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This Strawberry Crunch Ice Cream Cake is made with strawberry and vanilla ice cream, plus strawberry shortcake crunchies! It’s a delicious cake that’s perfect for summer!
Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream Cake
This ice cream cake is totally addicting! It’s inspired both by this Strawberry Ice Cream Crunchie Cake and these Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars. I grew up LOVING those ice cream bars and those little crunchy pieces on the outside were definitely the best part. I knew I had to incorporate them into this ice cream cake.
One other thing I had wanted to incorporate was a strawberry fudge layer, similar to the chocolate fudge layer in my Copycat Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake. I’m a big fan of that fudge layer and really wanted a non-chocolate variation. Unfortunately, white chocolate is much more finicky. When I had the fudge layer at the right consistency, it never really froze completely and would slowly leak out of the sides of the cake. When I got it so that it wouldn’t leak, it was just too chewy and firm. Sadly, I had to abandon it.
This ice cream cake is still awesome – even without that! Of course you’ll want to use your favorite brand of ice cream, but when combined with the strawberry shortcake crunchies, it’s a fun and delicious ice cream cake!
How to make the strawberry crunchies
I tried a couple different options for these crunchies. One option was using golden Oreos as a cookie base and then flavoring some of them to be strawberry. The other option was playing around with using pudding mix – strawberry and vanilla – to add flavoring. Ultimately I didn’t think either of those gave the right flavor.
I ended up deciding on completely homemade crunchies. You’ll need:
- All purpose flour
- Sugar
- Freeze dried strawberries
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
You’ll use some flour, sugar and butter in each of the flavors of crunchy. Then you’ll add freeze dried strawberries (ground into a powder) for the strawberry crunchies and the vanilla extract for the vanilla ones. You basically make a crumble with each flavor and then bake them in the oven to crisp them up. After cooling, you can crumble them up further, if needed.
While freeze dried strawberries might be a little harder to find (I find them at grocery stores and Target pretty easily), they add the most real strawberry flavor and is definitely the way to go.
How to make a Strawberry Ice Cream Cake
After your strawberry shortcake crunchies are made, it’s time to layer the cake. But first let’s talk about the cake pan. I used an 8 by 3 inch cake pan, because I like a taller cake. You could definitely use a 9 inch pan though, and a springform pan would certainly be convenient. Either way is fine
Once you’ve got your pan, you’ll want to line the inside of it with clear wrap. You’ll use the clear wrap later to help lift the ice cream cake out of the pan. From there, add your strawberry ice cream and spread it evenly into the pan.
Add about a cup of the strawberry shortcake crunchies to the ice cream and spread evenly, then freeze everything for a couple hours, until fairly firm.
Add the vanilla ice cream layer on top, then freeze the whole cake until firm.
From there, you’ll make your whipped cream and frost the outside of the cake. The ice cream does melt quickly, so feel free to pop the cake in the freezer as needed. I did a quick outer coat, froze it for about 20 minutes, then did the final layer. I popped it back in the freezer for another 20 minutes before adding the crunchies, but you want to be sure not to wait too long or it might be harder for the crunchies to stick to the whipped cream.
Finally, add some freeze dried strawberry powder to the remaining whipped cream and pipe a border onto the top of the cake.
The final Strawberry Crunch Ice Cream Cake is not only beautiful, it’s delicious! I’m totally in love with all the strawberry shortcake crunchies! I hope you enjoy it too!
Strawberry Crunch Ice Cream Cake
- Prep Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Strawberry Crunch Ice Cream Cake is made with strawberry and vanilla ice cream and strawberry shortcake crunchies! It’s a delicious cake that’s perfect for summer!
Ingredients
Strawberry Crunchies
- 1 cup (130g) all purpose flour, divided
- 1/2 cup (155g) sugar, divided
- 3/4 cup freeze dried strawberries
- 7 tbsp salted butter, room temperature, divided
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
ICE CREAM LAYERS
- 1.5 quart container strawberry ice cream
- 1.5 quart container vanilla ice cream
WHIPPED CREAM
- 1 3/4 cups (420ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 3/4 cup (86g) powdered sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup freeze dried strawberries
- Red and Ivory gel icing color, optional
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
2. To make the crunchies, you’ll need two bowls. One for the vanilla crunchies and one for the strawberry. Add 1/2 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of sugar to each bowl.
3. Add the freeze dried strawberries to a food processor and grind into a powder. Add the powder to the bowl for the strawberry crunchies. Stir well to combine.
4. Add 4 tablespoons of butter to the strawberry bowl and the vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of butter to the vanilla bowl and use a fork to combine each mixture until it comes together to form a crumble.
5. Lay the strawberry crumble evenly out onto one of the cookie sheets and ay the vanilla crumble evenly out onto the other cookie sheet.
6. Bake the crumbles for about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on it, particularly the strawberry crumble. The strawberry powder can brown quickly if left in for too long.
7. Let crumble cool completely and then use your fingers to break into smaller pieces, if needed. It’s ideal for the crumble pieces to be no larger than a small pea.
8. Combine all of the crunchie pieces together and gently toss to combine.
9. To layer the cake together, line an 8×3 inch cake pan* with clear wrap that covers the bottom and goes above the sides of the cake pan. I used two pieces. You’ll use the wrap that is sticking above the sides of the pan to lift the ice cream cake out later.
10. About 20 minutes before you need it, set the strawberry ice cream out to soften. Add the softened strawberry ice cream to the prepared cake pan and spread into an even layer.
11. Spread about 1 cup of the crunchies evenly over top of the strawberry ice cream, then freeze for about 2 hours, until mostly firm.
12. About 20 minutes before you need it, set the vanilla ice cream out to soften. Add the vanilla ice cream to the top of the crunchies, then freeze until firm, 2-3 hours.
13. Use the clear wrap to lift the frozen cake out of the pan, then place it on a cardboard cake circle or a serving plate. Set it back in the freezer.
14. To make the whipped cream, add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
15. Frost the cake with the whipped cream, placing the cake back in the freezer as needed to keep it from melting.
16. Quickly press the remaining crunchies onto the sides of the cake, then place the cake back in the freezer.
17. Grind the freeze dried strawberries for the whipped cream into a powder and add it to the remaining whipped cream. Add some additional red and ivory gel icing color to it as well, if you like.
18. Pipe a border around the top of the cake. I used Ateco tip 844.
19. Freeze the cake until ready to serve. Cake is best when stored well covered and eaten within 4-5 days.
Notes
I like using the 8×3 inch cake pan and having a taller cake, but if you don’t have one of those pans on hand and don’t want to purchase it, you could also use a 9 inch pan (including a springform pan). The cake just won’t be as tall.
I needed two 1 oz bags of freeze dried strawberries for both the crunchies and whipped cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 653
- Sugar: 53.7 g
- Sodium: 162.8 mg
- Fat: 41 g
- Carbohydrates: 63.7 g
- Protein: 7.8 g
- Cholesterol: 201 mg
Have you heard of Torino White Chocolate Sauce? I wonder if that would work?
I haven’t ever used that. I’m not sure.
Are the dried strawberry measurements before or after grinding into a powder. Thanks!
Before
Can I make a smaller version of the cake
Sure
One more thing do you thaw out the freeze strawberry
I’m not sure I know what you mean.
The strawberries are not frozen, they are “freeze dried”. All the moisture has been removed from the strawberries during this process. They are like strawberry “chips”(very light and completely dry), not dehydrated(which are still chewy) or frozen. I think you can search Amazon.com in any country to find examples of the ones that are freeze dried.
Freeze dried strawberries are different than frozen. They’re in a bag and are just fresh fruit dried out.
This looks so delicious! Is there a way to make this in a 9 by 13 pan?
You’d probably need 1 1/2 recipes worth.
I have a few questions one what clear wrap did u use, when you put it on cake board to u leave clear wrap in or slide it out, if I have no room in freezer can you keep in the refrigerator over night.
I use the Glad Press N Seal clear wrap. I remove it before adding the cake to a board or platter. And no, it would melt in the fridge.
Everyone loved it!!!
Hi Lindsay. I’m about to make this tomorrow. When your frosting the outside, do you transport the cake, on cake board? Also, after frosting do you put it back in the pan? Or do you put it on a plate, and directly in the freezer? I was confused on that part. How did you store it in the freezer, do you put it in a cake box? Sorry for the questions. I’ve never made an ice cream cake, like this before. Thank you! It looks delicious!!
I put the cake on a cardboard cake circle prior to frosting, yes. And after frosting, I don’t put it in the pan, just place it in the freezer. If you have space in your freezer to accommodate a cake carrier, you could store it in that, or a cake box. If not, it should be fine in the fridge as is for several days.
hi Lindsay, so I make strawberry shortcake cheesecake and the crumbles are definitely the toughest part. My question is where did u find the freeze dried strawberries? and were they relatively expensive as everywhere I look seems to cost a pretty good amount.
I usually get them at the grocery store, but Target also has these freeze dried strawberries. They are a few dollars a bag.
This was phenomenal! Several family members individually demanded to know if there were leftovers and if I planned to try to take them home with me!
I’m so glad to hear it was a hit!
How far in advance can you make the crunchies and they stay fresh?
They should be fine at room temperature for about a week, or frozen for about a month.
Could you please tell me what brand of ice cream you or recommend a brand that is pink in color? Thank you.
The strawberry ice cream I used was Mayfield, which has that nice pink color. If you can’t find one with as bright as a pink, you could always try adding a little gel icing color.
Thank you so much. I have never heard of that brand but I will look for it. In the area I live, the stores are so limited due to Covid 19. Once again thank you.
Hello, are you using two 8×3 cake pans or just one?
Just one.
This looks so delicious!! I also love the chocolate version. Any way to turn the strawberry crunchies into chocolate? Do you think adding cocoa powder instead of the freeze dried strawberries would work? I would love to be able to make both versions!
Thanks so much for all your amazing recipes!!!
You could try leaving out the strawberries and replace some of the flour with cocoa. I’m not sure exactly how much though. You could also check out the crunchies that I use in my copycat Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake.
I’m so glad you enjoy the recipes!
These were my favorite ice cream bars as a child. Putting it on the list to make. Everything I have ever made from your site is delicious, and the cake decorating tutorial was the best one my daughter and I ever found. Thank you soo much.
I’m glad to hear that! I hope you enjoy this cake if you give it a try!
Hi there!it was an awesome amazing cake!but I wonder if I could serve this cake at hot temperature about 36 degree .or how soon must I served it after taken out from the fridge?
Glad you enjoyed it! It’s ice cream, so it melts just as quickly as ice cream in the carton. You wouldn’t want to leave it out for more than 10-20 minutes, particularly in high heat.
This cake is beautiful. What talent you do have! It just screams summer. Thank you for all the recipes you develop and test until perfect for your readers. Excellent job! I do have a difficult time finding a good strawberry ice cream and was wondering what brand you prefer. My favorite is at a local ice cream shop but it would be pricey to use.
This looks yummy! I made my first ice cream cake for my birthday and loved it, so now I’m a total ice cream cake aficionado 😀 Maybe I’ll try this one next!