove from the freezer, remove cake from loaf pan and place on a plate, cover with Ganache, decorate with chopped chocolate or even nuts before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

Any leftover cake should be stored in an airtight freezer safe container. Wrap it tightly to prevent freezer burn and store it for up to two weeks. 

Nutrition

Calories: 659kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 454mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 1223IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 182mg | Iron: 3mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

Updated from May 2016.

20 Comments

  1. I am planning to make this for my daughter’s birthday. I had some questions though… what do you do with the extra chocolate ice cream if you only use half? Could you do this in a square pan and do 4 layers to use it all? And on the chocolate ice cream it says 1 1/2 cups tablespoons while it whipped cream. I’m assuming it’s 1 1/2 cups? And whole or whipped cream? Does that mean whole milk or whipped cream? Thank you! It looks delicious.

    1. Hi Pamela, You could use a square pan and make 4 layers, you might need to double or 1 1/2 the base though. Yes 1 1/2 cups, I corrected it, thanks for letting me know. It’s 1 1/2 cups of cream whole, heavy or whipping cream (it should have at least 30% fat content), anything less won’t whip. Hope that helps. Take care and let me know how it goes. 🙂 Happy birthday to your daughter.

  2. Just for clarification, you only use half the chocolate ice-cream? You pour half the vanilla, half the chocolate, then the rest of the vanilla, so that leaves half the chocolate. Have made this before and we love it. I just noticed this, though. Thanks!

      1. 5 stars
        Thanks for the quick reply. The first two times I made this, I just kept layering so I had 4 layers. I did wonder why my loaf pan was so full! LOL. This week when I made it I finally noticed that it was supposed to be 3 layers.

  3. 5 stars
    well i tried it nd honestly it was heaven … as im a chocolate loverr and its lockdown going on i have nothing to do but i am use too of trying your recipies which make my day 🙂
    THIS RECIPIE WAS VERY VERY YUMMY !!!!!
    THANKU FOR SUCH A NICE RECIPIE 🙂

  4. Absolutely divine!. I was looking to make a home-made ice cream cake for my hubby’s birthday and found your recipe. I followed your advice to make the ice cream at home even though I was thinking of getting store ice cream.
    Best advice ever….this is the creamiest, smoothest ice cream I’ve ever had. I opted for cappuccino flavour instead of chocolate by adding some instant coffee during whipping and just did two layers, vanilla and cappuccino. Used chopped Oreos in the middle of the layers.
    We usually get birthday ice cream cakes from DQ but this is WAY better than anything we could have gotten from there! Big Hit, thank you!

    1. Hi Natalie, I am so glad you enjoyed it, and your cappuccino oreo sounds delicious. Happy Belated Birthday to your Husband. Have a great weekend.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.