Is there really anything better than a homemade ice cream cake on a hot summer day? This dreamy no-bake treat is better than a store-bought cake and is easy to whip up with just 3-ingredients. And you can go as wild as you want by customizing your toppings!

Every summer my mother-in-law makes this treat with the kids on our beach vacation. It’s a delicious tradition my kids look forward to every summer! Thanks to Mimi for introducing me to the recipe…

Homemade Ice Cream Cake Ingredients

Ice Cream Sandwiches: You can use any type of ice cream sandwich you want, including dairy-free, low-fat, low-sugar, your favorite ice cream flavor, etc. Just make sure to get the rectangle-shaped sandwiches. We prefer to use the mini sandwiches because they fit a little better in our dish.
Cool Whip: Similar to the ice cream, you can use dairy-free, low-fat, low-sugar, etc.! I prefer the zero sugar because the cake is already sweet!
Topping(s): We love sprinkles, but my mother-in-law makes this cake every summer with my kids and they get wild with their toppings: caramel sauce, fudge, chocolate sauce, cookie crumbles (oreos, thin mints, chocolate chip, etc.), candy (M&Ms, mini Reese’s cups, etc.), the possibilities are endless!

Homemade Ice Cream Cake Tips

Make Ahead: This ice cream cake is a great recipe to make ahead of time. Once you’ve finished assembling it, leave it in the pan you made it in, cover it tightly and pop it in the freezer. You can make it as early as a week ahead of time.
Freezing: First, don’t forget to make room in your freezer before making this cake! Once it’s fully assembled, cover the cake tightly with at least one layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
Serving: Set the cake out for 15 minutes before serving so it can thaw a tiny bit. Run your knife under hot water to make cutting the cake easier.

Homemade Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients

Ice Cream Sandwiches
Cool Whip
Toppings/Sprinkles

Instructions

In a rectangular pan, place your ice cream sandwiches. Try to squeeze them in as tightly as you can so there aren't any gaps. If necessary, you can cut up smaller pieces to fill in any holes.
Spread a thick layer of cool whip on top of the ice cream sandwiches.
Sprinkle with your desired toppings!
Freeze for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Ice Cream Sandwiches: You can use any type of ice cream sandwich you want, including dairy-free, low-fat, low-sugar, your favorite ice cream flavor, etc. Just make sure to get the rectangle-shaped sandwiches. We prefer to use the mini sandwiches because they fit a little better in our dish.
Cool Whip: Similar to the ice cream, you can use dairy-free, low-fat, low-sugar, etc.! I prefer the zero sugar because the cake is already sweet!
Topping(s): We love sprinkles, but my mother-in-law makes this cake every summer with my kids and they get wild with their toppings: caramel sauce, fudge, chocolate sauce, cookie crumbles (oreos, thin mints, chocolate chip, etc.), candy (M&Ms, mini Reese’s cups, etc.), the possibilities are endless!

Make Ahead: This ice cream cake is a great recipe to make ahead of time. Once you’ve finished assembling it, leave it in the pan you made it in, cover it tightly and pop it in the freezer. You can make it as early as a week ahead of time.
Freezing: First, don’t forget to make room in your freezer before making this cake! Once it’s fully assembled, cover the cake tightly with at least one layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
Serving: Set the cake out for 15 minutes before serving so it can thaw a tiny bit. Run your knife under hot water to make cutting the cake easier.