Ice cream cake… specifically THIS Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake is an outstanding birthday treat. I may be overstepping, but it’s way better than store bought. It’s easier to cut, more delicious and usually more affordable. We have an egg allergy in the house which means ice cream cake is a frequent flyer at our birthday parties.
The best part about this cake is that it’s very customizable, think Oreos, all the different types of candy, nutella, caramel, etc. My Classic Ice Cream Cake is for those that prefer a more basic ice cream cake, but this Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake is a truly special birthday celebration cake. You can’t go wrong with this amazing ice cream cake.
Steps
Let’s talk about the steps to make the tastiest Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake you’ll ever have.
Prepare your springform pan, cut out a round piece of parchment paper by tracing the inside of the pan onto parchment paper and cutting it out. Place the parchment round into the bottom of the pan. Next, line the pan with saran wrap. I use three pieces and let the excess hang over the sides.
Remove the chocolate ice cream from the freezer, when able add the ice cream to a big bowl and stir until spreadable, around 25-35 minutes. Spread the chocolate ice cream into the bottom of the pan, smoothing with an offset spatula. Put the cake back in the freezer for 1 hour or until the chocolate ice cream is frozen again.
Spread 1/2 cup of hot fudge from the jar, NOT HEATED, room temp, on top of the chocolate ice cream layer. Heat 1/2 cup peanut butter in the microwave for 15 – 30 seconds until it’s just melted enough to spread. Spread the peanut butter over the hot fudge. Sprinkle on the chopped mini peanut butter m&m’s. Put the cake back into the freezer for another hour. After about 30 minutes, get the vanilla ice cream out of the freezer to bring it to room temperature.
Chop up 1 cup of Reese’s unwrapped minis and cut them into 2 or 4 pieces each. Get the vanilla ice cream to a spreadable texture in a large bowl and add the chopped Reese’s minis, mix together. Spread vanilla ice cream mixture on top of the mini peanut butter m&m layer. Cover with foil and return to the freezer to firm up overnight.
Step 1Step 2Step 2 doneFor the vanilla layerMix it inReady for the overnight freeze
The finishing touches
Now is the fun part, let’s make this thing pretty!
Get the cool whip out of the freezer to thaw for 45 minutes.
Make ganache for writing or decorating, optional. Place the chocolate chips in a glass bowl then pour hot heavy cream over chocolate chips. Let sit 3 minutes and then whisk until smooth. Cover with saran wrap and let cool on the countertop.
When you’re about ready to decorate, combine half of the container of cool whip with 2-4 tablespoons peanut butter.
Remove the ice cream cake from the freezer, remove from springform pan and peel off the saran wrap. Transfer to a cake carrier with a lid.
Working quicky, spread half of the container of cool whip on the sides.
Pipe the peanut butter cool whip around the edges of the top of the cake. I use a large star tip, Wilton 1M.
For the ganache, place in a piping bag, fitted with an Ateco 4 writing tip. Use it to write a nice message on the top of the cake or to decorate the top and sides if you’d like. Sprinkles are optional too!
Return the cake to the freezer until it’s dessert time!
Morning of party dayNo more plastic wrap!The beautiful cakeLook at those layersDidn’t last long
1 small (8 ounce) container of cool whip, thawed, divided
For chocolate ganache (writing/decor):
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream
For peanut butter cool whip:
1/2 container of cool whip
2-4 tablespoons peanut butter
Instructions
Prepare a 9 inch springform pan by cutting a round of parchment paper and placing in the bottom of the pan, then line the pan with saran wrap. (I use 3 pieces)
Put chocolate ice cream in a bowl and let melt until spreadable. Spread the chocolate ice cream into the bottom of the springform pan with an offset spatula, place in the freezer for 1 hour.
On top of the chocolate ice cream, spread the hot fudge topping (unheated, straight from the jar), then the peanut butter (melted slightly in the microwave so it’s spreadable) followed by the chopped up mini peanut butter m&ms. Place in the freezer until vanilla ice cream is ready.
After about 30 minutes, get the vanilla ice cream out of the freezer and thaw in a large bowl until it’s spreadable. Add 1 cup chopped up Reese’s unwrapped minis to the vanilla ice cream. I chop them in 2 and 4 pieces. Remove the ice cream cake from the freezer and spread vanilla ice cream mixture on top of chopped up peanut butter m&m’s. It should come to the top of the springform pan, very tippy top. Cover with foil and freeze overnight.
The next day, thaw the cool whip. Add 1/2 container of cool whip and 2-4 tablespoons peanut butter to a bowl, whisk together, add to a piping bag fitted with a star tip, set aside. When ready to decorate, remove the ice cream cake from the springform pan and remove saran wrap. Place the ice cream cake on a cake carrier. Add 1/2 container cool whip to the sides, smoothing to desired texture. Pipe the peanut butter cool whip onto edge of the cake (more instructions above) Then decorate the top as you choose. I used the remained Reese’s unwrapped mini peanut butter cups and sprinkles. I used the ganache recipe below to write on the top and added some ganache to the sides along with the whipped cream.
Optional chocolate ganache is great for writing on the cake and for decorating. If using, a half hour before you want to decorate the cake, add chocolate chips to a small glass bowl. Heat the heavy cream in the microwave for 45 seconds, pour heavy cream over the chocolate chips and let the mixture sit for 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Let it cool for 30 minutes before using it to write on the cake with piping bag (more instructions above).
