Cakes Holidays Ice Cream + Frozen Summer

s’mores ice cream cake

smores cake

This recipe for S’mores Ice Cream Cake first appeared on my site in 2016. It’s from my book, The Vanilla Bean Baking Book (affiliate link). I love it so much, I’m sharing again.

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First of all, I want to say thank you, oh my goodness thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I had so many kind emails and comments and tweets yesterday;  your support of my book is overwhelming. I wouldn’t have this book without that support, and I am forever grateful to you, dear readers. Thank you for following along here, and for being so wonderful.

And, here’s a recipe from the book! Today happens to be my birthday, one that I am slightly freaking out about, as I seem to be getting close to large numbers I didn’t think were possible.

I will be celebrating today, however, with this S’mores Ice Cream Cake.

Making S’mores Ice Cream Cake

This ice cream cake is on the extravagant side, with layers of graham cracker crumbs, two kinds of ice cream, and a toasty meringue top. I like to serve it in very thin pieces, as less is more for this dessert. It’s a showstopper for sure, perfect for summer birthday parties and special events.

It’s fairly simple to put together (especially if you go the store bought ice cream route), with a layer of toasted graham cracker crumbs, vanilla ice cream, more graham crackers, chocolate ice cream, and then a pile of meringue that is lightly toasted.

An indulgent way to enjoy the fading of a near perfect summer vacation.

Tips for Making Ice Cream Cake

A few notes: I use my easy no-churn ice cream recipes to make this cake. Both the vanilla and chocolate. Store bought ice cream will also work great – just fill half the pan with chocolate, and then the other half with vanilla.

Let the ice cream cake sit for a few minutes before trying to take it out of the pan. If it is frozen tightly in the pan, you can run a spatula around the outside, which will help loosen it. Two out of three times my cake sticks just a bit, but I’ve always gotten it out with a little bit of work.

More Ice Cream Desserts:

cross section photo of s'mores ice cream cake with meringue topping

S’mores Ice Cream Cake

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 6 hours
This ice cream cake is so delicious, with layers of graham cracker crumbs, chocolate and vanilla ice cream, and a toasty meringue top. I like to serve it in very thin pieces, as less is more for this dessert. Use storebought ice cream to make things very easy!
Sarah Kieffer
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and line a Pullman pan with a parchment sling. (You can also use a 9-inch loaf pan, but you will need to use less ice cream.)
  • In a medium bowl stir the graham cracker crumbs and sugar to combine. Add the melted butter and stir until evenly coated. Transfer the crumbs to the prepared baking sheet and spread them evenly across the parchment paper. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until the crumbs are golden brown and fragrant.
  • Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.
  • Use a measuring cup or spoon to press 1 cup (100 g) cooled crumbs evenly on bottom of the prepared Pullman pan or loaf pan. Top with the Vanilla Ice Cream, pressing it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining crumbs evenly over the ice cream and top with the Chocolate Ice Cream. Place the ice cream cake in the freezer and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight before topping with meringue.
  • FOR THE MERINGUE TOPPING: Put about an inch of water in a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir the egg whites, sugar, and salt to combine. Place the bowl over the saucepan, being careful not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir with a rubber spatula until the sugar is completely melted and reaches a temperature of 160°F, 4 to 5 minutes. While you are stirring, be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula—this will ensure no sugar grains are lurking on the sides and also help prevent the egg whites from cooking.
  • Remove the bowl from the heat and place it in the stand mixer fitted with a whisk. Whisk on medium-high until stiff, glossy peaks form, 8 to 10 minutes. The bowl should have cooled down to room temperature at this point. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
  • Use the parchment sling to gently remove the cake from the loaf pan. Working quickly, remove the parchment paper and set the loaf cake on a serving platter.
  • Use a spatula to spread the meringue evenly over the top of the ice cream cake and, if desired, use a spoon to create curls. Hold a kitchen blowtorch 1 or 2 inches away from the cake and touch the flame down in between the curls. The curls will toast and brown (if the curls set on fire, you can blow them out). Slice the cake and serve immediately. (Because this is ice cream, an oven broiler won’t work here to toast the meringue – you will just have a melted puddle. If you don’t have a blow torch, you can serve the cake without toasting it – it will still taste delicious.)
  • Reply
    Lola
    Wednesday, July 26, 2023 at 10:33 am

    Hi Sarah, I won’t be making the ice cream from scratch but using store bought, so how much ice cream goes into each layer? Thanks so much for a delicious looking recipe!!

    • Reply
      Amy
      Friday, July 28, 2023 at 1:53 am

      I’ve made baked Alaska in a Pullman pan before and used about 8 cups of ice cream (4 pints).

  • Reply
    ajay
    Thursday, July 8, 2021 at 2:03 am

    Ibaco offers delicious ice creams. in exotic flavours in stores near you

  • Reply
    Gloria
    Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 5:12 pm

    If you use store bought ice cream, how much do you use?

  • Reply
    Margot
    Thursday, June 10, 2021 at 9:52 am

    Thank you so much for gifting us on your birthday! And don’t worry about the big numbers – they only hurt a little!

  • Reply
    lilly ariya
    Monday, May 17, 2021 at 3:56 am

    This ice cream cake looks so yummy and the recipe is also very helpful for us if this yummy cake pack in custom pillow boxes then it looks more attractive.

  • Reply
    lilly ariya
    Monday, May 17, 2021 at 3:54 am

    oxm

  • Reply
    ajay
    Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 1:08 am

    Select from our indulgent Ibaco chocolates in stores near you

  • Reply
    Annie King
    Friday, August 9, 2019 at 8:06 am

    I was wondering about the fudge layers in your pictures but not in the recipe. I think that would just take it over the top!

    • Reply
      Sarah
      Friday, August 9, 2019 at 3:57 pm

      Hi Annie – That is actually just a lot of large chocolate chunks close together, but it does look like fudge! You could certainly add a layer of fudge if you wanted to. 🙂

  • Reply
    Lesley Davis
    Wednesday, June 13, 2018 at 8:47 am

    How well does this ice cream cake keep in the freezer since it has the meringue? I’m wanting to make this cake ahead of time like the night before serving it.

    • Reply
      Sarah
      Wednesday, June 13, 2018 at 6:56 pm

      The meringue should hold up fine! I actually like how it tastes better cold. It doesn’t really freeze – just gets chilled and holds it’s shape nicely.

  • Reply
    Mtngirl
    Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 7:32 pm

    I was just gifted your book and I came looking to ask about the layer of chocolate in the picture. I see that you answered the query above (thanks), but do you think it would work if you just drizzled some chocolate so it wasn’t one complete layer? I am immensely enjoying your book!

  • Reply
    Lita Watson
    Monday, May 29, 2017 at 2:44 am

    Cheesey Cake 🙂 love the S’MORES ICE CREAM CAKE. I’m wondering how does it really taste but it looks too way yummy… thank you 🙂

  • Reply
    Jennifer
    Sunday, November 27, 2016 at 8:39 am

    This looks delicious! I can’t wait to make one of these. Thank you so much for sharing!

  • Reply
    Katherine~FurnishMyWay
    Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 11:31 am

    This recipe looks so yummy, and I would totally eat it all year around! I love that it is a spin on traditional s’mores by substituting the marshmellows for ice cream.

  • Reply
    Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today
    Tuesday, August 30, 2016 at 4:13 am

    It looks like a higher level of kitchen experience. I hope to manage it one day.

  • Reply
    Sharon
    Sunday, August 28, 2016 at 10:33 pm

    Is the recipe missing something? The picture appears to show a thin layer of chocolate on top of the graham cracker layers. Is it a sauce, or ….?

    • Reply
      Sarah
      Monday, August 29, 2016 at 8:20 am

      Hi Sharon – Thanks for catching that! Originally I had added a thin layer of chocolate on top of the graham cracker crust, but when it froze, it became rock hard and was almost impossible to cut through/eat. The layer is still in the picture – I missed that! If you want to add more chocolate, you could add chunks to the chocolate ice cream. It works best to melt the chocolate, cool it, and then add it; I have directions in my raspberry no-churn ice cream on how to do that: https://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/no-churn-raspberry-chocolate-chip-ice-cream/ I hope that helps!

  • Reply
    Ann Burns
    Saturday, August 27, 2016 at 7:08 pm

    Wishing you a very happy birthday Sarah – looking forward to reading your whole book!

  • Reply
    Trina and Tina
    Saturday, August 27, 2016 at 7:47 am

    YES! Count us in on making this!
    http://www.sistersweetly.com

  • Reply
    Kasey
    Friday, August 26, 2016 at 12:04 pm

    So, so excited for you, Sarah. And this cake. WOWZA. xox

  • Reply
    Katrinak
    Friday, August 26, 2016 at 10:58 am

    Happy birthday!! This looks like the perfect cake to celebrate the day with 🙂

  • Reply
    Ellie | Hungry by Nature
    Friday, August 26, 2016 at 10:37 am

    Happiest of birthdays to you! And congratulations again… you deserve it!

  • Reply
    Ashlae
    Friday, August 26, 2016 at 8:25 am

    Oh my goodness this cake is OUTTA THIS WORLD stunning, Sarah. Congratulations on your book. Cannot wait to add it to my cookbook collection. XO

  • Reply
    Bryan @ Crafted Honey
    Friday, August 26, 2016 at 7:34 am

    Happy Birthday Sarah! This cake looks incredible (no surprise) and I just printed out this recipe. Can’t wait to give it a go. 🙂

    • Reply
      Jessica
      Monday, March 29, 2021 at 11:31 pm

      This looks amazing. Why did you omit the chocolate between the gram crackers and each layer of ice cream in the recipe? It looks like it would be good In the photo but want to make the way you enjoyed it best

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