This Copycat DQ Ice Cream Cake layers chocolate and vanilla ice cream with that classic fudge and crunchy cookie center. And yes, it tastes just like the real thing. Best part? It’s surprisingly easy to make at home.
I’ve eaten a lot of cake over the years—cheesecakes, layer cakes, sheet cakes—and while I never picked the same one twice, there was one I always looked forward to: Dairy Queen’s. That thick, fudgey center with the chocolate crunchies? Absolute magic. I used to scoop that layer out and eat it straight. So when I started making my own ice cream cakes, recreating that iconic middle became the challenge. After a lot of testing (and more than a few spoonfuls), I finally cracked it—and this copycat recipe is the result.
Is It Hard to Make an Ice Cream Cake?
Nope! You don’t need an ice cream maker or fancy equipment. Just a springform pan, some store-bought ice cream, and a little time. The layers are simple to assemble, and you can make it ahead, which means zero stress on the day you serve it. It’s the kind of recipe that looks impressive but comes together with basic steps. That’s the best kind, right?
The rich fudge and crunchy cookie center is just like the classic DQ version (maybe even better), and honestly, it’s worth making the whole cake just for that.
What You’ll Need
You won’t believe how simple these ingredients are. I bet you were expecting super fancy and overly complicated ones, right? Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need. Don’t forget to scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list.
- Oreo cookies – You’ll crush these (filling and all) to make that classic chocolate cookie crunch layer.
- Butter – Just a little melted butter helps bind the cookie crumbs together.
- Vanilla and chocolate ice cream – Grab your favorite store-bought brands. Let them soften slightly before layering.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips, heavy cream, light corn syrup, and vanilla – These come together to make the rich, fudgy center layer that tastes just like the original.
- Cold heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract – For the fluffy homemade whipped cream topping.
- Sprinkles – Optional, but highly encouraged for that classic birthday cake look!
How to Make An Ice Cream Cake
Start with an 8×3-inch cake pan for a nice tall cake, or use a 9-inch pan or springform if you prefer. Line the inside with plastic wrap so it’s easy to lift out later.
Make the Oreo Layer
- Prep your tools: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
- Make Oreo mixture: Combine the Oreo crumbs and melted butter. Stir well then spread onto the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes: Cool. Break any big clumps into smaller ones. Set aside.
Now we are going to assemble the layers:
- Chocolate ice cream: About 20 minutes before you need it, set the chocolate ice cream out to soften. Stir it until smooth and creamy. Add to the prepared cake pan and spread into an even layer. Freeze for 30 minutes.
- Fudge layer: Make the fudge as directed in the recipe card below. Remove the cake pan with the chocolate ice cream from the freezer, then pour the chocolate fudge over the ice cream and spread into an even layer. Freeze for about 10 minutes.
- Oreo cookie layer: Add the cookie crumbles to the top of the fudge layer, then freeze for about 2 hours, until mostly firm.
- Vanilla ice cream layer: About 20 minutes before you need it, set the vanilla ice cream out to soften. Once softened, stir it up until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla ice cream to the top of the cake, then freeze until firm, 2-3 hours.
- Remove from cake pan: Use the clear wrap to lift the frozen cake out of the pan. Place it on a cardboard cake circle or a serving plate. Set it back in the freezer.
- Whipped cream layer: When it’s done, frost it with my homemade whipped cream. It uses some powdered sugar to keep it from wilting. It stays stable for days and days making it ideal for an ice cream cake.
- Add decorations and freeze until ready to serve: Decorate the ice cream cake as you like for your occasion and you’re ready to go!
This is seriously the BEST Copycat Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake! You will love it. And just like when I was a kid, you will want to eat the chocolate fudge and chocolate crunchy layer right out of the center.
How to Store
This is a great make-ahead dessert! You can build the whole cake in the pan, cover it, and freeze it for up to a week before serving. Just wait to frost and decorate until the day before (or day of) so it looks fresh. Once decorated, keep it in the freezer. If you have a cake box or cake carrier, that’s ideal—but if not, it’ll still be fine uncovered (in the freezer) for a couple of days.
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Watch How To Make It
Copycat Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake
- Prep Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 12–14 slices 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Freezer
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Copycat Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake has layers of chocolate and vanilla ice cream around the iconic layer of chocolate crunchies and chocolate fudge. It is so easy to make and tastes just like the real thing!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Crunchies
- 3/4 cup (100g) Oreo crumbs (about 9 Oreos)
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter, melted
Ice Cream Layers
- 1.5 quart container vanilla ice cream
- 1.5 quart container chocolate ice cream
Chocolate Fudge
- 6 oz | 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips*
- 3 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 cup (115g) powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
- Combine the Oreo crumbs and melted butter and stir until well combined. Spread the crumbs evenly onto the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, then allow to cool. Use your fingers to break any big clumps into smaller ones. Set aside.
- 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.
- About 20 minutes before you need it, set the chocolate ice cream out to soften. Once softened, stir it up until smooth and creamy. Add the softened chocolate ice cream to the prepared cake pan and spread into an even layer. Freeze for 30 minutes.
- To make the fudge layer, add the chocolate chips, corn syrup and vanilla extract to a medium sized bowl.
- Heat the heavy whipping cream just until it begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips. Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
- Remove the cake pan with the chocolate ice cream from the freezer, then pour the chocolate fudge over the ice cream and spread into an even layer. Freeze for about 10 minutes.
- Add the cookie crumbles to the top of the fudge layer, then freeze for about 2 hours, until mostly firm.
- About 20 minutes before you need it, set the vanilla ice cream out to soften. Once softened, stir it up until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla ice cream to the top of the cake, then freeze until firm, 2-3 hours.
- 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.
- 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.
- Frost the cake with the whipped cream and decorate as desired. I used Ateco tip 844 for piping the borders.
- 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.
- Semi-sweet chocolate must be used, not milk chocolate or another, for the fudge layer to set properly
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 661
- Sugar: 50 g
- Sodium: 118.6 mg
- Fat: 46.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Protein: 8.4 g
- Cholesterol: 173.7 mg
Lindsay, I am planning on making several of these ice cream cakes to take to the lake next weekend for a mini family reunion. I am going to get started this weekend. I am planning on making them in several Pyrex loaf pans. My thoughts are that they will look pretty through the glass, I can use different flavors of ice cream, and that we can just leave them in the Pyrex pans and just slice off a piece. Only put frosting on the top. And cover with plastic wrap. I Thought this would work with so many different extended family members with their children.
Just wondering if you think there would be any problem removing the slices? Or do you think that with it sitting out for 10 minutes or so, would ‘let’ the ice cream remove from Pyrex pan, or would I need to grease/spray the pans before filling with ice Cream and fudge/oreo layers?
Hi! I’m making it in 2 7.5 inch spring form pans. Would I double the recipe?
This recipe sounds delicious and i’m making it for hubby’s 30th birthday!
Thank you for your help Lindsay!
Doubling would probably be too much. I’d do 1 1/2 recipes worth, so that you’re using about 3/4 of the recipe for each pan.
Can I make this in a 9×13 cake pan?
You’d probably want to double it but it should be ok.
Do you think it would work to make this in a square glass dish and frost the top only and cut pieces to eat directly from the dish rather than using round pans that you remove the cake from to frost/cut/serve?
It would be fine, but it might be a little hard to remove pieces from the pan.
Im going to try this for my daughters 3rd birthday! Is the chocolate layer thick? Is there a way i could maybe do a little more than the recipe? Or would that just become pretty messy? would i add more cookie then also to balance it out so it doesn’t get runny? How soft do u let the ice cream get also? Like runny and stir it around? Or just a little soft and like.. mold it in the pan? Thanks!!
I’m not really sure how to answer about the thickness. What would you call “thick”? You could certainly add more of either of those layers, but you might need a taller pan for it to all fit.
For the ice cream, I like to let it soften, but not melt too much and then use a spatula to help smooth it out so that I can spread it in the pan.
Oh my gosh! I made this for a First Communion celebration and I don’t believe I’ve EVER had such rave reviews!!! Lindsay, you knocked it outta the park with your version. 👍🏻🙌🏻I love to make desserts, but I think this one is at the top of our list right now. I chose not to top with whipped cream as I feel it was already sweet enough, so it wasn’t as pretty as yours. However, I had to top with sprinkles…of course. 😋. Thx for sharing!!!!
Do I have to add icing sugar to the whipped cream for the icing? I don’t like the taste of icing sugar but I’m not sure if omitting it will change the consistency of the icing too much?
Thanks!
I have the cake frozen for Friday. Do you think it’s okay to frost it the day before or should I do it day of? I am also worried I will mess up since I am not good at it and I might have to freeze the cake in between frosting so it doesn’t melt. Thanks.
Great recipe. I’m in the process of making it now. How did it all for in your 8×3 pan? I have it in a 9” springform pan and my vanilla ice cream is going to come over the top.
Can I take it out of the freezer tomorrow, remove the Saran Wrap and frost it then? I am serving it tomorrow. I started it late today. 😬
This cake is amazing! I made this in May for my husband’s bday. I was afraid to go out and buy one so I was forced out of my comfort zone. My family loved it so much I am making it again for my son’s bday. I am using oreo ice cream instead. The fudge layer is delicious and the crunchies are my favorite. I noticed this time around that if I crunch them very fine it lays nicer. Great recipe, a new family favorite! Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi – looking forward to making this for my son’s birthday in June. Just wondering – I can’t find any light corn syrup, and I wonder if I can use regular corn syrup? Thanks!
The other option would be dark corn syrup, which should be fine.
Delicious and easy to make, especially the fudge sauce which whips up in no time. My 8″ pan only accepted 1 1/4 quarts of each kind of ice cream, so the cake was overflowing. I think some ice creams have more air whipped into them than others, which makes a difference if you’re letting it sit out to soften. Next time I’ll buy less. Definitely a make-again!
This has to be one of the easiest cakes I have ever made , although we haven’t tried it yet , it’s still in the freezer , but it looks good , a video demo would be nice
After frosting the cake, we put it back in the freezer until ready to serve. Do we cover it before we put it in or leave it uncovered? If you cover it, what do you use to cover it so your decorating doesn’t get messed up? Thank you!
Either way would be fine. If you have a cake box (cardboard) or a cake carrier that will fit in your freezer, you can use that. Otherwise leave it uncovered. It’ll be fine for a few days and shouldn’t mess anything up.
Hi Lindsay!
I am so excited to have stumbled upon this recipe! My son really wants a DQ ice cream cake for his 6th Birthday and I didn’t think it would be possible. So this recipe couldn’t have come at a better time! I was just wondering if it’s better to buy the oreo cookies crumbs in the box already crumbled (similar to the graham cookie crumbs) or actual oreo cookies? Tia!
I’ve never seen boxed Oreo crumbs before (sadly), so I don’t know if there’s much difference or not.
After cutting a few pieces the others stayed together very well. But I might try your tip next time. My neighbor called and said it was the best ice cream cake he’s ever had. It sounded like he loved it more than any dessert he’s had.
That’s awesome to hear! Glad it was a hit!
My husband and I both loved this cake. My only problem was when I put the piece on the plate the 2 layers separate. I followed directions exactly. The fudge filling is what’s separating it. Your pictures look perfect. Any suggestions for next time?
So it sounds like the cookie crumbles and fudge didn’t hold together well, is that correct? I would just say to be sure not to wait too long after adding the fudge layer to add the cookie crumbles. The directions say about 10 minutes, but it’s possible your freezer is colder than mine. You want the crumbles to be able sit down in the fudge just a bit so that they stick/hold together. I hope that helps!