Homemade 5-Layer Ice Cream Cake

Anyone else know a million people with a birthday last week? There was my husband, my best friend and her husband, our neighbor and her son, and another friend here in Destin just to name a few. Unfortunately Rob was out of town for his, but I had a couple of gifts and this ice cream cake waiting for him when he got home! This is the third year in a row I’ve made this cake for him so I think it’s safe to call it a tradition now (here is the original blog post). Instead of just several ice cream flavors and a fudge layer, I decided to add a brownie! Because, duh, the more chocolate the better. It’s the perfect “crust” and the soft, chewy texture complements the ice cream really well. Basically this recipe is Homemade Ice Cream Cake 2.0.

I kept the decorative aspects of this cake really simple because I wanted the mouth-watering layers to be the focal point. However I did add this “Let’s Eat Cake” topper from a local boutique on 30A called Mingle. They have a ton of stylish home decor and party items, including a balloon boutique and “party barn” featuring cute candles, plates, napkins and more. Although I’m typically drawn towards pink, I thought these blue geometric plates and wooden utensils would be perfect for Rob’s birthday. I also picked up some white candles with gold glitter to place on top of the cake. If you don’t live nearby you can shop the items online and make sure to follow them on Instagram to see their amazing party setups. Their balloon arrangements are so cool!

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Ice Cream Cake

The perfect birthday treat! Start with a brownie, then add your favorite ice cream flavors and a fudge cookie layer. 

Course Dessert

Servings 12 people

Ingredients

• 9" springform pan
• 1 box brownie mix
• 1 quart salted caramel ice cream
• 24 Oreos
• 5 oz. (about half of a bottle) magic shell chocolate sauce
• 1 jar (12.5 oz) hot fudge sauce
• 1 quarts cookies 'n' cream ice cream
• 1 container (8 oz.) Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream

Instructions

1. Prepare brownie mix according to directions on the box, then create an even layer in the springform pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean (about 25 minutes, but may vary depending on the mix). Let cool. 

2. When brownie layer is cool, thaw one carton of ice cream (I used salted caramel). Once it’s soft enough to spread, create an even layer of ice cream on top of the brownie layer. To perfectly flatten it, I put a layer of parchment paper on top and pressed down with a round 8″ cake pan. Place in freezer for about an hour, until firm.

3. Meanwhile, make the cookie layer by placing Oreos in a food processor and pulsing until you have large crumbs. Add chocolate shell and hot fudge topping and continue to pulse until crumbs are moist. Don’t over mix it because you want a cookie crunch rather than one homogenous mixture. Spread over the first layer of ice cream, then freeze for about another 45 minutes.

4. Let the next ice cream flavor thaw at room temperature for about 10 minutes (I used cookies 'n' cream), then spread on top of the cookie layer, packing it tightly. Return and freeze for an hour.

5. Thaw whipped cream until soft enough to spread. Frost the top with whipped cream (or remove from springform pan and frost the sides as well) and store in the freezer. Before serving, let it thaw for about 5 minutes to slightly soften and use a hot knife to slice. Enjoy!