Homemade Ice Cream Crunch Cake
If you’re only going to make one ice cream cake recipe, make this one. You don’t need a springform pan, food processor, or even an oven. Layers of ice cream, crushed OREO Thins, hot fudge sauce, and homemade whipped cream are stacked, frozen, and ready for your next birthday party or a regular Tuesday. It’s easy to make, fun to serve, and holds together nicely when you slice it.
Ice Cream Cake Basics
This no-bake, super-simple recipe has three parts. All equally important and delicious.
The Ice Cream
I used two 1.5-quart containers of Breyers ice cream: one chocolate and one vanilla. That’s 3 whole quarts of ice cream OR 3/4 of a gallon if you’re counting. See my variations below to switch things up.
The Crunchy Filling
Falling in love with Dairy Queen Crunch Cakes at an early age, I’ve learned that magic shell and chocolate wafer crackers aren’t going to cut it for me! Plus, I could make it better. 
So I used crushed OREO Thins and store-bought hot fudge sauce. And it was so good. Everyone agreed this was the most delicious part of the cake.
The Ice Cream Cake Frosting
The “frosting” of an ice cream cake is actually just homemade whipped cream! It’s easy to spread, easy to slice, and adds a little extra delicious creamy bite to the cake.
Ingredient Notes For Ice Cream Cake
Here’s what you’ll need to make this homemade ice cream cake:
- Vanilla ice cream – Softened just enough to press into a smooth, even layer
- Chocolate ice cream – The other half of this dreamy duo
- Hot fudge sauce – Gives the middle a thick, fudgy chocolate layer.
- OREO Thins – Crushed into small pieces, they add a nice crunch between the layers.
- Heavy whipping cream – Whipped until it hits stiff peaks
- Sugar – To lightly sweeten the whipped cream frosting
- Vanilla extract – Just a splash makes a big difference
- Rainbow sprinkles – Optional, but honestly, why not?
How to Make Ice Cream Cake
Making an ice cream cake is super simple, but it’s time-consuming (freeze times), so plan ahead. For full recipe details, see the printable recipe card and helpful tutorial video down below.
Step 1: Remove Ice Cream from Freezer + Prep Cake Pans
Remove the ice cream from the freezer and let it defrost for about 15 minutes. While the ice cream softens, line two 8-inch cake pans with plastic wrap, leaving several inches of overhang.
Step 2: Spoon + Press Ice Cream into Prepared Pans + Freeze
Spoon soft ice cream into each prepared pan, pressing down to remove air bubbles as you go. Cover with plastic wrap and press down evenly to smooth the top. Freeze for 8-12 hours or until hardened.
Step 3: Place Serving Platter into Freezer (1 hour before)
1 hour before assembling the cake, place the serving platter into the freezer. (Make sure your platter can freeze!)
Step 4: Make the Whipped Cream Frosting + Refrigerate
Place heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla extract into a large bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate.
Step 5: Assemble the Cake
Remove ice cream layers and serving platter from freezer. Unwrap the tops of the ice cream layers and, using the excess plastic wrap, remove layers from pans. Place the chocolate layer on the bottom.
Smooth an even layer of hot fudge over the chocolate layer, leaving a 1/2 inch border.
Sprinkle crushed OREO Thins over hot fudge and press down gently. Add a vanilla ice cream layer overtop.
Spread whipped cream overtop of the entire cake and add sprinkles as desired.
Make-Ahead Tip: You can prepare the ice cream layers a few days ahead and keep them frozen until you’re ready to assemble the cake. Add the whipped cream frosting and any fresh fruit just before serving.
Step 6: Freeze Cake Until Ready to Serve
Once the cake is assembled, place it back into the freezer until ready to serve. (Remove cake from freezer about 15 minutes before ready to serve so it’s soft enough to slice through.)
Pro Tip: For a clean cut, run very hot tap water over a large butcher knife. Place the knife through the top of the ice cream cake and slice a triangle piece of your desired size. Rinse the knife with hot water and repeat.
Tips for Success
Here are a few simple tips to help your ice cream cake turn out just right.
- Cool the hot fudge first: Warm fudge can soften the ice cream too much and make the layers slide, so let it cool until thick but still spreadable.
- Freeze if the layers start to soften: If the ice cream becomes difficult to work with or the layers begin shifting, return the cake to the freezer before continuing.
- Pack down the cookie crumbs: Gently press the crushed OREO Thins into place so the crunchy layer stays together instead of falling apart when sliced.
- Whip the cream to the right consistency: Stop once it holds firm peaks. Overwhipping can make the frosting look grainy and harder to spread.
- Chill the cake thoroughly: Give the assembled cake plenty of freezer time so it sets firmly and the layers hold their shape when cut.
What to Serve With Ice Cream Cake
Ice cream cake is already a fun dessert on its own, but a few simple treats on the side can make it feel extra special.
- Chocolate Chip Cookies: A warm, chewy cookie adds a nice contrast to the cold, creamy cake.
- Caramel Sauce: Drizzle over each slice for an extra touch of buttery caramel flavor.
- Chocolate Strawberry Cookies: Fresh strawberries and chocolate add a fruity touch without making dessert feel too heavy.
- Nutella Deviled Strawberries: These sweet, creamy strawberries add a fresh fruity bite that pairs nicely with the rich, frozen cake.
- Hot Chocolate: Serve a small mug alongside the cake for an extra-cozy dessert combination.
This is such an easy ice cream cake recipe, and it comes together with store-bought ice cream and a little planning. Make it once, and you’ll never go back to the grocery store version again. The printable recipe card and helpful video are below. Enjoy!
Ice Cream Cake
Ingredients
- 1.5 quarts vanilla ice cream
- 1.5 quarts chocolate ice cream
- 3/4 cup hot fudge sauce
- 12 OREO thins crushed
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- rainbow sprinkles or other decorations as desired.
Instructions
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Remove ice cream from the freezer and defrost about 15 minutes.
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While ice cream is softening, line two 8-inch cake pans well with plastic wrap, leaving several inches of overhang.
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Spoon soft ice cream into each prepared pan, pressing down to remove air bubbles as you go. Cover with plastic wrap and press down evenly to smooth the top. Freeze for 8-12 hours or until hardened.
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1 hour before assembling cake, place serving platter into freezer. (Make sure your platter can freeze!)
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Place heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into a large bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate.
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To assemble cake: remove ice cream layers and serving platter from freezer. Unwrap the tops of the ice cream layers and using the excess plastic wrap, remove layers from pans. Place chocolate layer on the bottom. Smooth an even layer of hot fudge over the chocolate layer, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle crushed OREO thins over hot fudge and press down gently. Add vanilla layer overtop. Spread whipped cream overtop of the entire cake, add sprinkles as desired and freeze until ready to serve.
Video
Nutrition
Variations
- Swap the OREO Thins with chocolate chips, candy bars, or crushed cookie dough bites.
- Stir peanut butter into the hot fudge for a salty-sweet combo.
- Try Cool Whip instead of homemade whipped cream for a shortcut.
- Use a layer of pound cake between the ice cream layers for an actual cake layer.
Ice Cream Flavor Combinations
You can also switch up the ice cream, cookies, and fillings to create different flavor combinations. Here are a few ideas to try:
- Mint Chocolate Chip: Mint chocolate chip ice cream + crushed Thin Mint cookies + hot fudge filling
- Butter Pecan: Butter pecan ice cream + chopped pecans and shortbread cookies + butterscotch filling
- Chocolate Brownie: Chocolate brownie ice cream + chopped brownies + chocolate sauce
- Reese’s: Reese’s peanut butter ice cream + chopped peanut butter cups and peanuts + hot fudge sauce
- Ultimate Oreo: Oreo ice cream + chopped Oreos + hot fudge filling
More Ice Cream Recipes to Try!
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Homemade Rocky Road Ice Cream
- Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
- Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream
- Ice Cream Sandwich Cake – easiest dessert ever
How to Store Ice Cream Cake
Store the ice cream cake in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in aluminum foil for up to one week. After that, ice crystals can start to form, and the flavor and texture may not be as good.
If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tag me @laurens_latest.
