Vegan Ice Cream Cake: A Delicious Plant-Based Recipe

Ice cream cake is the perfect dessert for any birthday party or hot summer day. With vegan ice cream readily available in supermarkets and also easy to make yourself, there's no reason not to make vegan ice cream cake!

Making vegan ice cream cake is fun and easy. There are so many different flavor combinations and twists you can take on your cake to make it your very own. From cookies n’ cream to chocolate raspberry, the options are endless. For the ice cream itself, you can use store-bought or homemade vegan ice cream. If you aren’t up for making the ice cream, check out the many vegan ice cream flavors at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or maybe even your local supermarket. 

Flavor Combinations and Topping Ideas

Depending on the flavor ice cream you choose, you can select from an array of toppings. Some of our recommended toppings include fresh fruit, cinnamon, sprinkles, chocolate chips, coconut shavings, and nuts. Two favorite combinations are mint chip ice cream with vegan chocolate peppermint cookie crumbles, and strawberry ice cream with raspberries and blueberries on top. Another popular option is birthday cake flavor ice cream topped off with vegan sprinkles.

Vegan Ice Cream Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plant milk, for example homemade oat milk, soy milk or almond milk
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice 
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup vegan butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar (find out: is your sugar vegan?)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 pints vegan ice cream

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Instructions:

1. Prepare vegan buttermilk by combining the 2 cups plant milk and the 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Set aside for 5–10 minutes to curdle. 
2. While the buttermilk is forming, start mixing some of your dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. 
3. In a separate mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with a hand mixer until soft and fluffy. Add vanilla extract. 
4. While mixing, slowly add both the vegan buttermilk and the flour mixture to the butter mixture. 
5. When the batter is smooth, pour into a greased cake pan.
6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25–35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Smaller cake pans will require more time to cook through as the cake layer will be thicker. 
7. When your cake is done baking, set it aside to cool. 
8. Once cool, transfer the cake to the refrigerator to chill for two hours. 
9. With 1/2 an hour left on the clock, take your vegan ice cream out of the freezer to soften. Keep an eye on your ice cream so that it does not become runny. 
10. Once both the cake and ice cream are ready, evenly spread the ice cream across the cake layer. 
11. Place the cake in the freezer for at least one hour to set.
12. In the meantime, prepare your cake toppings.
13. Finish off your cake with some decorating, and enjoy! 

No-Bake Option

For a lazy, no-bake vegan ice cream cake option, you can opt out completely of the cake layer. Instead, use vegan graham crackers to make a cake crust. Simply combine 15–20 graham crackers with 2 tablespoons of melted vegan butter, and press the mixture firmly into the bottom of your cake pan. From there, all you have to do is add your ice cream and toppings. 

Read on:

• Water Cake: Dairy-Free, Egg-Free Cake Recipe
• Making Homemade Nutella: Vegan Nutella Recipe
• Kladdkaka: Swedish Chocolate Cake Recipe

Tags: Guide recipe Vegan