This easy ice cream sandwich cake recipe will be the hit of your next party! Layers of ice cream sandwiches, chocolate fudge, caramel, and whipped topping are finished with rainbow sprinkles and cherries for a crowd-pleasing frozen treat.
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Why I Love This Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
- Easy to make: There's no waiting for cartons of ice cream to soften, you literally just layer ice cream sandwiches with your favorite sundae toppings. Making ice cream cake with ice cream sandwiches couldn't be easier!
- Affordable: An ice cream cake made with ice cream sandwiches is so much cheaper than buying a cake from your local ice cream parlor.
- Customizable: The sky's the limit here! Add pecans, M&Ms, chopped candy bars, whatever! You can also use flavored ice cream sandwiches instead of vanilla and chocolate.
- Feeds a crowd: You'll make this ice cream sandwich cake in a 9x13 pan, so it's enough for a big party.
Tips & Ingredient Notes
This is just an overview, click here to jump down to the full recipe card for the recipe amounts and condensed recipe instructions.
- Vanilla ice cream sandwiches - I like Blue Bunny; you'll need the long, rectangular ice cream sandwiches, not the square or round ones. Some of the cheaper off-brand varieties tend to be too flat looking for this, so get any name-brand ones that come in a box of 12. If they don't have that, just get the off-brand.
- Chocolate ice cream sandwiches - I used Blue Bunny for these, too, but if you can't find chocolate then all vanilla is just fine!
- Whipped topping - Cool Whip works best here since it's a bit more stable than homemade whipped cream.
- Hot fudge topping - I use Smuckers. Warm it up a bit so it's easy to spread!
- Caramel topping - Smuckers is my pick here, too. You'll also need to warm this.
- Rainbow sprinkles
- Maraschino cherries (optional for topping!)
How to Make Easy Ice Cream Sandwich Cake:
This is just an overview showing step-by-step photos, click here to jump down to full recipe card with exact instructions.
Step 1: Layer the Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper, then add a layer of chocolate ice cream sandwiches on the bottom.
Tip: You can squish the ice cream sandwiches together if you need to. Once everything is layered and finished, no one will notice!
Step 2: Add a Layer of Hot Fudge
Use a rubber spatula to spread a layer of hot fudge over the ice cream sandwiches.
Tip: When making an ice cream sandwich cake with hot fudge, you'll need to warm the fudge in the microwave so it's easy to spread.
Step 3: Spread on a Layer of Cool Whip
Add a layer of Cool Whip over the hot fudge. Use a clean rubber spatula and spread it carefully so it's layered on top of the fudge, rather than mixing with it.
Tip: The Cool Whip needs to be at room temperature before you start assembling the cake.
Step 4: Add the Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches
Set another layer of ice cream sandwiches over the whipped topping. Again, it's okay if you need to cram them in to get them to fit!
Step 5: Add a Layer of Caramel
Warm up your jar of caramel topping and pour this over the vanilla ice cream sandwiches. Spread the caramel in an even layer.
Step 6: Finish
Add another layer of Cool Whip, then sprinkles. Cover the ice cream sandwich cake with foil and freeze for at least 2 hours. Serve with maraschino cherries.
Tip: For a 4 ingredient ice cream sandwich cake, simply omit the sprinkles and cherries!
Storage
Store this ice cream sandwich cake covered in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. While it can be stored longer than this, it's really best eaten within the 2 week time frame for maximum freshness.
Variations
- Make it vegan by using your favorite vegan ice cream sandwiches, hot fudge, and whipped topping, then swap the caramel topping for strawberry sauce.
- Add a layer of peanut butter by warming your favorite peanut butter in the microwave until it's pourable. Or use peanut butter sauce!
- Make it like a Dairy Queen ice cream cake by adding a layer of crushed Oreos over the hot fudge topping. You can also make an Oreo ice cream sandwich cake by using cookies-and-cream ice cream sandwiches.
- Create an ice cream sandwich birthday cake using my free printable number template. Instead of piping on the frosting, you can use the stencils to pour sprinkles over top to create the number!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Round ice cream sandwiches, like Oreo ice cream sandwiches or Chipwich birthday cake ice cream sandwiches, aren't ideal here because you'll have big gaps between them. You could fill these in with whipped topping, but when you cut the cake, you won't have the same layered effect.
Let the cake sit on the countertop for about 10 minutes, which will soften it enough that it's easy to cut. Use a serrated knife to cut the cake into 12 large squares; if you're feeding a big crowd, you can cut smaller pieces.
No, don't store your ice cream cake in the fridge. It will melt! It needs to be kept in the freezer.
Easy Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
Ingredients
- 12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches the long, rectangular kind; I use Blue Bunny
- 12 chocolate ice cream sandwiches the long, rectangular kind; I use Blue Bunny
- (2) 8oz containers whipped topping (or 16oz is fine if they have it)
- 11.75 ounce jar hot fudge topping Smuckers, warmed (but not piping hot)
- 12.25 ounce jar caramel topping Smuckers, warmed (but not piping hot)
- Rainbow sprinkles for topping
- Maraschino cherry for topping optional
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor afterwards and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
- Line a 9x13 metal baking pan with parchment paper.
- Place a layer of chocolate ice cream sandwiches (12 sandwiches) on the bottom of the pan; it's okay to squeeze them in if you need to.
- Pour all of the warmed fudge sauce (11.75 ounces) over the ice cream sandwiches. Spread it in an even layer, then add half of the whipped topping (8 ounces) and spread that over the fudge sauce.
- Add a layer of vanilla ice cream sandwiches (12 sandwiches) over the whipped topping. Spread the warmed caramel sauce (12.25 ounces) over the ice cream sandwiches, followed by the rest of the whipped topping (8 ounces).
- Scatter the rainbow sprinkles over the top of the ice cream sandwich cake.
- Cover the pan with foil and freeze for at least 2 hours to set.
- To serve, cut the cake into 12 squares and top each with a maraschino cherry.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
In our house it's a tradition for the kids to help make their birthday cakes the night before their birthday...I found this recipe 3 years ago, and it's been my daughter's birthday cake every year since!
That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Destinee! I really appreciate it!
Shared this easy dessert with many! Blue bunny is my last choice….Kemps better! Mrs Richardson Carmel is much better than Smuckers. Can make single layered too. I use a covered plastic container, any size for any amount you want to make. Single servings satisfy me at times.
My daughter is not a cake loving kid, so this is perfect for her summer birthday cake! We made it last year and it was a big hit, she requested it again this year! So good and easy to make!
So happy to hear you all enjoyed this recipe, Kami! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
It was one of the biggest hits of any desert ever! A true 10! It wouldn't let me do 5 stars. I just made one for NYE and topped with oreo,pecans,
m and m..
Made this for my son's birthday and was told it was the best cake ever made! Such an easy versatile recipe. Every person loved it! Will definitely be making this again...and again!
Yay, so glad to hear everyone loved this recipe!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Betsy!