This Hot Fudge Swirl Ice Cream Cake is a wonderful blend of rich chococlate cake and no-churn ice cream! Chocolate and vanilla come together perfectly for this classic frozen dessert!

Hot Fudge Swirl Ice Cream Cake

Last night I had dinner with my dad and older brother’s family. We got on the subject on birthdays, as my dad’s birthday is Sunday and my nieces’ birthdays are coming up soon. My nieces will be 8 and 10.

Naturally, I’m the designated cake maker so I asked them what they were considering for their cakes this year. Last year one had my chocolate cake and the other my carrot cake.

Hot Fudge Swirl Ice Cream Cake slice on a plate

The younger one always comes up with the craziest stuff and has requested a red jello mermaid – covered in chocolate icing.

I couldn’t help but laugh. 🙂

I think we might be able to talk her out of the icing, but it looks like I’m going to need a mermaid mold.

The older one wants my cookie cake, covered in all the sports she plays – lacrosse, basketball, tennis, swimming and one other…I forgot. Gonna have to write them all down…

Hot Fudge Swirl Ice Cream Cake with a slice removed

Hot Fudge Swirl Ice Cream Cake slice on a plate with a bite on a fork

My sister-in-law asked how big we could make it. I have quite a few sizes of cake pans, since I’ve made some big layered cakes, so I said however big you want. To which my niece said, “Gimme the biggest one you got!” with a big ol’ smile.

I think it’s going to be a 14 incher. That’s a big cookie cake.

Her birthday isn’t until September, so I have some time. I’ll be sure to instagram that monster. 🙂

This ice cream cake actually served as a birthday cake for a kid in one of the hubs’ tennis camps when I made it a few weeks ago. He saw it and knows I give stuff away as soon as I can (so I don’t eat it all), so he quickly claimed it for his kids. Of course, there was one slice missing. #husbandofafoodbloggerproblems

It was a big hit! It appears to be the hubs’ new fave. He gets a little leery of all the extra add-ins and over the top stuff. Some of the classics, like my chocolate chip cookies, and now this ice cream cake are his favorites.

I guess that makes us a good pair. He prefers simple, I like over the top (Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Layer Cake), full of awesome flavor (Baklava Poke Cake), piled high with awesomeness (Snickers Cheesecake).

So today I went a little more on the classic side, but have no fear. Next week, I have one crazy, over the top treat coming your way. And I can’t wait!

Hot Fudge Swirl Ice Cream Cake on a white cake stand

In the meantime, this ice cream cake is perfect for the summer that is winding down. It’s actually been in the 60s here a few mornings this week. Crazy!

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Hot Fudge Swirl Ice Cream Cake

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Author: Lindsay
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 12–14 Slices 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Oven
Cuisine: American

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Description

This Hot Fudge Swirl Ice Cream Cake is a wonderful blend of rich chococlate cake and no-churn ice cream! Chocolate and vanilla come together perfectly for this classic frozen dessert!

Ingredients

Scale

CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 + 1/8 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup boiling water

VANILLA ICE CREAM

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz Cool Whip (OR 1 recipe of homemade whipped cream)
1/4 – 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
1 cup hot fudge

TOPPING

Additional Hot Fudge, if desired
Whipped Cream

Instructions

NOTE: 8-inch springform pans are 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 warp to lift your cake out of the pan once it’s assembled and frozen. You want to make your cake layers in the same pan you’ll use for layering the ice cream and cake together so that they cake layers fit in the final pan you use for layering.

CHOCOLATE CAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees

2. Put all dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together.

3. Add eggs, buttermilk and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.

4. Add vanilla to boiling water and add to mixture.

5. Mix at medium speed until smooth.

6. Pour into 2 8-inch pans and bake 25-30 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes in pans, then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.

8. Once cooled, cut off cake domes with a long serrated knife. You don’t have to do this step, but it will give you more even layers.

VANILLA ICE CREAM:

1. Once the cake has cooled, make the ice cream. Combine cream cheese, sugar, milk and vanilla together in the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer. Mix until completely combined.

2. Fold in the cool whip and mini chocolate chips.

3. Lightly fold in 1/2 cup hot fudge. Don’t let it mix into the cream cheese mixture too much, or it’ll be chocolate ice cream.

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 probably 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. Top with half of the ice cream.

4. Add 1/4 cup of hot fudge and gently work it into the vanilla ice cream to create more of a swirl.

5. Add second cake to the pan.

6. Top with remaining ice cream.

7. Add remaining 1/4 cup of hot fudge and gently work it into the vanilla ice cream again to create a swirl.

8. Allow ice cream cake to freeze completely, 6-8 hours.

9. When frozen, remove from springform pan and remove parchment paper from sides.

8. Drizzle with additional hot fudge sauce and top with whipped cream.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 Slice
Calories: 496
Sugar: 46.6 g
Sodium: 319.1 mg
Fat: 23.5 g
Carbohydrates: 67.5 g
Protein: 6.2 g
Cholesterol: 34.7 mg

This post contains affiliate links.

Enjoy!

Categories:

Cakes and Cupcakes, Ice Cream & Ice Cream Cakes, Recipes, Sweets and Treats,

37 Comments

You are the best aunt ever to let them pick out their own cakes! And this is seriously another gorgeous cake!!! Love all that drippy fudge!

lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com says:

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Thanks Jocelyn!

Reply

Wow! looks divine!

Wow! Simply amazing. I am drooling already. Wish I could download it to my plate right now 🙂

You seriously make the most perfect cakes. I wish you could come and teach me how to make them look so flawless!! What are your secrets?!

lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com says:

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Thanks Holly! I wish I had a special secret to share! I think ice cream cakes are nice because they’re frozen 🙂

Reply

Another beautiful ice cream cake! This one would be a huge hit with my husband too with all that luscious chocolate…I can’t wait to see what over-the-top dessert you have planned next!

lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com says:

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Thanks Heather! 🙂

Reply

Am very much enjoying your recipes. Just made the chocolate cake one for a BBQ last weekend and boy was it a hit. Haven’t been able to find the extra dark cocoa here yet so used regular, but am on the look out for it now.

BTW, tiny little mistake on the procedure for this ice cream cake under:
Vanilla Ice Cream
1. Once the cake has cooled and the cookie dough balls are firm, make the ice cream.

No dough balls in this recipe I think… 🙂

lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com says:

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I’m so glad you liked the chocolate cake – I seriously can’t get enough of it. And thanks for noting the typo – got it fixed!

Reply

A little part of me just died when you said this cake was all gone. You have done it again! This cake looks fabulous and I can see why it would be one of your husband’s favorites! Although the mermaid jello cakes sounds good too! lol!

Ps- thanks for linking to my chocolate ice cream! 🙂

lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com says:

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Thanks Lindsey! I bet the jello cake will be my new fave…ok not really, but it will be interesting! You know you’ll want a piece of that. 😉

Reply

It’s like you and your husband are mirror images of me and dell! This cake is just perfect for a Friday!

lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com says:

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Seriously. When are you guys coming to visit?

Reply

What an awesome aunt!! I love baking for the family too, the issue is we don’t all agree on our likes/dislikes for desserts – but, most times we can agree to a good ice cream cake. Your ice cream cake recipes have been made on more than one occasion in this family! Thanks for posting another one.

lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com says:

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Thanks Niki! I try! And I’m so glad you all enjoy the ice cream cakes – I certainly have fun with them! 🙂

Reply

I have made the Black Forest cake twice and it is a big winner, the Red Velvet is great too!!! Just made the Cannoli cake and I was disappointed in that one…most everything I have made is wonderful and have passed this site on to a lot of friends….

lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com says:

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Thanks so much for sharing the blog with your friends! I’m glad you’ve been enjoying the recipes. The Cannoli cake seems to be a favorite for some and not for others – but I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the other recipes though! 🙂

Reply

Wow this is a show stopper! Please make my birthday cake too??!

That is so awesome you make your nieces cakes for their birthdays and let them pick! What fun 🙂 I’d pick this one if I could!!

lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com says:

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Thanks Julie! I don’t do a lot of cakes for ppl (I need more time in the day!) but I can’t say no to them. 🙂

Reply

Another one pinned! I’d love to have you as my designated cake maker in my family too!!

omg, just WOW. Will you be my designated cake maker for birthdays too? and hey, kids sometimes have the best ideas .. a red jello mermaid – covered in chocolate icing sounds pretty fabulous to me! 🙂 LOVE this cake!

lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com says:

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Don’t they have the best ideas? My niece seriously comes up with the funniest stuff! 🙂

Reply

You seriously make the most gorgeous cakes. So, my birthday passed in July…too late to place an order? 🙂

lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com says:

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Thanks Aimee! 🙂

Reply

This looks way too amazing. I’m the family birthday baker, too, which always causes problems on my birthday! Insert sad face here.
I wish I could try this one!

Hot Fudge Swirl Ice Cream Cake

Hot Fudge Swirl Ice Cream Cake

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