Ice Cream Loaf Cake Recipe Video

Ice Cream Loaf Cake Details

Flavor: The cake reminds me of these funfetti cupcakes because it’s buttery and sweet with notes of vanilla. The ganache topping is, of course, rich and chocolatey. The ice cream flavor is completely up to you, so have fun with this. Some ice cream options I love for this ice cream loaf cake recipe are chocolate chip, strawberry, pistachio, peanut butter ripple, cookies & cream, and mint chocolate chip. (All flavors I’d recommend for cookie ice cream sandwiches too!) Texture: Right out of the freezer, the slices taste frozen (obviously) so I like to let the cake sit out for a few minutes before slicing. I even let the slices sit for another few minutes before serving because I prefer a softer cake with ice cream. Test cakes were MUCH denser even after sitting out and you can read about my recipe testing next. Ease: This is a very straightforward cake recipe. You don’t need a mixer or any special equipment, but have some parchment paper or plastic wrap handy for assembly. Slicing the cake into layers takes some time, but don’t stress. As long as you have a very sharp or serrated knife, it’s manageable. Note that a cake leveler isn’t very helpful because this is a denser cake. The hardest part is waiting for the assembled cake to freeze! Or, if you’re indecisive like I am, choosing an ice cream flavor. 😉

If you want ONLY ice cream in your cake, here’s my Dairy Queen-inspired ice cream cake recipe with homemade hot fudge sauce.

How & Why This Recipe Works

Today’s recipe includes actual cake. I prefer softer cakes, so my #1 goal was to start with a soft cake that was still sturdy enough to assemble and serve frozen. It was certainly a tall order and about 7 test recipes later—and that is no exaggeration—I had a workable recipe. Butter-based cakes, like pound cake, are notoriously heavy and even denser when frozen. I knew this wasn’t the place I wanted to start, so I opted for an oil-based cake. The oil-based sprinkle cake was fine, but it looked and tasted more like quick bread. I swapped oil for melted butter so there could be a little more flavor in the cake. I also switched to cake flour to provide a lighter crumb. I tried using 2 egg whites instead of a whole egg, since egg whites make a lighter cake (see white cake), but that made no difference here. Use cake flour, melted butter, 1 whole egg, and the rest of the ingredients listed below. The cake has great structure, but is still a little soft as the cake slices thaw.

How to Assemble This Ice Cream Loaf Cake

You can watch the recipe video and read the detailed recipe instructions below, but I find step photos to be massively helpful. Let’s start assembling this cake! Start Assembly: After removing the completely cooled loaf cake from the pan, slice it into 3 layers. This can be tricky, so take your time. I usually stand the loaf upright on one end and slice downward. Be careful and watch your fingers if doing it this way. Line your loaf pan with parchment paper or plastic wrap with overhang on the sides. Place bottom cake layer in: Ice Cream: Spread half of your ice cream on top. This is much easier if the ice cream has slightly softened and I worked that into the recipe instructions below. I just use a spoon to scoop it out of the container and spread it around. It’s a thick layer of ice cream: Repeat: Repeat this one more time with middle cake layer and 2nd layer of ice cream. Finally, place the top cake layer on top then cover and freeze.

Topping, Slicing, & Serving This Ice Cream Loaf Cake

Can it really be a cake without a glorious finishing touch? Top this ice cream cake with a thick layer of chocolate ganache. Since the cake is so cold, the ganache sets very quickly and tastes like a layer of rich fudge. The chocolate ganache instructions are below, but if you’d like to learn more see my separate chocolate ganache post. Let the ganache cool and thicken for about 10 minutes, then spread onto the frozen loaf cake. The cake is obviously very cold, so I recommend letting it sit for about 3-5 minutes before slicing. (Otherwise you’ll have a heck of a time trying to cut it!) And if you prefer a softer ice cream cake like I do, let the slices “melt” for a few more minutes before serving them. Feel free to add a dollop of fresh whipped cream, too! Such a fun dessert for a summer birthday! (And for the peanut butter lovers, this peanut butter ice cream pie is always a hit!)

Best Sprinkles to Use in Cakes

I’ve been baking cake and cupcake batters with sprinkles for quite awhile and have learned exactly what works—and what doesn’t. Here’s what I know:

Use confetti quins if you can. They’re usually sold as little discs, but you can find other shapes such as stars or hearts too. This type of sprinkle rarely bleeds color in cake batter. I really like these rainbow sprinkles if you’re looking for traditional jimmies. (Not sponsored, truly what I personally use.) They don’t bleed color too much, so they also work well in the batter of confetti cake. They aren’t crunchy, so they taste nice as decoration or garnish too. Do not use nonpareils (the little balls) in cake batter because they are notorious for bleeding color. Save them for decoration or garnish. Naturally colored sprinkles are wonderful in cookies and as decoration, but—depending on the brand—can lose their color in cake batter.