Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

By
Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher is a journalist and food writer who has authored multiple cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/19/23
Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 2 mins
Freeze: 3 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 22 mins
Servings: 24 servings
Yield: 1 cake

This ice cream sandwich cake makes a terrific frozen treat for Mother's Day, Memorial Day, the 4th of July, or any summer picnic or party. Purchase premade ice cream sandwiches for a quick and easy crowd-pleaser, or make your own ice cream sandwiches with any flavor of ice cream and shortbread, graham crackers, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, or favorite flavor of cookies for a truly custom indulgence. Kids can even make this no-bake ice cream sandwich cake by themselves.

These instructions work for assembly with standard rectangular ice cream sandwiches in a 9 x 13-inch pan, but you can fit square sandwiches in a 9 x 9-inch pan or round sandwiches in a springform pan. You may need to cut some of the sandwiches to fill in gaps along the edges. You can even make a free-form ice cream sandwich cake on a sheet pan, then frost it like a layer cake using softened ice cream or flavored whipped cream.

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Ingredients

  • 20 standard ice cream sandwiches (vanilla, strawberry, Neopolitan, or a mix), divided

  • 1 (12-ounce) jar hot fudge sauce, divided

  • 12 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

  • 1/2 cup sprinkles

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for ice cream sandwich cake

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  2. Place one whole ice cream sandwich and one half of an ice cream sandwich side by side along short edge of a 9 x 13-inch pan.

    Put sandwiches on bottom of pan

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  3. Arrange more sandwiches and halves lengthwise to cover bottom of pan. Cut one sandwich in half lengthwise to fill in any remaining space along the edge.

    Arrange sandwiches in a pan

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  4. Put hot fudge sauce in a microwave-safe container. Heat on high for 30 seconds or until easy to stir.

    Hot fudge sauce in a bowl

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  5. Spread half of the sauce evenly over ice cream sandwiches.

    Spread half the sauce on the ice cream sandwiches

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  6. Top with half of the whipped topping.

    Top the ice cream sandwich cake with half of the whipped topping

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  7. Repeat with an additional layer of ice cream sandwiches, hot fudge sauce, and whipped topping. Scatter sprinkles over top.

    Ice cream sandwich cake topped with sprinkles

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  8. Freeze, uncovered, for 2 hours.

    Freeze ice cream sandwich cake for 2 hours

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  9. Cover pan with foil and put back in freezer for an additional hour.

    ice cream sandwich in a pan covered with aluminum foil

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  10. To serve, pull the cake from the freezer and let sit at room temperature for 10 or 15 minutes. Soak the blade of a knife in hot water (a long serrated bread knife is best), wipe water off with a clean kitchen towel, then cut frozen cake into squares. Re-dip knife between slices to make it easier to cut.

    Cut ice cream cake into squares

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

Recipe Variations

  • Scatter chopped almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans, or other nuts on each layer instead of candy sprinkles.
  • Replace one fudge layer with caramel topping.
  • Swirl warm peanut butter into the fudge layers with the tip of a dinner knife.
  • Cover the top with a layer of chocolate chips, shredded coconut, crushed peppermint sticks or other candies, chopped cookies, candy bar bits, maraschino cherries, or fresh berries.

Tips

  • Don't forget to take the ice cream sandwich cake out of the freezer about 15 minutes before cutting and serving. This will let it melt just enough to make it sliceable.
  • If you're transporting your frozen ice cream cake for a party or potluck, plan ahead to keep it from melting. Freeze the cake overnight along with ice packs. Place the covered cake in a cooler bag or chest and surround with ice packs. Keep the bag sealed and in the shade and serve as soon as possible.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
252 Calories
11g Fat
36g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 252
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 12mg 4%
Sodium 128mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 21g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 58mg 4%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 110mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)