Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake

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This Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake is light, a little fruity, and full of almond and Amaretto flavor. It’s the perfect summer dessert – and it’s even yummier than you’d expect!

Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake

I created this recipe back when the hubs and I were officially at that age when our friends were starting to have kids. Even though we didn’t have kids of our own yet, we regularly got together with friends who were just starting out on their parenting journey, and it was awesome to be a part of that.

Normally on a Friday night, we would be the ones bringing margaritas to a friend’s house, but those were the years when margaritas gave way to massive boxes of diapers, casseroles, and yes – this perfect cake! Now that’s how you know you’re getting older and moving into a new life phase! 🙂 And to this day, it’s still one of my favorite indulgent desserts. There’s nothing like ice cream, cake, whipped cream, amaretto, and cherries!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Cherry Almond: Cherries and almonds are a classic combination, and amaretto (a sweet almond liqueur often made from apricot pits) is the perfect ingredient to tie them both together.
  • Tender Cake: As you can see from the pictures, the cake in this recipe has a fine crumb and soft, silky texture. It’s absolutely perfect as a contrast to the ice cream.
  • No Churn Ice Cream: With a smooth cream-cheese base, the no-churn ice cream in this recipe is completely luxurious without any hassle!
  • Super Simple Method: With just a basic springform pan and some parchment paper, this cake is easy to assemble. And it’s gorgeous!
Image of a Slice of Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake on a Plate with a Fork

What’s in This Ice Cream Cake?

Some of my ice cream cakes are made with store-bought ice cream for extra simple prep (see my Copycat Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake and classic fudge-Oreo Ice Cream Cake recipes!). You can certainly do that here, too. But I really recommend following the recipe and making the no-churn, cream-cheese-and-almond ice cream below. It’s heavenly!

Cake Layers

  • Flour: All-purpose flour is perfect here – no need for specialty flours.
  • Sugar: Granulated sugar gives a balanced sweetness without adding additional flavors. If you want to add a “toasty” flavor, you could substitute brown sugar or raw sugar instead.
  • Rising Agents: You will need both baking soda and baking powder to give the cake a light, fine texture.
  • Butter: The butter should be at room temperature, for creaming with the sugar.
  • Egg Whites: Use the whites only (save the yolks for making something else – Lemon Curd, anyone?)
  • Almond Extract: Pure almond extract.
  • Sour Cream: For a light, moist cake that’s not weighed down.
  • Amaretto Coffee Creamer: This ingredient is usually available in grocery stores, but you can also order it online.
  • Amaretto Liqueur: Depending on where you live, you might be able to get this at the grocery store, or it might only be available in liquor stores. You can also order amaretto liqueur online, or just replace it with more of the amaretto coffee creamer.

Ice Cream Layers

  • Cream Cheese: For easy mixing and no lumps, it’s crucial to have this at room temperature.
  • Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is fine.
  • Milk: Just a bit of milk thins the ice cream mixture to the right consistency.
  • Almond Extract: To keep the almond flavor going! If you don’t want almond extract in this layer, you could use vanilla extract instead.
  • Cool Whip: Or homemade whipped cream, whichever you prefer.
  • Cherries: Chopped maraschino cherries – see the note at the end of the recipe instructions for more info.

Decorating and Topping

  • Cool Whip: Again, homemade whipped cream is also fine.
  • Slivered Almonds: Or sliced almonds if you would rather use those.
Image of a Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake

How to Make Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake

There are basically three parts to this dessert: the cake, the ice cream, and the toppings. Making them isn’t hard at all! Here’s how:

THE CAKE LAYERS

  • Get Ready to Bake. First, you will grease a couple of 8 inch cake pans – preferably springform pans – and line the bottoms of them with parchment. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and then gather up your ingredients to start mixing.
  • Mix the Dry and Wet Ingredients Separately. In one bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. In a second bowl, mix the softened butter, egg whites, almond extract, sour cream, coffee creamer and amaretto on medium speed until smooth.
  • Bake, Cool, and Level. Divide the cake batter between the two pans, and bake for about 19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a couple of crumbs. Cool the cakes completely, and then level them off using a large, serrated knife.
Image of a Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake Slice with a Bite on a Fork

THE ICE CREAM

  • Mix Everything Except Cool Whip and Cherries. In a clean bowl, using clean beaters, mix the cream cheese, sugar, milk and almond extract until well combined.
  • Fold in the Remaining Ingredients. Fold in the Cool Whip and chopped cherries to make a fluffy, soft ice cream mixture.
Image of a Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake Slice

ASSEMBLING IT ALL

  • Prepare the Pan. Line the sides of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper to make a “collar.” The cake will be a little taller than your pan, so the parchment will add extra height. If you want, you can also put a cardboard cake circle in the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the Layers. Place a layer of cake in the bottom of the pan, and pour half of the ice cream on top. Spread it out. Add the second layer of cake, and pour the rest of the ice cream on top. Spread it out evenly.
  • Freeze & Frost. Freeze the cake until frozen solid, at least 5 hours or overnight. Once the cake is frozen, remove it from the pan, and frost the outside of the cake with more Cool Whip. Top with slivered almonds, and you’re done!
Image of a Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake on a Cake Stand

Tips for Success

I hope you will give this recipe a try – if you like cherries and almonds even just a little bit, you really need to taste this! It’s so good, and will keep you coming back for more slices, guaranteed. Not so sure about making it? These helpful tips will give you all the advice you need!

  • 8-Inch Pans: I know this is a little odd, but be careful to choose the same size pan when you bake the layers and when you assemble the finished cake. Not all 8-inch pans are exactly the same size, so be sure that it fits or the cake layer might be a little too large or small to fit.
  • Springform Pan: For assembling the cake, an 8-inch springform pan works best. That way, you can simply release the sides of the pan when it’s frozen and ready to frost. If you don’t have a springform pan, you can use a regular cake pan – just line it with clear plastic wrap before adding your parchment paper and cake board. You can use the clear wrap to lift your cake out of the pan once it’s assembled and frozen.
  • Cherries: When chopping the cherries, just remove them from the juice in the jar, cut into pieces and set aside. Do not save the juice that comes out when you cut them, but don’t try to squeeze out the remaining juice or pat them dry. The juice that remains in the cherries after you cut them will flavor the ice cream.
Image of a Slice of Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake

How to Store This Cake

Storing ice cream cakes is the easy part! (Well, honestly, it’s all the easy part when you have an easy recipe like this one.) To keep this cake fresh and flavorful, store it in a large airtight container, preferably a cake stand. It will keep in the freezer for up to one week.

Print
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Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake slice on white plate
Recipe

Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 12-14 slices
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Cherry Almond Amaretto Ice Cream Cake is light, a little fruity, and full of almond and Amaretto flavor. It’s the perfect summer dessert – and it’s even yummier than you’d expect!


Ingredients

CAKE LAYERS

  • 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 3 egg whites
  • 2 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup amaretto coffee creamer
  • 1/4 cup amaretto liqueur

ICE CREAM LAYERS

  • 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/8 cup milk
  • 2 tsp almond extract
  • 8 oz Cool Whip (or homemade whipped cream)
  • 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries (see second note at the bottom of instructions)

OUTSIDE AND TOPPING

  • 4 oz Cool Whip
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds

Instructions

THE CAKE LAYERS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease two 8 inch cake pans (preferable springform pans, see above) and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
3. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
4. Add butter, egg whites, almond extract, sour cream, coffee creamer and amaretto and mix on medium speed until smooth.
5. Split batter evenly between the two cake pans.
6. Bake 19-21 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a just a few crumbs.
7. Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.
8. Once cooled, level the cake by removing the dome from the top of the cake using a large serrated knife.

THE ICE CREAM

1. Mix cream cheese, sugar, milk and almond extract together until well combined.
2. Fold in the cool whip and chopped cherries.

ASSEMBLING IT ALL

1. Line the sides of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper. The parchment paper should stick up above the top edge of the pan, since the cake will be a little taller than your pan. If you want, put a cardboard cake circle in the bottom of the pan.
NOTE: You should be using the same 8-inch pan you used for the cake. Not all 8-inch pans are exactly the same size. Your cake needs to fit in this pan.
2. Put the first cake layer in the bottom of your pan.
3. Pour half of the ice cream mixture on top of the cake and spread evenly.
4. Add the second layer of cake to the pan, on top of the ice cream.
5. Top with remaining ice cream and spread evenly, smoothing out the top.
6. Allow ice cream cake to freeze completely, 5-6 hours or overnight.
7. Once frozen, remove cake from springform pan and remove parchment paper from sides.
8. Ice the outside of the cake with additional Cool Whip and top with slivered almonds. Store in freezer for up to a week.

Notes

An 8-inch springform pan is best for this recipe so that you can easily remove the cake once it’s been assembled. If you do not have a springform pan, line your pan with clear wrap before adding your parchment paper and cake board. You can use the clear wrap to lift your cake out of the pan once it’s assembled and frozen.

When chopping the cherries, just remove them from the juice in the jar, cut into pieces and set aside. Do not save the juice that comes out when you cut them, but don’t try to squeeze out the remaining juice or pat them dry. The juice that remains in the cherries after you cut them will flavor the ice cream.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 409
  • Sugar: 32.6 g
  • Sodium: 109 mg
  • Fat: 23.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 45.7 g
  • Protein: 4.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 47 mg

Categories

More Ice Cream Cake Recipes

Recipes From Friends

Amaretto Pecan Cookie Dough Truffles from Inside BruCrew Life
Amaretto Cream Cheese Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel from Call Me PMC
Amaretto Almond White Cake from Shugary Sweets

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39 Comments
  1. Nikki

    This looks amazing! I love amaretto and thinking about making this cake for a cookout this weekend. Coffee creamer isn’t something I keep on hand because it’s just not something I like. Is there anyway to omit that, and maybe double the booze?!🥳

    1. Lindsay

      You could certainly give it a try. I’d think it’d bake that way, but you’re losing some fat from the creamer so it might affect the texture/moisture a bit.

  2. Tobz

    Hello Lindsay, your cakes look fabulous, it’s amazing you don’t use the yolks ????????????
    Would like to ask if I could replace the sour cream with plain sweetened yogurt and how do I make these ice cream cakes without the springform pan? I just have regular round pans. Then, the icing didn’t use any butter or margarine, why?
    Also, is it powdered sugar in the frosting or regular granulated white sugar.

    I’m sorry, I know my questions are quite much.
    Thanks so much, a quick response would be great.

    1. Lindsay

      Swapping out the sour cream should be fine, thought I think it changes the cake texture and flavor a bit. The frosting is whipped cream, since it’s an ice cream cake, so no butter. And it’s powdered sugar. As for not using a springform pan, you could use a clear cake collar or try to build the cake in two parts – freezing one layer of cake and ice cream together at a time – in the regular pan and then remove them and stack them. I hope that helps!

    1. Lindsay

      Thank you! I’m currently working on a book, actually. You can preorder it on Amazon, but the photo showing as the cover is not updated yet. The photo showing currently is actually from the blog and not in the book. It should be updated in the next week though. Thanks! 🙂

  3. Jaybe

    A fabulous-looking dessert! One quick question: when the Cool Whip is used in your recipe, is it frozen, like when you buy it at the store, or do you use it thawed and refrigerated?

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  6. Jaren (Diary of a Recipe Collector)

    This looks great! Amaretto has really been on my mind lately since I just had a fabulous amaretto cheesecake dessert at Disney World! It feels like just yesterday we entered into the having babies stage with our friends, and now our oldest is 7 and we are having #4 soon!

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      Thanks Jaren! That cheesecake sounds delicious! And 4 kiddos? I can’t even imagine how busy you must be!

  7. Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust

    Yes it’s quite different hanging out with kid couples. But then again, I was the first one to have kids…so I never experienced it without! 🙂 LOVE this cake, pinned!

  8. Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking

    This looks amazing! I love amaretto in anything! You make the prettiest slices…it’s like you photoshop them or something, seriously perfect!

    And here I thought my Husband and I were the last to board the Baby Train! You are such a sweet friend!

  9. Julianne @ Beyond Frosting

    Another gorgeous ice cream cake! BTW, you are totally right, babies of your friends are way better!

  10. holly waterfall

    Seriously Lindsay – You are such a talented food-stylist/photographer. This looks so delicious and professional!

  11. Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor

    Another gorgeous cake, Lindsay! Seriously, will you make my birthday cake? Because your cakes are way better than anything you can buy or anything that I could ever make. Love the cherry almond amaretto combination! And cheers to new phases in life!

  12. How to Philosophize with Cake

    This looks awesome! I love how smooth you got the whipped cream, I could never do that. 🙂 Pinned to my “sexy cakes” board 😛

  13. Aimee @ ShugarySweets

    I really wish I could taste this through the screen too! We were “those” friends. The ones who started the baby making first! It’s an exciting time, but it definitely changes things. I think if I had a friend stop over with this cake, my newborn would be forgotten for about 12 minutes. I suspect that’s how long it would take me to devour this cake!! YUM.

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      Thanks Aimee! We were the ones that got married first. Just a little behind on the kid thing 🙂

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I'm a wife and a mom to twin boys and a baby girl! And I've got a serious sweets addiction! Bring on the treats!

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29