This Melted Ice Cream Cake is delightfully simple to prepare using softened ice cream and a few pantry staples. Pick your favorite ice cream flavor to create a moist, flavorful cake that’s easy to make and even easier to enjoy.
Melted Ice Cream Cake Recipe
It’s Friday and you want something effortless yet impressive. This cake fits the bill.
There’s no long story—just a quick, reliable recipe that begins with a box cake mix and a pint of ice cream. The result is a tender cake with extra flavor from the ice cream you choose.
Feel free to mix and match flavors. I used a classic vanilla cake mix with dulce de leche ice cream for a rich, caramel-like finish, but any combination will work.
How to Make a Delicious Cake Using Melted Ice Cream
Start by letting the ice cream sit at room temperature until it softens and becomes pourable. You want it melty but not completely liquefied.
Prepare the cake mix as directed on the box, but omit the water and oil called for in the instructions. Instead, use the entire pint of softened ice cream in their place. Add the eggs as the box directs.
In short: you need one box of cake mix, one pint of softened ice cream, and three eggs. Mix them together and you’re ready to bake.
Beat the cake mix, melted ice cream, and eggs for about 2 minutes on medium speed to ensure everything is well combined and aerated. Grease your chosen pan—bundt, bundt is a great choice if you have one—and pour in the batter.
Then bake following the times on the cake mix box. Baking time will vary depending on pan size and type, so check for doneness with a toothpick or cake tester.
When the cake is baked and has cooled enough to handle, remove it from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack before glazing or serving.
A simple glaze brightens the cake: whisk together milk, powdered sugar and vanilla over low heat until smooth, then pour over the cooled cake and allow it to set.
Finish with a drizzle of your favorite topping or extra dulce de leche if you like—no need to complicate things when the base is this satisfying.
Slice and serve with whipped cream, ice cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar for an extra touch.
Enjoy warm or at room temperature—the texture is tender and the flavor reflects the ice cream you used.
Have a great weekend and enjoy this quick, crowd-pleasing dessert.
Melted Ice Cream Cake
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4.1 from 8 reviews
- Author: Cookies & Cups
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: Box Directions
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: About 16 slices (will vary) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Melted Ice Cream Cake is quick to prepare with softened ice cream and basic ingredients. Use whatever ice cream flavor you prefer to make a tender cake with a flavor profile you love.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 box cake mix (about 18.25 oz) in any flavor
- 1 pint ice cream, softened until pourable
- 3 eggs
Glaze:
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease your cake pan generously with cooking spray or butter and flour to prevent sticking.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, and softened ice cream. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth and slightly airy.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake following the times on the cake mix box, adjusting for your pan type. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean when done.
- Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan briefly, then invert and transfer to a wire rack.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing.
Glaze:
- In a small saucepan or bowl, whisk together milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla over low heat or until smooth. If heating, keep it low and stir constantly.
- Once smooth and slightly thickened, remove from heat and let cool just enough to pour.
- Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and let it set before slicing.
Notes
I’ve made this many times with consistent results. The one key tip: be sure the ice cream is softened, not icy cold. If the ice cream is too frozen when mixed, the batter will be cold and the cake may not bake through evenly.
Nutrition
- Calories: 152
- Sugar: 21.6 g
- Sodium: 49.6 mg
- Fat: 5.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 23.4 g
- Protein: 2.3 g
- Cholesterol: 59.6 mg