This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
Just one slice of this Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake Recipe will wow anyone! Especially yourself when you made it completely from scratch, even the ice cream. Whether you make this with my carrot cake recipe or your favorite flavor, you’ll learn how to make an ice cream cake the easy way!.
Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake
You are not going to believe me when I say this, but this is the BEST carrot cake ice cream cake I have ever made. It’s basically my Best Carrot Cake Recipe but with homemade ice cream layers.
I find that this layered ice cream cake recipe is perfect for when you want homemade ice cream AND cake. But let’s be honest here… when are you NOT in the mood for ice cream cake? You are going to be so proud of yourself after making this cheesecake ice cream recipe.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- An ice cream cake recipe is perfect for any occasion – and this recipe is easy to make from scratch with no churn ice cream!
- It’s a fun new way to make carrot cake – like those carrot cake cheesecakes you see but with ice cream instead!
- This easy to follow ice cream cake recipe includes other variations to switch things up!
Ingredients Needed
- Sweetened condensed milk: if you’re a regular here then you know how much I love sweetened condensed milk
- Cream cheese: my secret to achieving the creamiest homemade ice cream
- Cold heavy whipping cream: You’re going to make whipped cream for the ice cream and for the frosting.
- Vegetable oil: perfect for making all your baked desserts moist and so soft to the bite
- Applesauce: using unsweetened applesauce adds moisture to the cake with a bit less oil.
- Brown sugar and Granulated sugar: to sweeten the cake – I love using both. Brown sugar adds moisture to any recipe.
- Cinnamon: this is the highlight of the carrot cake for me
- Carrots: freshly shred your carrots instead of store-bought
- Chopped pecans (optional): this will elevate your cake with a yummy nutty flavor
How to make an Ice Cream Cake:
- Beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Beat cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth with a hand mixer. Beat in sweetened condensed milk. Switch to a wooden spoon or spatula and stir in vanilla. Fold in whipped cream.
- Line a round cake pan with plastic wrap, making sure some of it hangs over the sides. Place ice cream in the prepared pan. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Stir the eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla together. Then stir in the sugars. Add salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and stir until they are just mixed in.
- Add flour and stir until smooth. Stir in pecans (if using) and carrots.
- Pour the cake batter evenly into pan(s). Bake at 350°F for about 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Once the cake layers cool we’re going to torte the cake, which means cut the cake layer in half.
- Then assemble the cake: remove ice cream from the pan and remove plastic; place it on top of the cake layer. Top with a second cake layer. Do a thin layer of frosting all over the cake (the “crumb coat”) to pick up any stray crumbs. Freeze at least one hour. Do a second coat of frosting, thicker, over the first coat. Decorate as desired.
Expert Tips
- To decorate your ice cream layered cake, add some chopped toasted pecans to the outside of the cake.
- Have an extra 5 minutes to elevate your ice cream layered cake? Try this quick and easy 5 Minute Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe.
- Skip making your own ice cream and use one container of vanilla ice cream instead.
- You can bake the cake in two 8-inch cake pans if you don’t want to deal with torting your cake layer.
FAQs
What is the frosting on ice cream cake made of?
The frosting is made out of cream cheese!
How long does ice cream cake last?
Cake layers and ice cream can be frozen separately up to a month before assembling the cake. Freeze the cake layers wrapped well in plastic wrap.
Can I use store bought ice cream?
Yes! Feel free to use any of your favorite ice cream flavors for this ice cream cake recipe.
Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cake
My favorite carrot cake recipe with a cream cheese ice cream layer and topped with cream cheese whipped topping! The perfect cake for spring!
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 40 minutes
Chill Time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 40 minutes
Ingredients
For the Ice Cream:
- ½ (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (just over ½ cup)
- 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
For the Cake:
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (118ml) vegetable oil
- 4 ounces unsweetened applesauce (by weight; just under half cup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup flour
- 1 heaping cup shredded carrots from about 2 med/large carrots
- ½ cup chopped pecans optional
For Frosting:
- 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons (21g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chopped pecans optional
Instructions
Ice Cream:
- Beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
- Beat cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth with a hand mixer. Beat in sweetened condensed milk. Switch to a wooden spoon or spatula and stir in vanilla. Fold in whipped cream.
- Line an 8-inch round cake pan with plastic wrap, making sure some of it hangs over the sides. Place ice cream in the prepared pan. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour one or two 8-inch cake pans.
- Stir together eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir in sugars. Add salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and stir until they are just mixed in. Add flour and stir until smooth. Stir in pecans (if using) and carrots.
- Pour batter evenly into pan(s).
- Bake for 20-40 minutes (depending on number of pans and pan size) until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely before removing from pans.
Assemble the Cake
- Add cold heavy cream to a large bowl and whip until stiff peaks form, adding in powdered sugar and vanilla during mixing.
- If you used one cake pan, torte the cake by cutting it in half horizontally. Place one half on the cake plate.
- Remove ice cream from pan and remove plastic; place it on top the cake layer. Top with second cake layer.
- Do a thin layer of frosting all over the cake (the "crumb coat") to pick up any stray crumbs. Freeze at least one hour.
- Do a second coat of frosting, thicker, over the first coat. Decorate as desired. Optional: add some chopped toasted pecans to the outside of the cake.
- Serve immediately or freeze. Once the frosting is frozen you can cover the cake with plastic wrap and keep in the freezer for up to a month.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Cake layers and ice cream can be frozen separately up to a month before assembling cake. Freeze cake layers well wrapped in plastic wrap.
- If you prefer, substitute two 8-ounce containers cool whip in place of the 2 cups heavy whipping cream in the ice cream.
- You can make the cake in one 8×3-inch round cake pan (3-inch sides; the cake gets tall) or two 8-inch round pans. You can also use one 9-inch round pan or two 6-inch round pans.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 188mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 1902IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
This sounds too good to be true!!! I love carrot cake, it is my favorite cake and I love vanilla ice cream
!!!!!!!! I don’t think we have cool whip cream cheese frosting here in Canada, but my son shops in the States, if I can not find it what can I replace it with? Also is there any one else out there besides Dorothy that can tell me if the icecream is truly good?
I made a no churn ice cream with the sweetened condensed milk and it was so bad, we all through it in the garbage!!! Any comments, Dorothy
can you please also send me a reply to my email, PLEASE. keep up
the good work!!!
As for the ice cream, you can use your favorite from the grocery store if you’re worried about the SCM kind. It’s the only kind I make now and it’s taking the internet by storm! Add some vanilla extract and pinch of salt and it tastes like vanilla custard. 🙂
As for the frosting, try whipped cream or cream cheese frosting! https://www.crazyforcrust.com/2014/07/perfect-whipped-cream/ or https://www.crazyforcrust.com/2014/08/banana-bundt-cake/
Tried making this for a birthday at my house. Very sweet and delicious, but just for reference of people thinking of making this, the ice cream proportion is way off from the cake, and if I made it again I would double the amount of cake. Cream cheese frosting on cream cheese ice cream was a little too rich. I added plenty of spices as well as strained pineapple and ground raisins, and more cinnamon and baking powder to the cake. The cake was still heavy and the flour should probably be increased, and the applesauce simply omitted. Flavoring up the frosting and the ice cream should improve its appeal as well.
Overall, thank you for the wonderful recipe! I wanted to add constructive criticism, but don’t think I didn’t love your gorgeous site and your creativity! Cheers
Thanks for letting me know! I’m trying to remember, but I think there was more ice cream than I put on the cake (we just ate it!) As for the additions to the cake, yeah if you’re adding the pineapple you’ll need to omit applesauce or add more flour (or both). I used Cool Whip Cream Cheese Frosting, which is definitely less sweet than a regular cream cheese frosting, so that or using whipped cream might help with the too sweet!
Hi there -what if we wanted to make this a layer ice cream cake? Any suggestions? is it as simple as following the instructions above twice using half of the cake/ice cream (lay ice cream, then half of cake, then ice cream, then half of cake?)
You can make the cake as directed, then torte it (slice it in half) and sandwich the ice cream between the layers! Enjoy! (Sorry for my delay in replying, I’ve been out of town!)
Lovly. Cake
Love that you totally took carrot cake and made it even better than traditional versions and perfect for summer! Pinned!
Featured In
Rate This Recipe
Recipe Ratings without Comment