In today’s post: When you need a special dessert for a birthday – or any occasion – try this amazing brownie ice cream cake. It’s easy to make, completely customizable, and feeds a crowd.
Alright, people, there’s a new cake in town. I love a classic cake just as much as the next gal (probably quite a bit more, actually), but there’s always room for a new take on cake, right? Technically, this dessert doesn’t have an ounce of cake in it – we’re just calling it cake because that’s what it looks like. It’s in a 9×13 pan and has sprinkles on top, after all. But that’s where the resemblance ends. So what’s this “cake” really made of?
Brownie Bottom Ice Cream Cake
Well, this amazing cake starts with a layer of incredible fudgy brownie, topped with rich chocolate ice cream, topped with crushed Oreo cookies and hot fudge, topped with creamy peanut butter ice cream, all finished off with a cool layer of whipped cream. This is brownie bottom ice cream cake, and it’s absolutely perfect for any celebration!
Basically it’s made of indulgence and delight.
And the best part? You can customize the layers to your heart’s content, switching out ice cream flavors and toppings (although the toppings go in the middle, so maybe they should be called middlings here…)
Imagine brownie, toffee ice cream, Oreos + caramel sauce, and chocolate ice cream. Or crushed Reese’s peanut butter cups in the middle instead of Oreos. Or mint and vanilla ice creams. Or dark chocolate ice cream and white chocolate raspberry sorbet!
Yep, the sky’s the limit here. If you don’t already know your favorite grocery store’s ice cream section like the back of your hand, spend a few minutes perusing the selections next time you’re there and decide which flavors you’d like to combine into a cold, creamy bite of heaven.
How to Make It
This impressive looking birthday cake is really pretty simple to put together! Here’s what you’ll do:
- Start by mixing up a boxed brownie mix and baking it in a 9×13 cake pan as directed.
- After the brownies have cooled, you’ll spread out a layer of softened ice cream.
- Top the ice cream layer with hot fudge sauce and crushed Oreos.
- Spread out another layer of ice cream, then top the entire thing with whipped topping and sprinkles.
- This is the hardest part: freeze the cake for at least 8 hours or until the ice cream is firm before digging in!
Tips for the Perfect Brownie Ice Cream Cake
- You can use any brand of brownie mix you like, as long as it is a 9×13 size, but I vastly prefer Duncan Hines. I make it with 2 eggs and cook it just until a toothpick inserted near the edge comes out mostly clean. Fudgey is key here. Plus you don’t want crunchy edges or you’ll never be able to cut through them once the dessert is frozen. If you end up undercooking the brownie layer a bit, no worries. It’s going to be amazing once it’s frozen.
- Make sure to soften your ice cream before you try to spread it across the brownie. You can either let it sit on the counter for a while or soften in your microwave. For best results, you can dump the entire container of ice cream in a large bowl and stir it up a bit to make sure it’s soft and spreadable before spreading it over the brownie layer.
- For more distinct looking layers, freeze the cake in between layers. So bake the brownies, let them cool, and add the first layer of ice cream, then freeze a few hours until firm. Then add the fudge/Oreos and freeze, then add the second layer of ice cream. I’m much too lazy to take the time to do this, so I just layer everything at once and don’t stress about the fact that the layers get a little muddled, but it will be a bit prettier if you take the time to do one layer at a time.
- Slicing this “cake” takes a bit of muscle. Definitely plan to let it sit on the counter for a few moments before you slice, especially if it’s been in the freezer overnight.
Brownie Ice Cream Pie
Ingredients
- 1 box Duncan Hines Family Size fudge Brownie Mix
- 2 Eggs
- Water & Oil as Directed on Box
- 1.5 quart Chocolate Ice Cream
- 1.5 quart Peanut Butter Ice Cream
- 16 Oreos
- 1 cup Hot Fudge
- 8 oz Frozen Whipped Topping thawed
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven as directed on the box brownie mix. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray, then mix up the brownie batter as directed on the box. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake brownies as directed on box.
- Cool brownies completely.
- Soften both ice creams if planning to make the entire cake right now. (For more distinct layers, cake can be frozen after adding the first ice cream layer. If you plan to do that, only soften the chocolate ice cream now.)
- Scoop the chocolate ice cream out onto brownie, then spread it out in an even layer.
- Warm the hot fudge gently until it's just pourable, and pour it over the chocolate ice cream. Crush the Oreos and sprinkle them over the fudge topping.
- If desired at this point you can freeze cake for 1 hour to make adding the next layers easier.
- Scoop softened peanut butter ice cream over the Oreos and spread in an even layer.
- Top with whipped topping and sprinkles, if desired.
- Cover and freeze for at least 8 hours (or up to 24 hours) until firm.
- Slice using a sharp knife and serve. If cake has been frozen for 24 hours or more, you may need to let it rest on the counter for 15 minutes to soften a bit before slicing.
Video Tutorial
Recipe FAQ
No it won’t, as long as you make sure not to overcook the brownies in the first place. Slightly undercooked brownies are better here and will result in a fudgy, chewy base layer even after the cake is frozen.
Sure! The sky is the limit here. Choose your favorite ice creams and toppings and mix them up however you’d like. Just remember that everything that goes in the cake will be frozen. Anything that might not work well in the freezer can be added when you serve the cake. For example, don’t put chocolate chips inside the cake because they’ll be too hard when frozen. Fruit, like fresh strawberries or raspberries, should be added when serving and not put inside the cake layers.
You can use any brand you choose, but be sure the box mix is meant for a 9×13 inch pan. I prefer Duncan Hines brownie mix.
Traditional round cake pans will not work for this cake because the sides aren’t high enough. However, this dessert can be made in a high sided, 9 inch springform pan if you’d like it to be round. If you do that, you will need to decrease the amount of ice cream quite a bit, probably to less than a quart of each flavor.
Looking for more cold treats? Try these recipes:
How to make Oreo ice cream sandwiches
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Ashley Morse says
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C says
Just what i need for a perfect birthday cake. Something different, and not too difficult to do. Thank you
Vicki P says
This cake looks amazing – all of my favorite treats together.
Kathy E. says
Oh yum! With a birthday coming up soon, this may be the dessert of choice in my house! We are chocolate and peanut butter loves, so this is perfect! Good timing and thank you!