30 Ice Cream Cake Recipes That are Perfect for Summer Birthdays (2024)

Home Recipes Ice Cream Cakes

From ice cream cake to icebox cakes, these sweet treats are the best way to cool down at a summer birthday party!

1/29

Strawberry Ice Cream Charlotte

My family loves ice cream cake, so they were delighted when I first presented this dessert. It's light, delicious and has a festive presentation. —Scarlett Elrod, Newman, Georgia

2/29

Vanilla Ice Cream Cake

For my kids' birthdays, I like to top this ice cream birthday cake with jimmies. —Becky Herges, Fargo, North Dakota

You must make your ice cream cake with the best vanilla ice cream to savor its taste to the maximum!

While you’re at it, I bet the birthday girl would love one of these ice cream cookbooks with some incredible birthday cake ideas.

3/29

Mango Almond Icebox Cake

This recipe was inspired by my friend who asked me to make a mango cake. It's easy to prepare, refreshing, light, and tastes absolutely fantastic. Strawberries can be used as well. —Rachel Simoneau, Danbury, Connecticut

4/29

Chocolate-Cherry Ice Cream Cake

O say can you see this amazing dessert at your next gathering? I make it ahead of time and keep it in the freezer, wrapped in foil, for a week or so before serving.—Scarlett Elrod, Newnan, Georgia. Looking for more? Learn how to make cherry ice cream.

5/29

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Ice Cream

Want something cool and refreshing after your holiday feast? Serve generous slices of a rich, frosty dessert featuring peanuts, cookies and drizzled ice cream toppings.—TerryAnn Moore, Vineland, New Jersey

6/29

Sherbet-Filled Angel Food Cake

Here’s a cool way to treat angel food cake: Fill it with sherbet or ice cream. We finish this cake with a tart, sweet lime glaze. —Leah Rekau, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

7/29

Butter Pecan Ice Cream Torte

A simple, nutty crust and smooth caramel sauce are all the preparation required for this impressive dessert. It will keep in the freezer for one month—just be sure to wrap tightly. —Judy Wilson, Sun City West, Arizona

8/29

Fresh Raspberry Icebox Cake

Layered icebox cakes are so fun because they look impressive but couldn’t be easier. Fresh raspberries make this one really special. Use Anna’s Ginger Thins to get the scalloped edges, or regular gingersnaps if those are not available. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah

9/29

Summer Celebration Ice Cream Cake

I wanted to make my youngest son an ice cream cake one year for his summer birthday, as he prefers ice cream to the traditional cake. He picked the flavors and I decided to try my favorite brownie recipe as a crust. It worked! —Krista Frank, Rhododendron, Oregon

10/29

Strawberry Ladyfinger Icebox Cake

This cake is inventive and yet familiar. Be sure to use a springform pan so you can easily remove it from the cake. If it breaks while you're transferring it to the serving plate, just push the pieces back together, pressing gently. —Stella Ohanian, Porter Ranch, California

11/29

Patriotic Ice Cream Cupcakes

These frosty cupcakes are practically a fireworks display on their own. The little treats feature red velvet cake, blue moon ice cream, a creamy white topping and star-spangled sprinkles. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

12/29

Double-Chocolate Toffee Icebox Cake

My mother-in-law taught me that anything tastes good if you use enough chocolate or cream. This no-bake dessert proves she was right. Sometimes I use chocolate graham crackers and stack up the layers in a 9-inch square pan. —Bee Engelhart, Bloomfield Township, Michigan

13/29

Nutty Caramel Ice Cream Cake

We made this frozen treat for a family birthday party, and we received endless comments on it. It’s truly fantastic! Be sure to try the recipe with other ice cream flavors.—Tina Stelzl, Waxhaw, North Carolina

14/29

Pumpkin Ice Cream Roll

This wonderfully light dessert is our standby at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The hint of pumpkin and the refreshing ice cream make a most delicious after-dinner treat. —Gayle Lewis, Yucaipa, California

15/29

Rainbow Sherbet Angel Food Cake

Talk about a dessert that pops off the plate! Sometimes I make this easy cake even more eye-catching by tinting the whipped cream. Use whatever sherbet flavor combination you like. —Bonnie Hawkins, Elkhorn, Wisconsin

16/29

Banana Split Icebox Cake

A friend showed me how to make a traditional icebox cake with just cream and graham crackers. I make it special by adding fruit. —Shelly Flye, Albion, Maine

17/29

Sherbet Cream Cake

For a show-stopping spring or summer dessert, serve this colorful, refreshing "cake." This recipe takes a little time to prepare, but it's a beautiful and delicious creation. Family members often request it for their birthdays. —Paula Wipf, Arlington, Virginia

18/29

Peanut Butter Icebox Dessert

Leftover crushed cookies create the yummy crust for this crowd-pleasing dessert. It's covered with a smooth cream cheese mixture, chocolate pudding and whipped topping (or this whipped topping substitute) for a lovely layered look. —Nancy Mueller, Bloomington, Minnesota

19/29

Fourth of July Ice Cream Cake

This eye-catching dessert is actually easy to prepare and keeps well in the freezer for days. It's nice to be able to serve cake and ice cream in one slice.—Anne Scholovich, Waukesha, Wisconsin

20/29

Not-Fried Ice Cream Cake

We created this ice cream cake to mimic the popular dessert in many Mexican restaurants without the deep frying. It’s a no-fuss treat that feeds a crowd, and it’s conveniently made ahead. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

21/29

Pina Colada Icebox Cake

This icebox cake has all the flavors of a pina colada. It takes just one bite to escape to a tropical island! —Rachel Lewis, Danville, Virginia

22/29

Macaroon Ice Cream Torte

My family loves frozen treats. With chocolate four ways, this one is so beautiful, people think it came from an ice cream shop. —Barbara Carlucci, Orange Park, Florida

23/29

Icebox Cookie Cheesecake

Cookie lovers will come back for seconds when you serve this tempting treat. —Perlene Hoekema, Lynden, Washington

24/29

Icebox Cake

You don't have to bake to serve a wonderful dessert! This icebox cake is made from chocolate wafers and whipping cream. It is so delicious.—Cindy Hawkins, New York, New York

25/29

Chocolate-Coffee Bean Ice Cream Cake

At our school, we celebrate faculty birthdays. I needed a quick recipe that would be appealing to everyone. This tall, impressive dessert certainly fit my needs and it was a huge hit.—Karen Beck, Alexandria, Pennsylvania

26/29

Banana Split Brownie Cake

“Yum” is the word when it comes to this creative cake. With brownie on the bottom and banana split flavors to top, this makes a to-die-for dessert! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

27/29

Easy Ice Cream Sundae Dessert

In summer, nothing's better than ice cream sundaes. We kids couldn't wait to dig into this tempting dessert. It's cool and smooth with a ribbon of fudge inside. Whenever I make it for my family, I think of Mom. —Anne Heinonen, Howell, Michigan

28/29

Frozen Lime Cake

We've got just the thing for block parties, cookouts or anytime you need a super cool dessert. Making the crust is a snap, and the ice cream and sherbet are so delicious. Everyone loves this! —Kathy Gillogly, Sun City, California

29/29

Praline Ice Cream Cake

Melted ice cream is a key ingredient in this delectable golden cake. It's been a family favorite for years and we love the pecan praline flavor. It's also a joy to serve to company since it's not tricky to fix but always wins raves! —Joan Hallford North Richland Hills, Texas

Caroline has been with Taste of Home for the past seven years, working in both print and digital. After starting as an intern for the magazine and special interest publication teams, Caroline was hired as the third-ever digital editor for Taste of Home. Since then, she has researched, written and edited content on just about every topic the site covers, including cooking techniques, buzzy food news, gift guides and many, many recipe collections. Caroline also acts as the editorial lead for video, working with the Test Kitchen, videographers and social media team to produce videos from start to finish.When she’s not tip-tapping on a keyboard, Caroline is probably mixing up a killer co*cktail, reading a dog-eared library book or cooking up a multi-course feast (sometimes all at once). Though she technically lives in Milwaukee, there is a 50/50 chance Caroline is in Chicago or southwest Michigan visiting her close-knit family.