Making homemade gluten-free ice cream cake at home is so easy and even more delicious than store-bought. Caramel-swirled ice cream sandwiched between layers of tender gluten-free cake then frosted with whipped cream and caramel drizzle. You can also use your favorite kind of ice cream and forgo the caramel sauce to give it your own spin!
Optional, for serving: ¼ cup each unsalted dry roasted peanuts and chopped gluten-free pretzels, ½ teaspoon flaky salt
Salted Honey Caramel Sauce
¾cupgranulated sugar
3tablespoonshoney
¼cupunsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
½cupheavy cream
¾teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonpure vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the gluten-free chocolate cakes. Use this recipe to bake two 8-inch gluten-free chocolate cakes. Remove the cake from the pan and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, make salted honey caramel sauce while the cakes bake. Combine the sugar and honey is a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring just until the sugar is evenly moistened. Stop stirring and cook until the sugar caramelizes - it will be a deep amber color and smell nutty. Immediately pour in the cream, butter, salt, and vanilla. Be careful as it will bubble rapidly from the cold cream. Stir with a whisk until smooth and cook for 1 minute. Transfer caramel to a bowl and chill while the cakes bake and cool, stirring occasionally.
Once the cakes and caramel are cool, pull the ice cream out of the freezer and scoop it into a large bowl to soften. After it sits for 5 minutes, stir the softened ice cream to make it smooth and spreadable.
Prepare the pan for the ice cream cake. Use either an 8-inch springform pan or the same 8-inch pan you used to bake the chocolate cakes. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Line the sides of the pan with a 4-inch high ring of parchment paper, wax paper, or an acetate strip.
Place one chocolate cake at the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread half of the ice cream onto the cake. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of caramel sauce over the top and use a chopstick or the back of a utensil to swirl the caramel into the ice cream. Spread with remaining ice cream into a smooth layer, stopping ¼-inch below the top rim of the baking pan so there's room to stack the second cake on top. Place the second cake on top and gently press it to seal the cake and ice cream together. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and freeze overnight or for at least 5 hours. If making the cake in advance, wrap up the entire cake airtight with plastic wrap and then again with foil.
Remove the cake from the pan. If you did not use a springform pan, you may need to run a knife around the outside to help loosen it from the pan. The cake should be frozen enough that you can turn it upside down to help remove it. Place the cake on a cake plate and freeze while you prepare the whipped cream frosting.
Whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium bowl with an hand mixer just until firm peaks form, being careful not to over-whisk.
Remove the cake from the freezer and use the heavy cream to spread a thin crumb coat on top with an offset spatula. Return the cake to the freezer for another 5 minutes to help the whipped cream set. Repeat two more times until the cake is evenly frosted and smooth.
To decorate, drizzle remaining caramel around the top edge as pictured about. Pipe flower decorations around the top edge of the cake with a large closed star tip. If desired, sprinkle with chopped dry roasted peanuts, crushed gluten-free pretzels, and a pinch of flaky salt.
Chill for up to another 2 hours before serving to set the ice cream again before slicing. If decorating more than a day in advance, let it chill for 2 hours then wrap it up carefully with plastic wrap then a layer of foil, trying to avoid bumping your decor.
This nutritional information has been automatically calculated, and as such, may be incomplete or inaccurate. Please reference the specific ingredients you use for the most accurate nutritional information.