Cake Batter Ice Cream Cake

Most homemade cake batter ice cream recipes call for cake mix. But with my No-Churn Cake Batter Ice Cream, I’ve cracked the code to ice cream that tastes like licking the batter bowl, but doesn’t use a box mix. All you need are simple pantry ingredients and plenty of sprinkles! It’s such a fun flavor that I knew the next step was to turn it into an ice cream… cake!

This no-churn ice cream cake just shouts, “Happy Birthday!”. Slice through the thick chocolate frosting and reveal the rainbow sprinkles to have some seriously happy kids. They will be even happier when they take their first bite and taste that cake-flavored ice cream!

A Funetti Ice Cream Cake That Tastes Like Cake Batter

Here’s why you’ll love this easy-peasy treat…

• JUST ice cream. This is the only pure ice cream cake option on the internet! So, if you want a no-bake dessert, prefer to skip the cake, or ned to avoid the allergens I list below, this is the recipe for you!
• Gluten free without box mix. While you can get a gluten free cake mix, they tend to be a bit more gritty than regular cake mix, which is not the texture you want in ice cream. Plus, they are more expensive, and then you have an open package of cake mix that doesn’t have the right amount to even bake a cake.
• Just a few ingredients. The ice cream itself has just six common ingredients, including butter, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and lots of sprinkles for those cake batter vibes. And the frosting is made with just chocolate chips and butter!
• Allergy-friendly. Since there are no eggs in no-churn ice cream, this is the perfect birthday cake for someone with an egg allergy. And as long as you ensure your ingredients, particularly the rainbow sprinkles, are made at an allergy-safe facility, it’s also a great option for someone with a nut or peanut allergy.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a quick list of what you’ll need for the cake batter ice cream base and the frosting on this funfetti ice cream cake. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full amounts and step-by-step instructions.

• Heavy cream. Be sure it is very cold so that it easily whips and becomes light and fluffy without curdling.
• Sweetened condensed milk. Just one full can.
• Unsalted butter. Melted and slightly cooled to give it that birthday cake flavor.
• Vanilla extract. Also essential for making it taste like cake batter. You can opt for a clear vanilla extract for the purest color, and it actually has a flavor closer to what you get from a box mix cake.
• Salt. Just a pinch to balance the sweetness.
• Rainbow sprinkles. This is what puts the “fun” in funfetti! Check out Are Sprinkles Gluten Free? before choosing the brand you will use, if that’s a concern for you.
• Chocolate chips and more unsalted butter. To make the rich, chocolaty frosting.

Tips for Success

• Keep things cool. Very cold heavy cream and a chilled bowl help the cream reach soft peaks quickly and easily so that it’s not overbeaten. You also want to make sure the melted butter cools down before you fold it in so that it doesn’t melt the whipped cream.
• Use the right pan. I like to use a leak-proof springform pan. These have a raised bottom, making it easier to slide the cake onto a serving plate when you want to frost it. An 8-inch springform pan is ideal, but these are harder to find in the leakproof version. So you can use a 7-inch or 9-inch, but you will end up with a taller or shorter cake than pictured here.
• Line the pan. I put a layer of plastic wrap on the bottom and along the inside of the rim of the springform pan. This makes it easier to unmold and transfer to a serving plate.
• Frosting alternatives. While I like to use the Two-Ingredient Easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting from Cookies and Cups because it adds real frosting flavor while stil being easy to cut even once it’s frozen, you can use any store bought or homemade frosting you like. However, these can get a little hard and difficult to cut once you freeze them. Sweetened whipped cream, similar to what I put on my gluten free strawberries and cream cake, is another option. It has a similar texture to the cake, though a bit lighter, so it can still be cut well with the ice cream cake. For a chocolate whipped cream, you can just add a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder.
• Cut perfect slices. Remove your ice cream cake from the freezer to soften about 5-10 minutes before you plan to serve it. If you are still struggling to slice the frozen cake, run your knife under hot water for a couple of minutes, and it’ll slice like butter!

Storing Ice Cream Cake

Obviously, ice cream cake needs to be stored in the freezer. If you are going to enjoy it shortly after it’s frozen, you don’t need to wrap it. But once frozen solid, you can wrap it in plastic wrap for longer storage, but you still want to enjoy it within a week or so for the best texture. Taking it in and out of the freezer to slice it can affect the texture and lead to freezer burn.