Vegan Ice Cream Cake

A slice of vegan ice cream cake on a plate, topped with vegan sprinkles, buttercream, and a vegan sandwich cookie.

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5 from 14 votes

The only thing better than our vegan birthday cake recipe is this vegan ice cream cake! Made with store-bought pints of vegan ice cream reshaped into a double-level ice cream cake with an Oreo cookie crust and a layer of crunchy chopped peanuts, this is everyone's favorite cake. And guess what? It takes less than 30 minutes to make! This is the vegan easiest cake recipe you'll ever make!

Prep Time30

Freezing time12

Total Time12 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 305kcal

Author: Michelle Cehn

Equipment

Ingredients

2 1-pint containers vegan vanilla ice cream (or flavor of your choice)
2 1-pint containers vegan ice cream in a flavor other than vanilla (we recommend using the same flavor, but feel free to go wild and mix it up if you prefer)
1 14.3-ounce package Oreos (or nutter butters or other vegan cream filled sandwich cookies)
½ cup vegan butter at room temperature
2 cups chopped peanuts or another package of cookies that you can lay flat for the middle layer, divided

Instructions

Take the ice cream out of the refrigerator and allow it to thaw on the counter while you prepare the crust.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the whole package of cookies and the vegan butter. Process until thoroughly combined.
Line a springform pan (8 inches wide × 3½ inches deep) with parchment paper. To do so, cut one piece of parchment to the size of the bottom of the pan, and cut another strip to wrap around the sides.
Using your hands, evenly press the cookie mixture into a thin layer on the bottom of the pan. (This will leave the sides of the cake exposed so you can see the layers, but if you’re worried about the ice cream melting, you can press the cookie mixture up the sides of the pan, too, for a crust that will keep the ice cream well contained while serving.)
Scoop the vanilla ice cream out of the cartons and spread it into an even layer over the cookie mixture.
Evenly spread 2 cups of the chopped peanuts (or sandwich cookies laid flat) over the vanilla ice cream.
Scoop the other-flavored ice cream over the peanuts and spread it into an even layer. (If you added cookie mixture to the sides of your pan and there is any excess reaching above the sides of the ice cream, cut the excess away so the cookie mixture is level with the ice cream cake.) Lay a piece of parchment paper over the open top of the springform pan, and press the parchment against the ice cream until it’s tightly packed.
Place the ice cream cake in the freezer and allow it to harden overnight or for at least 12 hours.
Remove the ice cream cake from the freezer, invert it onto a plate, and undo the springform pan. Flip the cake onto a serving plate or cake stand.
Top the cake with any of the optional decorations. Serve the cake immediately or return it to the freezer until you are ready to serve.

Video

Notes

Storing -

Make your cake well in advance of your party so you can simply enjoy the festivities. Keep it in the pan to prevent any other items from bumping into it, cover with a layer of plastic wrap, and label clearly. It should keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
When you’re ready to serve, transfer it to the fridge and let sit for 20 – 30 minutes before slicing so it’s not rock solid. Add any fresh fruits or final garnishes right before bringing it out to the table.
Return any uneaten pieces back to the freezer immediately so they don’t melt away!

Optional Decorations - melted chocolate, chocolate shell, chocolate glaze, vegan rainbow sprinkles, chocolate or buttercream frosting, chopped peanuts, and/or fruit.

Presentation Tip - “If presentation is important and you want clean lines, then pop the bottom layer of vanilla ice cream back into the freezer to firm up before adding the next layer of ice cream on top.” —Emily R.

Nutrition