Tiramisu Ice Cream Cake

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Tiramisu Ice Cream Cake is the perfect blend of indulgence and refreshment. Indulge your sweet tooth and cool off this summer with this heavenly dessert.

 

My sister’s birthday is in August.  I remember she always wanted a pool party and she always wanted an ice cream cake.  And those new late 80’s ginormous subs that you could get.  You know the ones, right?  The store was new to us in the late 80’s anyway, but it’s the one where you could lose weight with them.  Just for reference.

 

Anyway, my sister loved those subs and ice cream cakes.  I know we had them on more than one occasion for her birthday. I remembered all those ice cream cakes we ate, the pool parties we had, and those subs.  Man, these parties were killer.  It seemed like all of the neighborhood kids gathered around the table to sing, “Happy Birthday” while we watched the cake start to drip just slightly.  What?  It was dripping because there’s no refrigerator in that pool house!!

 

 

We all waited patiently while the first slice was cut and we could see how delicious it was going to taste.  At the same time, we all KNEW what it was going to look like because there aren’t many choices with those cakes.  It was chocolate or vanilla or half and half.  There were chocolate cookie crumbs in the middle.  At least that’s how I remember them.  I look back on 10-year-old me and just laugh at how naïve I was.

 

What is an Ice Cream Cake?

 

An ice cream cake is precisely what it sounds like.  It’s dessert that combines the creamy, chilled allure of ice cream with the celebratory structure of cake.

Traditionally, ice cream cakes are composed of one or more layers of ice cream and cake or crushed cookies.  They’re often finished with whipped cream or frosting and decorated for various occasions. Obviously, their popularity surges in summer when the craving for something cold collides with the joy of birthdays or simply the desire to celebrate with something extravagant.

 

 

Ice cream cakes don’t require baking.  They are often assembled in stages.  First you layer ice cream.  Then cake or crushed chocolate cookies are in the middle.  Finally, more ice cream on top.  The whole cake is frozen until set. The result is a creamy melt of ice cream and satisfying bite of cake or cookie.  Like ice cream sandwiches, but the ice cream is on the outside and cookie in the middle.

 

What is No-Churn Ice Cream?

 

No-churn ice cream is a game changer. Traditionally, ice cream requires an ice cream maker.  It churns the mixture as it freezes to create a smooth, creamy texture. No-churn ice cream bypasses this entirely.

 

No-churn ice cream relies on a blend of sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream. The condensed milk provides creamy sweetness.  The whipped cream introduces air.  The air makes the ice cream light and creamy.  No-churn ice cream is easily customizable.  You can add any flavorings or mix-ins you want like this no-churn salted caramel pecan ice cream. The beauty lies in its simplicity of this recipe.  Just mix, freeze, and eat!

 

 

What is Tiramisu?

 

Tiramisu is an Italian dessert which means “pick me up” from the coffee and its ability to uplift spirits. Traditional tiramisu consists of layers of ladyfingers and mascarpone filling.  The finished product is often dusted with cocoa powder. This dessert is noted for its delicate balance of chocolate, cream, and kick from a splash of coffee-flavored liqueur.

 

This recipe combines the fun and ease of no-churn ice cream and tiramisu filling.  First, there’s a layer of ice cream.  Then there’s chopped chocolate and mascarpone filling in the middle.  Lady fingers surround the outside and are also in the middle of the cake.

 

 

Ingredients to Make No-Churn Ice Cream

Sweetened condensed milk, whipped topping, mascarpone

 

Instructions to Make No-Churn Ice Cream

Whip the mascarpone with the sweetened condensed milk.  Next, fold in the whipped topping.  Finally, pour into a freezer safe, air-tight container.

 

 

Ingredients to make tiramisu ice cream cake

Pantry ingredients – powdered sugar, lady fingers, chocolate (I used espresso flavored chocolate)

Refrigerator ingredients – mascarpone, cold coffee

 

Instructions to Assemble the Ice Cream Cake

 

Line a springform pan with plastic wrap and cover the bottom of the outside of the pan with foil to prevent any leaking as the ice cream freezes.  Then combine the mascarpone with the powdered sugar and the mixture aside.  Finely chop the chocolate and set it aside, too.

 

Quickly dunk the lady fingers into the coffee and place them vertically around the inside edge of the pan.  Pour half the ice cream mixture into the pan.  Top the mixture with teaspoons of the mascarpone mixture.  Sprinkle with the chopped chocolate and top with any remaining lady fingers dipped into coffee.  Pour the remaining ice cream mixture on top.  Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 6 to 8 hours before serving.

 

 

Freezing and Serving Your tiramisu ice cream cake

 

Remove the cake from the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.  Open the springform pan and carefully remove the cake from the pan.  You can garnish the cake with chocolate shavings, espresso beans, or dust it with cocoa powder.

 

To slice the cake, dip a sharp knife in hot water, wipe it dry, and then slice through the cake.  Continue dipping the knife and wiping it dry for each slice. Carefully put the cake back into the springform pan and fasten the pan closed.  Cover in plastic wrap and keep in the freezer.  Remove the cake 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

 

 

You see, unlike those OTHER ice cream cakes no-churn ice cream allows you to customize your ice cream cake.  Like this tiramisu ice crema cake that has delicious lady fingers, mascarpone, and espresso chocolate bits. 

 

That decadently delicious Italian dessert is now an ice cream cake with coffee dipped lady fingers around the edge, mascarpone and espresso chocolate bites in the middle.  And there’s a layer of lady finger pieces in the middle of the cake.  Yup.  There’s a layer of delicate, coffee flavored lady fingers in the middle.

 

Just think of all the ways you can take this simple recipe and change up the flavors.  For instance, banana split cake?  You got it!  Slices of banana, chocolate fudge sauce, and cherries in the middle.   Grasshopper?  On it!  Add some mint and chocolate chips to the ice cream. 

 

MUDSLIDE!?  Uh huh.  Stir in some coffee and Irish cream liqueur.  Rocking that grown up cake, too.  Using no churn ice cream to make an ice cream cake isn’t just for kids anymore! 

   

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