This easy homemade gluten free ice cream cake is made of creamy vanilla ice cream and chocolate crunchies between 2 layers of rich chocolate cake. A simple chocolate frosting on top makes this cake into an instant celebration!
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Why you'll love this gluten free ice cream cake
A magical combination of tender chocolate cake, creamy vanilla ice cream, crispy, chocolatey crunchies, and sour cream chocolate frosting, this gluten free ice cream cake is perfect for your next gathering.
Lots of ice cream is gluten free, but most ice cream cakes aren't. So if you want the nostalgic taste of a Carvel ice cream cake, complete with those crisp chocolate bits and all the creaminess of fresh ice cream, we'd better get started!
This cake is also super adaptable. You can make it as I did, with 3 layers (2 cake, 1 ice cream), or a single layer of cake, and a single layer of ice cream. Make it a chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, or flip the script and make a gf vanilla cake with chocolate ice cream.
Making homemade gluten free ice cream
There are plenty of gluten free ice cream recipes here on the blog, and most of them are “no churn,” which just means you don't need an ice cream machine to make them. Whatever recipe you choose, you'll want it to be cold, but unfrozen when you mix the crunchies in and assemble this cake.
There are recipes for dairy free no churn ice cream, 3 ingredient vanilla ice cream, no churn chocolate ice cream, and even a recipe for making ice cream without cream at all. There's no shortage of homemade ice cream recipes here on the blog.
Do I have to use homemade ice cream to make an ice cream cake?
No, you don't! You can use packaged gluten free ice cream to make nearly any ice cream treat, from gluten free ice cream sandwiches to a homemade Chipwich between two chocolate chip cookies.
The advantage of making any of these ice cream treats with homemade ice cream is that you can shape it when it's first made, and cold but unfrozen. If you use packaged ice cream, you need to soften it before you can shape it into a cake in a springform pan or a loaf pan.
Tips for making the perfect gluten free ice cream cake
Making homemade gf chocolate cake
I like to use a modified version of our one bowl gluten free chocolate cake as the cake part of this gf ice cream cake, since it's super easy to make, rich but not too rich, and has a tender, but stable, crumb.
Just be sure not to choose a cake with a fragile crumb, or it won't hold together when we fill it with ice cream and then try to slice it. Our quinoa chocolate cake is delicious, but it's not destined for ice cream cake fame!
Just be sure to make the chocolate cakes first, so they have time to cool first in the pan, then on a wire rack. If your chocolate cake is warm when you layer it with ice cream, it will melt the cold-but-unfrozen ice cream. Ever have ice cream that's melted and then been refrozen? It's terrible!
How to assemble an ice cream cake
This cake is made with a combination of cake and ice cream, layered in a springform pan with an acetate collar around the side to help build it up high, and stay neat and clean. We make the cakes first, so they can cool while we make the crunchies, then the frosting, and finally the homemade no churn ice cream (remember: cold, but not frozen).
Then, we layer in the first cake layer in the pan, followed by a layer of ice cream mixed with the cookie crunchies, and topped with the final cake layer. The first cake goes in right side up, and the second goes in upside down, so our top is flat as can be.
Be sure to make your ice cream cake the day before you need to serve it, so it can fully set. Every ice cream cake needs to thaw a bit before you slice it, though, or you'll struggle to pass a knife through it. Resting for 30 minutes on the kitchen counter is plenty.
How to store a gluten free ice cream cake
Clear a large, flat spot in the freezer, and make sure you have enough room all around it so the cold air can circulate. The ideal amount of time to freeze your cake after it's fully assembled is 4 hours, so the ice cream is frozen, but the cake isn't too icy.
Once you serve the cake, be sure to slice it entirely into wedges. If you have any ice cream cake left over, wrap each piece tightly in freezer-safe wrap and store in the freezer. To eat, let defrost for about 20 minutes at room temperature and then enjoy!
Will ice cream cake melt in the fridge?
Yes, if you keep your ice cream cake in the refrigerator, the ice cream will melt. But if your cake is frozen solid, and you'd like to let it warm up a bit but keep the ice cream from melting, you can refrigerate the cake for about 45 minutes and then serve it immediately.
Gluten free ice cream cake: ingredients and substitutions
Gluten free, dairy free ice cream cake
To make this whole gf ice cream cake dairy free, you'll have to tackle the dairy in each layer:
- For the sour cream in the cake and frosting, try using Greek-style plain nondairy yogurt, or your favorite brand of dairy free gf sour cream
- For the ice cream, use our dairy free no churn ice cream recipe.
- For the chocolate crunchies, gluten free Nabisco Oreos are already dairy free, so just be sure to use dairy-free chocolate.
- For the butter in the frosting, try using butter-flavored Spectrum brand nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening, or vegan butter (Melt and Miyoko's Kitchen brands are my favorite)
Gluten free, egg free ice cream cake
The only eggs in this recipe are those in the chocolate cake. If you can't have eggs, you can try replacing the eggs in the chocolate cake with 1 “chia egg” each (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel), or you can use our recipe for chocolate gluten free crazy cake, baked in two 9-inch pans, since it's egg-free.
FAQs
Is ice cream cake gluten free?
Sometimes! Ice cream cake made with only gluten free ice cream will be gluten free if the ice cream is made with simple ingredients like milk, cream, and sugar, and there aren't any added elements that might have gluten.
Are Carvel cakes gluten free?
No! Most Carvel ice creams are gluten free, but the little chocolate crunchies between the layers of their ice cream cake contain gluten. So if you want a gluten free ice cream cake, you'll have to make it yourself!
Do ice cream cakes always have cake in them?
No, ice cream cakes are sometimes made with one or two layers of ice cream, with chocolate crunchies in between.
What's in that chocolate crunch layer?
If you're going to make a Carvel- or Baskin Robbins-style ice cream cake, you're going to need a chocolate cookie crunch layer. Some homemade ice cream cake recipes use crushed gluten free Oreos, gluten free Joe Joes or maybe our homemade gluten free Oreos, if you don't mind the extra work.
I prefer to make the chocolate crunchy layer with crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (cream and all), that aren't crushed into sandy crumbs. Crush them by hand just until they're small chunks, and then add a mixture of melted chocolate and coconut oil.
The mixture of melted chocolate and coconut oil is a homemade version of Magic Shell, the chocolate ice cream topping that hardens when it's poured on cold ice cream. The melted chocolate mixture helps the cookie crumbles turn into perfect clusters.
What's a good frosting recipe for my gluten free frozen cake?
I've included a recipe here for sour cream chocolate frosting to use as a topper for your gf ice cream cake. It's a very creamy frosting that doesn't freeze too solid, like a more classic buttercream frosting might if placed in the freezer.
You can also use a cooked flour frosting, if you prefer, like our vanilla ermine frosting. That's nice and soft, and not too sweet. Of course, you can always use a can of packaged frosting, as long as it's gluten free. Or leave off the frosting entirely!
How far in advance should I make my gf ice cream cake?
You can make and assemble your ice cream cake up to a full month ahead of time, as long as it's wrapped very tightly or the cake will dry out. But it's best frozen for only 4 to 6 hours, allowed to thaw for 30 minutes, and then sliced and served fresh.
How to make gluten free ice cream cake
Gluten Free Ice Cream Cake
Equipment
- Stand mixer or handheld mixer
Ingredients
For the chocolate cakes
- 2 ¼ cups (315 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click through for appropriate blends)
- 1 ⅛ teaspoons xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- 1 ⅓ cups (106 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ⅛ cups (252 g) sour cream at room temperature
- ¾ cup (168 g) neutral oil (vegetable, grapeseed, peanut, canola all work)
- 3 (150 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ⅛ cups (9 fluid ounces) warm water (about 80°F)
For the cookie crunch layer
- 8 ounces gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies broken into small to medium chunks
- 4 ounces dark chocolate chopped
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) virgin coconut oil
For the chocolate sour cream frosting
- 12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed is fine)
- 4 cups (460 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup (168 g) sour cream at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the ice cream filling
- 1 recipe marshmallow ice cream just prepared (unfrozen)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease 2 9-inch round baking pans and set them aside.
Prepare the chocolate cakes.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla, and water, and mix to combine well. The batter should be very thickly pourable.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans, smooth into an even layer and place in the center of the preheated oven.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out mostly clean or with a few moist crumbs attached (about 30 minutes), rotating the cakes in the oven halfway through baking. Do not overbake.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare the cookie crunch.
- In a medium-sized bowl, place the chocolate sandwich cookie crumbles.
- In a separate, small bowl, place the chopped chocolate and coconut oil and melt in the microwave in short, 30-second bursts until melted and smooth.
- Pour the melted chocolate and coconut oil mixture over the top of the cookie crumbles. Mix to combine, and set aside.
Prepare the optional frosting.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, whip the butter until light and fluffy (at least 4 minutes).
- Add the cocoa powder, confectioners’ sugar, salt, sour cream, and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until the powder is absorbed by the butter.
- Turn the mixer speed up to high and beat until very well-combined and light and fluffy but holds its shape. Set the frosting aside.
Prepare the pan for assembly
- If you’re using an acetate cake collar, cut a piece of acetate that a bit longer than the circumference of the springform pan.
- With the pan disassembled, position the acetate collar along the perimeter of the bottom of the pan, with the ends overlapping one another a bit.
- Place the rim of the pan in place, and close it around the acetate collar, avoiding any buckling of the collar.
Assemble & freeze the cake.
- Place the first cake on the bottom of the springform pan, right side up.
- Add about 2/3 of the chocolate crunch pieces into the prepared ice cream, and mix gently to combine. Scrape the ice cream onto the top of the bottom cake in the pan, and spread it into an even layer.
- Scatter the remaining 1/3 of the chocolate crunch evenly on top of the ice cream.
- Top with the second chocolate cake layer, positioned upside down, so the top of the cake is completely smooth and level. Press the top cake down firmly to help the layers adhere to one another.
- Transfer the prepared chocolate frosting to the top of the layer cake, and spread it into an even layer with a large spatula.
- Place the cake in the freezer to set for about 4 hours or until the ice cream is firm to the touch, but the cake can still be cut.
Serve.
- Release the sides of the springform pan and lift off the acetate collar. If the chocolate cake is fully frozen, allow the cake to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes or until you can slice the cake.
- Using a large serrated knife, slice the cake in half, straight down the middle. Slice the halves of cake into wedges and serve.
Notes
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Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Shellie Cunningham says
This recipe is the best thing I have ever eaten!
Ryan says
This recipe is incredibly rich and the cake ended up gigantic. Everyone loved it but put everyone to sleep. If I were to make it again I would make half the batter and use just 1 9in cake pan and cut the single cake in half, and I wouldn’t use crumbled Oreos in the ice cream. The frosting was incredible.
Also make sure you have a very sharp knife and think about storage if you’re going to have leftovers.
Sandy says
Wow! That seems like a lot of salt to add to your frosting. Even using unsalted butter with this, the most I’d use is 1/2 tsp of salt. Is the amount listed, a type-o or is the recipe correct? I’ll to hear your response before I make this. I guess, I could always start off with 1/2 tsp first, then gradually add up to the full amount…
Nicole Hunn says
Actually, Sandy, it should read 1 teaspoon, and I’ve made the correction. It’s not a particularly significant difference in frosting, though, as salt really helps to balance the cloying sweetness of confectioners’ sugar. But I guess it’s really important to you!
Jean VanVoorhis says
Great and delicious recipe. Easy and clear to follow. Can’t wait to see and try more
Nicole Hunn says
So glad, Jean! Thank you for the kind words.
Amber says
Do you think we could use a sugar substitute like Swerve here and still have it turn out?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid I don’t think that you can cook Swerve in any way similar to how you can cook sugar, Amber. I’m working on a low carb ice cream recipe, though, that will use sugar substitutes (probably monkfruit and erythritol). Stay tuned!
Sandra Mosolgo says
I used store bought ice-cream w a layer of crushed Butterfingers for husbands birthday.
Nicole Hunn says
Sounds lovely, Sandra!
BiteMeMore says
Now way! Gluten-free Ice Cream cake?! Love this recipe… I honestly didn’t think this was possible and now am so inspired to try it. Thanks so much for this must-try summer treat :)
Julia says
Sigh….now I have to make the crushed cookie center…layer…top with whipped cream frosting and possibly find a good shaped pan to make it fancy….I’m gonna weigh 400lbs if you keep this up lady!!!!! But I’ll be smiling and full of GF Goodness! I have both your books & pre-ordered the 3rd. My family bows to your greatness!
Brianna Hobbs says
I’ve always wanted to try making semifreddo. Thanks for the recipe!
Jennifer Sasse says
OMG – every day it just gets better and better. Love this recipe. Thank you, thank you for sharing it with us! :)
Mish says
I had no idea this could be done!!! Unfortunately, I am also lactose intolerant, but I will be trying this with coconut cream rather than whipping cream… I’ll let you know how it goes. Fingers crossed :) If it doesn’t work at least my family will be able to eat the original version. Looks so great!
SisterMable says
I love you <3