Ice-Cream Sundae Cake

About this Ice-Cream Sundae Cake is how simple it is to make. Who knew making your ice-cream cake could be this easy? And I love the brownie layers too because I’m a huge chocolate lover. The best thing though is that once this cake is frozen, then thawed, and decorated, it’s easier to slice into and I think that’s the secret to making an easy, no-churn ice-cream cake like this at home.

What does this frozen dessert taste like?

Well, the flavors are simple:

• Vanilla ice cream – classic. So creamy and delicious and dead easy to make!
• Chocolate brownie – the dense, intense hit of chocolate. And I love the pecans in there too. Great addition!
• Maraschino cherries + chocolate just help make this cake even more indulgent and impressive looking with minimal effort.

What you need for the Ice-Cream Sundae Cake:

Brownie Cake

Unsalted butter – if using salted butter, omit the salt. 

Dark Chocolate – use dark chocolate for a less sweet result

Brown sugar – can use caster sugar in its place

Eggs – use large eggs at room temperature

All-purpose flour – regular plain flour

Chopped pecans – can be left out but add a really delicious nuttiness

Ice-Cream

This portion of the recipe will act as both the ice cream filling but also what we use to cover the cake with later on. Use 1/3 in the middle of the cake, 1/3 to cover it, and then the rest to pipe the swirls on top.

Heavy whipping cream – this is the cream you use for whipping. Must have at least 30% fat content.

Caster Sugar – also known as superfine sugar.

Cream Cheese – make sure your cream cheese is softened. I left mine out for an hour. Ut you can microwave it for 30 seconds. Makes mixing it much easier.

Vanilla Extract – pure vanilla extract for best results.

Salted Nuts

Unsalted peanuts – regular unsalted peanuts are good here. Roasted is fine too.

Unsalted butter – unsalted is best here as we will be adding salt.

Salt – I used pink Himalayan salt but sea salt flakes or table salt is fine.

How to Make the Cake

Brownie Cake

1. Add a heatproof bowl to a pot of gently simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.

2. Add the butter, chocolate, and brown sugar. Stir until completely melted.

3. Take off the heat and add the egg yolks. Whisk in.

4. Add the egg whites to a separate large bowl.

5. Whisk to soft peaks.

6. Add some of the chocolate mixture to the egg whites and fold through.

7. Add the flour and pecans to the chocolate mixture and mix until well combined.

8. Add the egg white and chocolate mixture and fold through until well combined.

9. Split the batter amongst two 8-inch cake tins that have been sprayed and lined with baking paper. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Ice-Cream

1. To a large mixing bowl, add the cream, vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Use an electric hand mixer to whip to stiff peaks.

2. To a separate mixing bowl add the cream cheese and remaining sugar and mix until well combined and creamy, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the whipped cream and fold through until well combined.

Salted Nuts

1. Add the peanuts to a medium mixing bowl along with the melted butter and salt. Mix to coat the peanuts in the butter.

2. Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 10-15 minutes on 175°C / 350°F Allow to cool.

Let’s Decorate!

1. Take the brownie cakes out of the cake tins and peel the baking paper off the bottom of one of the cakes.

2. Spray a clean 8-inch baking tin with oil spray and line the sides with a piece of acetate measuring 65cm (26-inches) in length.

3. Add the brownie layer with the baking paper still on the bottom in the cake tin with the baking paper facing down.

4. Add 1/3 of the filling and spread around.

5. Drizzle with chocolate sauce

6. And sprinkle with peanuts

7. Before adding the brownie cake layer with no baking paper on top.

8. Add a little more filling on top and flatten out using a spatula. Place in the freezer for 6 hours or overnight to freeze solid.

9. Once frozen, take out of the tin and place on a serving plate. Allow to thaw for 10 minutes before unwrapping from the acetate.

10. Cover with a little more of the filling and spread around using a spatula. Get it as even as you can on top and the bottom.

11. Add the salted peanuts around the bottom

12. Drizzle with chocolate sauce around the top

13. Pipe swirls of the remaining frosting on top.

14. Top with maraschino cherries

Gave this a go? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok for more great recipes!

Tips for making Cake!

• Make sure you thaw this for long enough before slicing otherwise it’ll be really hard to cut
• Use a knife dipped in hot water and then dried to slice the cake. Makes things so much easier!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @thescranline on Facebook and Instagram!