Strawberry ice cream cake—few desserts say summer like this one. Strawberries are a quintessential warm-weather fruit, and when they’re just-picked they’re impossible to resist. I’m lucky to have a strawberry stand down the street that always has the best, sweetest berries. I buy them and they disappear within minutes.
As a child I requested ice cream cakes for nearly every birthday. My mom usually made them from scratch, and homemade always wins. There’s something so satisfying about layers of cake (or brownies), chilled ice cream and a cloud of whipped topping. My favorite was mocha fudge ice cream with chocolate cake—yes, I loved coffee flavors even back then.
For this version I used a dairy-free Simply Strawberry coconut milk ice cream. Blended with fresh diced strawberries, the ice cream layer became even more intensely fruity. The result is strawberry ice cream nestled between two layers of tender vanilla cake, finished with a generous layer of creamy Cocowhip. This gluten-free, vegan ice cream cake is bright, fruity and perfect for a backyard barbecue or any summer gathering.
Thanks to the makers of the dairy-free frozen treats used here for helping keep summer cool and extra sweet—this recipe highlights how delicious plant-based ice cream and whipped toppings can be in a frozen cake.
- 1 3/4 cups, plus 2 tablespoons Sarah’s gluten free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut or almond milk (dairy-free)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup sunflower seed oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- strawberry ice cream
- 2 pints dairy-free simply strawberry coconut milk ice cream
- 3/4 cup diced fresh strawberries
- 1 tub dairy-free Cocowhip whipped topping
- Fresh strawberries for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, coconut or almond milk, water, oil, vinegar and vanilla until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove and transfer to the rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake is cool, slice it into two even layers. Remove the ice cream from the freezer to soften for about 10 minutes.
- Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper, leaving the paper higher than the pan edge. If using a regular 8-inch cake pan, line it with plastic wrap that extends over the edges for easy removal.
- Scoop the softened ice cream into a mixing bowl and fold in the diced strawberries.
- Place one cake layer in the prepared pan. Quickly spread an even layer of the strawberry ice cream over the cake, then top with the second cake layer.
- Spread Cocowhip over the top of the cake. Immediately transfer the cake to the freezer and freeze 4–6 hours, or until firmly set.
- When ready to serve, remove the cake from the freezer, lift it from the pan and remove the parchment or plastic wrap. Garnish with fresh strawberries, slice and serve.
This post is sponsored by So Delicious Dairy Free. All opinions are my own.