Copycat Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake

In the hot summer months, traditional cake—no matter how moist and fluffy—can sometimes feel too heavy for dessert. The solution? An ice cream cake. This cool, layered dessert looks and cuts like a cake, but tastes like the ice cream dessert of our dreams.

You’ve likely indulged in a piece or two of Dairy Queen’s famous ice cream cake over the years. While those cakes are still available at DQ, believe it or not, you can DIY a better ice cream cake at home. This copycat Dairy Queen ice cream cake recipe is made with chocolate and vanilla ice cream, chocolate ganache and a thick layer of chocolate cookie crumbles—just like the original.

Ingredients for Ice Cream Cake

Chocolate cookie crunch

• Oreos: To make Oreo crumbs, first remove the filling. Pulse the cookies in a food processor until they’re very fine. Or, close them in a zip-top bag and whack the cookies with a rolling pin until they’ve become crumbs.
• Butter: Heat the butter in the microwave or a saucepan just until it’s melted.
• Chocolate hard-shell ice cream topping: Make homemade Magic Shell in your kitchen, or buy a bottle from the store.

Chocolate ganache

• Heavy whipping cream: Cream will thin out the chocolate as it melts, creating a smooth, silky ganache.
• Chocolate chips: Chocolate ganache is only as good as the quality of the chocolate you use. Buy a bag of the best chocolate chips or finely chop up a high-quality chocolate bar.
• Light corn syrup: Corn syrup will create give the ganache a nice sheen while also slightly sweetening it. Be sure you’re using light, not dark, corn syrup.

Ice cream layers

• Vanilla ice cream: The two ice cream layers are huge flavor components in this ice cream cake. Splurge on the best vanilla ice cream from the store, or go the extra mile and use homemade vanilla ice cream. Whether store-bought or homemade, I recommend leaning towards an ice cream with flecks of vanilla bean for the best flavor.
• Chocolate ice cream: Just like the vanilla ice cream, reach for a few pints of one of the best chocolate ice cream brands from the store. Or, dust off the ice cream maker and churn your own homemade chocolate ice cream.

Whipped cream

• Heavy whipping cream: Heavy whipping cream’s fat content allows it to fluff up into stable whipped cream. Avoid using whole milk or buttermilk in its place.
• Confectioners’ sugar: A little confectioners’ sugar sweetens the whipped cream.