Red Velvet Ice Cream Cake Recipe

When I asked my son the annual birthday question, "What kind of birthday cake do you want?" and he chose Red Velvet Cake, I was not the least bit surprised. After all, red velvet is his fave. Although, I'm pretty sure red velvet is more popular among the 'bride to be' set than it is with 12-year-old boys. But not many 12-year-old boys are like mine. Having been exposed to sampling an endless selection of cakes from the time he could eat solid food, this boy knows his cake! We landed on a Red Velvet Ice Cream Cake, just to mix things up a bit this year.

This Red Velvet Ice Cream Cake recipe has layers of pillowy, fluffy, and light Red velvet cake cushioning an easy no-churn homemade ice cream recipe for a filling, all smothered in dreamy creamy white chocolate cream cheese icing. This recipe is popular in the summer, but great any time of the year!

🍽 Equipment

I had never made any kind of ice cream cake before, so my biggest concern was that I didn't know how I'd make the ice cream part for the cake, given I don't even have an ice cream maker. Turns out, that was to be the least of my concerns.

I recommend using an actual cake storage container to store this cake in the freezer. It's great for transporting cakes as well. You do NOT need an ice cream maker for this recipe! 

The Plan:

You are looking at what was supposed to be my test cake. The plan was to make a much bigger Homemade Red Velvet Cake, as I usually do for a birthday party. But sometimes life gives us Plan B. And we make 2 cakes. Lucky for me, I had made this extra "test cake" because it became a necessity a few days before the party when my husband not only asked what kind of cake I would be making this year, but the bigger and more important question, "Do you know if they have a freezer?"

Plan B:

It didn't even occur to me that I may need a freezer (doh!) And apparently, Extreme Air Park, where we had the party,  does not have a freezer, or even a fridge for that matter. Considering it was potentially going to be a very hot day and my cooler isn't wide enough for a cake carrier (and coolers just don't cut it when it comes to keeping anything frozen anyway), I was forced to resort to Plan B.

Although I must admit, I fought it the entire way, trying to convince myself that my ice cream cake wouldn't melt in the 3+ hours between the transporting of the cake, the party itself, getting to the party room, eating the food, then finally cake time. I even toyed with the idea of a getting myself new, better, bigger cooler because, let's face it, I wanted to avoid Plan B at all costs. In my world, Plan B always entails more work. And giving myself more work is something I really do try to avoid. I really did not want to make a second cake! Keep in mind,  I was still committed to completing Plan A - the red velvet ice cream birthday cake he actually wanted in the first place (the one you see here)!

I'm not sure if you are like me in that Plan B tends to happen all too often. And that would be fine if I was a laid-back, go-with-the-flow type of person. But I am clearly not. I am a planner. And that's precisely why I plan ahead - to avoid situations like this - scrambling at the 11th hour and stressing myself out. That's not to say that I can't handle a few bumps along the way, but a brand new last-minute plan is only a twister waiting to happen for a planner that doesn't like surprises.

🥘 Ingredients

In the end, my ice cream problem was easily solved with this delicious no-churn cheesecake ice cream filling. And I used my favorite Red Velvet Cake (adapted from Chef Steph's Southern Red Velvet), as well as my favorite Dreamy Creamy White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting by Rose Levy Barenbaum (with a few of my own changes/adaptations) eventually it all culminated in this delicious Red Velvet Ice Cream Cake! I have taken the BEST of the BEST recipes and combined them into The BEST red velvet ice cream cake!

📖Variations & Substitutions

• Frosting- you can use a whipped cream frosting, such as my EASY Stabilized Whipped Cream Frosting (with piping gel) or my 2 Ingredient White Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting (Ganache) a shortening-based frosting for this cake. Or you can use your favorite frosting.
• Red Velvet Cake - you can use your favorite red velvet cake recipe or a boxed cake mix

🔪 Instructions

If you're not sure how to make Red Velvet Ice Cream Cake or even a little intimidated by it, do not be it is easy! It is as simple as making a cake, making the no-churn ice cream separately, then putting them together!

🍽Equipment

You will need an electric mixer (stand mixer or you can use a hand mixer), a wire rack for cooling, a large mixing bowl, spoons, and spatulas. No ice cream machine is required! A cake storage container (affiliate links) also comes in handy.

🌡️Storing

Clearly, from my story, it's evident that this needs to be stored in an airtight container in the freezer! No churn ice cream melts very quickly, so you're going to want to take it out only to decorate it, then again, to serve it. Then get it back in the freezer asap and keep it there! The white chocolate cream cheese icing freezes very well too.

👪 Serving size

As is, this recipe will serve 12. However, if you prefer a multi-layer cake, then double everything (the cake, ice cream filling, and frosting). You can do this by clicking on the blue serving size in the recipe card. It will adjust all the ingredients accordingly.

So, if are looking for an easy red velvet cream ice cream cake and don't have an ice cream maker, this is THE ONE! I have made a lot of red velvet cakes and cream cheese frostings over my many years of cake baking and decorating and this is my chosen combination.

The no-churn ice cream is a cool and refreshing addition to my absolute favorite red velvet cake and cream cheese icing combo! And I did try to keep it easy - no fancy decorating required. I used a cake spatula and a butter knife to make the cream cheese frosting swirl it a bit, then put some multi-colored sprinkles on and that was it!

💭 Top tip

Crumb-free Frosting:  I use Wilton Cake Release (affiliate link). The cakes come out just like this (below), then I brush off any red velvet cake crumbs with a pastry brush before I frost.

So if you are looking for an amazing red velvet ice cream cake, give this one a try!

And if you love ice cream cakes, you'll love my Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake (Dairy Queen Copycat) (shown below) and my Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake!

🍰 Red Velvet Ice Cream Cake Recipe

This Red Velvet Ice Cream Cake recipe has layers of pillowy, fluffy and light Red velvet cake cushioning an easy no churn cream cheese ice cream filling, all smothered in dreamy creamy white chocolate cream cheese icing. 

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, North American, southern

Keyword: ice cream cake, red velvet cake, red velvet ice cream cake

Special Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: 12 slices

Calories: 565kcal

Author: Terri Gilson

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

freezing time, assembly and decorating: 7 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

cooling rack

stand mixer

cake storage container

Ingredients

Red Velvet Cake

• ▢ 1-¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¾ cups sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• ▢ ¾ cups vegetable oil
• ▢ ½ cup milk room temp
• ▢ 1 large egg room temp
• ▢ 1 tablespoon red food coloring
• ▢ ½ teaspoon white vinegar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla

Cheesecake Ice Cream

• ▢ 2 oz cream cheese (about ¼ cup)
• ▢ ½ (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• ▢ 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Dreamy Creamy White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

• ▢ 6 ounces white chocolate baker's white chocolate, not chips
• ▢ 16 oz cream cheese, softened 2 (8 oz pkgs) or 2 cups
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter
• ▢ ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ 2 tablespoon sour cream
• ▢ ⅔ cup icing sugar/powdered sugar
• ▢ sprinkles any color/type you prefer

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the red velvet cake:

• * Heads up! There is a minimum 6 hour freezing time with this cake.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare two 8" or 9" round pans. I use Wilton Cake Release to prevent sticking (see NOTES)
• Add vinegar to milk and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Sift all dry ingredients together into stand mixer bowl.
• In another large bowl whisk together all wet ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment and low speed, blend the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. 
• Divide the cake batter between cake pans, filling ½ -⅔ full.
• Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean (about 25- 30 minutes).
• When cake is done, cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Cool for another 15 minutes, then level the cake by slicing off  the 'hump'.

Make the no churn cheesecake ice cream filling;

• In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and the sweetened condensed milk.
• In a separate bowl, beat the whipping cream until it has stiff peaks. Gently fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture and stir until combined.
• Line an 8 or 9-inch baking pan with plastic wrap (*use the same size you used for the cakes!) Add the ice cream to the pan, smoothing out the top. Cover the top with plastic wrap and freeze until solid, at least 6 hours.

Make the dreamy creamy cream cheese icing:

• Melt the white chocolate: Heat the chocolate until almost completely melted. Use a small microwavable bowl, stirring with a silicone spatula every 15 seconds (or use the top of a double boiler set over hot, not simmering, water, stirring often—do not let the bottom of the container touch the water). **If you use the microwave, but sure to only heat it on ½ power (50%)
• Remove the white chocolate from the heat and, with the silicone spatula, stir until fully melted. Allow it to cool until it is no longer warm to the touch but is still fluid.
• Make the Frosting In your mixer: mix the cream cheese, butter and sour cream until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides. Add the cooled melted white chocolate and mix until it is smoothly incorporated. Add the almond extract, then add the icing sugar (add a little more or less to your taste). The frosting must be refrigerated and it becomes more firm in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before frosting.
• Add the almond extract, then add the icing sugar (add a little more or less to your taste). The frosting must be refrigerated and it becomes more firm in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before frosting.

Assembly:

• Place one cake on a cake stand or cake plate. Remove the plastic wrap from the ice cream layer and place one layer on top of the cake.
• Add another cake. Frost the cake with dreamy creamy white chocolate cream cheese icing. Decorate, with rainbow round sprinkles. Freeze the cake until ready to serve.

Notes

Red Velvet Cake (Chef Steph's)

Dreamy Creamy White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing (adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum's Heavenly Cakes)

 

💭 Top tip

Crumb-free Frosting:  I use Wilton Cake Release (affiliate link). The cakes come out just like this (below), then I brush off any crumbs with a pastry brush before I frost.

👪 Serving size

As is, this recipe will serve 12. However, if you prefer a multi-layer cake, then double everything (the cake, ice cream filling and frosting). You can do this by clicking on the blue serving size in the recipe card. It will adjust all the ingredients accordingly.

🌡️Storing

Clearly, from my story, it's evident that this needs to be stored in the freezer! No churn ice cream melts very quickly, so you're going to want to take it out only to decorate it, then again, to serve it. Then get it back on the freezer asap and keep it there! The white chocolate cream cheese icing freezes very well too.

Nutrition Facts

🍰 Red Velvet Ice Cream Cake Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 slice)

Calories 565 Calories from Fat 423

% Daily Value*

Fat 47g72%

Saturated Fat 31g194%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 11g

Cholesterol 109mg36%

Sodium 272mg12%

Potassium 149mg4%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 29g32%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 1110IU22%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 105mg11%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 565kcal (28%) | Carbohydrates: 33g (11%) | Protein: 5g (10%) | Fat: 47g (72%) | Saturated Fat: 31g (194%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg (36%) | Sodium: 272mg (12%) | Potassium: 149mg (4%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 29g (32%) | Vitamin A: 1110IU (22%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 105mg (11%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)

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