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Ice Cream Cake

Ice cream cake with a crunchy Oreo crust, layered vanilla and strawberry ice cream, and a ribbon of hot fudge—no bake and easy to slice. Frozen in phases for clean layers, then finished with swirled whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Freezing 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 850

Ingredients
  

Oreo crust
  • 24 Oreo cookies Crushed; aim for fine crumbs.
  • 5 tbsp butter Melted, then cooled slightly.
Ice cream layers
  • 1.5 qt vanilla ice cream Slightly softened so it spreads without tearing.
  • 1.5 qt strawberry ice cream Slightly softened so it spreads evenly.
  • 0.5 cup hot fudge sauce Slightly cooled for easier drizzling.
Toppings
  • 2 cup whipped topping or stabilized whipped cream Keep cold for the cleanest swirls.
  • Rainbow or patriotic sprinkles Optional, for a festive finish.

Equipment

  • 1 springform pan
  • 1 freezer

Method
 

Build the Oreo crust
  1. Mix the crushed Oreo cookies with melted butter until evenly coated, then press firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and pack it flat using a solid pressure cue. Freeze for 15 minutes to set the crust (visual cue: crumbs hold together and feel firm when pressed).
  2. Spread the vanilla ice cream in an even layer over the Oreo crust, smoothing the top with an even finish, then freeze for 1 hour until firm (visual cue: top looks matte and the layer cuts cleanly at the edges).
Add fudge and strawberry layers
  1. Drizzle the hot fudge sauce over the vanilla layer in a thin ribbon and freeze for 15 minutes to partially set (visual cue: fudge looks slightly thickened, not liquid).
  2. Spread the strawberry ice cream over the fudge layer and smooth the top, then cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight (visual cue: cake is fully solid throughout, with no soft center).
Unmold, finish, and slice
  1. Run a warm knife around the edge of the frozen cake, release the springform, and transfer the cake to a serving plate (visual cue: edges release cleanly without smearing).
  2. Pipe whipped cream swirls around the top edge, scatter sprinkles across the center, then slice with a hot knife and serve immediately (visual cue: swirls stay sharp and each slice shows distinct layers).

Notes

Pro tip: slightly soften the ice cream just enough to spread—if it gets too loose, the layers will blur. Store covered in the freezer up to 2 weeks; freezer yes. For an easier swirl, keep the whipped topping cold and pipe right after unmolding. Dietary swap: use dairy-free vanilla and strawberry ice cream and dairy-free whipped topping to make it dairy-free while keeping the layered texture.