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–+ servings
cross section of ice cream cake with chocolate ice cream, ganache, cookie crumble, and vanilla ice cream layers
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Vegan Copycat Ice Cream Cake

This is the vegan copycat ice cream cake of my childhood birthday cake and while this is not the frosted and beautifully decorated version, this was exactly what I wanted for my birthday.
Prep Time2 hours 30 minutes
Additional Time4 hours
Total Time6 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 -12 servings
Author: Lisa Le

Ingredients

Cookie Crumble layer

  • 10 chocolate sandwich cookies like an Oreo
  • 2 tbsp 15 mL melted vegan margarine

Fudge layer

  • 1 cup 250 mL dairy-free chocolate chips
  • 3 tbsp 45 mL of white corn syrup
  • 1 tsp 5 mL vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup 125 mL dairy-free whipping cream (or full fat coconut milk)

Ice cream layers

  • 1 pint 500 mL of dairy-free chocolate ice cream (homemade or your favourite storebought ice cream)
  • 1 pint 500 mL of dairy-free vanilla ice cream

Optional:

  • Dairy-free whipped cream to frost
  • Sprinkles to decorate

Instructions

Cookie Crumble Layer

  • Preheat oven to 350F (180 C)
  • Crush 10 chocolate sandwich cookies until you have small crumbs (I used a food processor).
  • Add melted vegan margarine and mix. It should be slightly moist, like a crumbly slightly wet sand texture.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool.

Fudge Layer

  • In a heat-safe mixing bowl, add dairy free chocolate chips, white corn syrup, and vanilla extract.
  • In a small pot, heat the dairy-free whipping cream over medium heat until the edges begin to bubble but not to a full boil. The pot should be steaming but not bubbling.
  • Pour the hot whipping cream over the chocolate chips and let it sit for about 5 minutes, then stir to fully mix in the melted chocolate. Set aside to cool while you assemble the first layer of the ice cream cake.

Assemble the ice cream cake

  • Take your first layer of ice cream out of the freezer (choc or vanilla, whichever you want to be on the top of the cake when you flip it over) and let it sit at room temp for about 20-30 minutes to thaw.
  • Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap, with enough room that you can wrap up the top in the freezer.
  • Mix it up until it's a workable consistency, I transferred to a mixing bowl to make this easier and faster.
  • Spread the ice cream into the lined loaf pan and spread out until it's even. Tap the loaf pan firmly on the counter a couple times and it should settle well into the corners. Pop in the freezer for about 30 minutes to firm up.
  • Once the first layer is firmed up, add the cooled chocolate ganache and spread evenly over the ice cream layer.
  • Sprinkle the cookie crumble on top, spreading evenly as well. Pop back in the freezer for 30 minutes, and pull out your second pint of ice cream to soften for the final layer.
  • Spread the final layer of ice cream on top of the cookie crumble, then cover with a layer of parchment paper (this will make it easier for cutting and then putting back in the freezer), and then wrap the edges of the plastic wrap over top.
  • Freeze overnight to firm up.
  • You can frost the cake with dairy-free whipping cream and decorate with sprinkles and gel icing for the full experience, but I didn't do that.
  • To serve, flip onto a cutting board, and cut with a knife, wiping the blade between slices. Enjoy!