A dreamy ice cream cake featuring a soft chocolate cake base topped with a thick layer of ice cream, wrapped in light whipped cream frosting, and finished with a hot fudge drip and cookie crumbles. Perfect for birthdays and summer celebrations.
Hot fudge sauceabout 290 g, used at room temperature; a thick ganache can substitute1 cup
Hot fudge sauce (for drip)warmed until just flowable, not hot3 tbsp
Cold heavy cream2 cups
Powdered sugar3 tbsp
Vanilla extract (for whipped cream)2 tsp
Steps
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1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Sift and whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
2
In another bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract.
3
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined, then mix in the hot coffee (or hot water) until smooth — the batter will look very thin, which is expected.
4
Pour the batter into a greased 8-inch round cake pan lined with parchment on the bottom. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the center springs back when pressed or a skewer comes out clean. Let it cool.
5
While the cake bakes, line another 8-inch cake pan with plastic wrap in both directions, leaving overhang on the sides, and freeze it for 15 minutes.
6
Scoop the slightly softened ice cream into the plastic-lined pan, pressing it in as you go until full, then cover the top with another sheet of plastic wrap and press flat.
7
Freeze the ice cream layer for at least 2 hours until firm (can be made 1–2 days ahead).
8
Roughly chop the Oreo cookies. Center the cooled cake layer on a cake plate, spread a thick layer of room-temperature hot fudge over it, then sprinkle the chopped Oreos on top and press them in.
9
Remove the ice cream layer from the freezer, peel off the plastic, and flip it upside down onto the cake, centering it. Cover with the overhanging plastic and freeze for at least 1 hour (can be made days ahead if well wrapped in plastic and foil).
10
Make the whipped cream: beat the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a stand mixer, starting on low and increasing speed. Whip until soft peaks form, then finish by hand to reach firm, pipeable stiff peaks — about 3 minutes total.
11
Reserve 1 cup of the whipped cream in a piping bag fitted with a star tip and refrigerate until needed.
12
Unwrap the frozen assembled cake and cover it entirely with the remaining whipped cream, smoothing it with an offset spatula and bench scraper.
13
If adding heavier decorations like a fudge drip, freeze the cake again for 45 minutes to 1 hour to firm up first.
14
Warm a small amount of hot fudge until just flowable but not hot, put it in a piping bag with the tip snipped, and pipe it along the top edge to create a drip effect.
15
Press crushed Oreo crumbs around the base of the cake as a decorative skirt, then pipe the reserved whipped cream on top in a wave or your preferred design.
16
Let the finished cake freeze solid; before serving, let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to soften slightly, then slice and enjoy. It keeps well frozen for about 2 weeks.
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