Layer Your Favorite Flavors In A Loaf Pan For An Easy Ice Cream Cake

Ice cream cakes can sound finicky to whip up — but they don't have to be if you use a loaf pan. While a traditional round ice cream cake is typically made in a cake pan, the rectangular version of this dessert is just as delicious, and a loaf pan allows you to easily create multiple layers of flavor. Think mint chocolate chip, peanut butter chocolate, and spumoni (a combo of chocolate, cherry, and pistachio) — and these flavors are just the beginning.

So how do you create those beautiful layers in a loaf pan? Before you put anything in it, line the pan with plastic wrap so that you can deftly lift your final product out when it's time to eat. Then you'll insert your cake layer followed by a round of ice cream, and repeat the process. After you've placed the final layer of cake over the top, seal the whole thing with plastic wrap again and pop it in the freezer for at least four hours – although overnight is ideal so that the ice cream can stick to the cake. A fully-formed dessert will emerge after the wait, easy to pull out of the pan and slice.

Depending on how classic you want your ice cream cake to be, there are a few ways you can go about assembling it in your loaf pan. If you want traditional layers of cake, simply bake them all at once in your pan, then remove and slice your cake after it has cooled. You may want to use a ruler to ensure they all end up the same height. Then you can use the same pan to assemble your ice cream cake, but make sure to wash it out beforehand. If you don't mind veering off the beaten path, however, you can use layers of brownies instead — or even ice cream sandwiches.

To make this process a little easier, let your ice cream sit out for a few minutes before deploying it so it's nice and spreadable, and doesn't stick to the cake. Although you can build all your layers at once, if you have the time, freeze your dessert for a few hours in between each one to help everything solidify as much as possible. Then once your ice cream cake emerges, it's time for fun toppings — and we'd suggest crushed cookies, whipped cream, chopped chocolate, diced nuts, cherries, or a silky homemade ganache.