Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake Recipe
This indulgent Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake layers golden sandwich cookie crust with creamy vanilla and strawberry ice creams enhanced by freeze-dried strawberries for texture and flavor. Perfectly chilled and assembled, this no-bake dessert combines the classic flavors of strawberry shortcake into a refreshing, creamy cake that’s easy to prepare and sure to impress.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Cookie Crust
- 30 golden sandwich cookies, divided
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp butter, melted
Ice Cream Layers
- 5 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened, divided
- 4 cups strawberry ice cream, slightly softened
- 1 1/2 cups freeze-dried strawberries, divided
Instructions
- Prepare the pan: Line the bottom and sides of an 8”-x-8” baking pan with 2 sheets of parchment paper, leaving a 2” overhang on each side to help lift the cake out later.
- Make the crust: In a food processor, blitz 20 golden sandwich cookies and 1/4 tsp kosher salt until they become fine crumbs. Add 3 tbsp melted butter and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press this evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and freeze for 15 minutes to firm up.
- First ice cream layer: In a large bowl, stir 4 cups of the slightly softened vanilla ice cream until smooth. Spread this evenly over the partially frozen crust. Return to the freezer and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Second ice cream layer: In the same bowl, mix 4 cups strawberry ice cream until smooth, then fold in 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries. Spread this strawberry ice cream mixture evenly over the vanilla layer. Freeze again for 30 minutes.
- Prepare topping crumb: Using a food processor, pulse the remaining 10 golden sandwich cookies along with the remaining 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries until pea-sized crumbs form.
- Top ice cream layer and crumb: Mix the remaining 1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream until smooth and spread it over the strawberry layer. Sprinkle the prepared cookie and strawberry crumb evenly on top, pressing down gently to ensure it sticks.
- Freeze and serve: Freeze the assembled cake for at least 4 hours until firm or cover and freeze up to 1 week. To serve, lift the cake out using the parchment overhang, cut into 8 or 9 pieces with a sharp knife, and enjoy.
Notes
- Allow ice cream to soften slightly at room temperature for easier spreading but don’t let it melt completely.
- Freeze-dried strawberries add a crunchy burst of flavor and texture but can be substituted with finely chopped fresh strawberries if needed.
- Use parchment paper for easy removal of the cake from the pan without any mess.
- This cake requires several hours of freezing time, so plan ahead.
- You can substitute golden sandwich cookies with plain vanilla wafer cookies for a less sweet crust.
- For best results, spread ice cream layers evenly and smooth each layer before freezing.
