Chocolate-Covered Pretzel Ice Cream Cake Recipe

If you're a fan of chocolate-covered pretzels (and let's face it, who isn't?) this homemade chocolate-covered pretzel ice cream cake will be right up your alley. Made with a layer of crunchy chocolate-covered pretzels sandwiched between a rich chocolate cake base and a layer of no-churn pretzel ice cream, this cake truly has it all — salty-sweet flavors and creamy-crunchy textures. Topped with a glossy drizzle of chocolate ganache, whipped cream, and an additional dose of pretzels, this cake is as much a treat for the eyes as the taste buds.

If you're new to making no-churn ice cream, this pretzel-studded version is a great place to start. Condensed milk and crushed pretzels are folded into homemade whipped cream for a three-ingredient recipe that freezes to a creamy texture, perfect for slicing and serving in this cake recipe, or for scooping up on its own. Feel free to use a store-bought cake mix for the chocolate cake to shorten the process, but we promise that every step of this recipe is well worth it.

Recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse tells us, "This cake is just as much a treat for kids as adults. Pretzels and chocolate is such a classic pairing, but this ice cream cake really takes those flavors and runs with it for an over-the-top dessert that looks great and tastes even better."

To make chocolate-covered pretzel ice cream cake, you'll need a variety of baking staples, as well as some specialty items. To make the rich chocolate cake layer, large eggs are combined with whole milk, vegetable oil, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Rosenhouse recommends, "The darker the cocoa powder you use, the deeper the color and flavor of the cake will be. I love using Special Dark cocoa powder for this reason." 

The rest of the cake takes just a few ingredients to complete. Mini pretzels are used in three ways: crushed and folded into the ice cream mixture, as a crunchy layer in the center of the cake, and as a final garnish. You can swap the mini pretzels with pretzel sticks. Bittersweet chocolate chips are used twice: first, they're melted and poured over the crunchy pretzel layer in the center of the cake, and then they're used to make a luscious chocolate ganache. The bittersweet chocolate chips can be substituted with any type of chocolate you prefer, including chopped bars or chips of white chocolate, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate varieties. The no-churn ice cream completes the cake, utilizing freshly whipped cream, condensed milk, and crushed pretzels for a quick and easy ice cream layer you can easily make from scratch.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk to combine the eggs, milk, and oil.

Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and whisk just until the batter comes together.

Add ⅔ cup warm water and whisk until batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the for about 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean with a few fudgy bits.

Invert the cake onto a cooling rack and remove the parchment paper. Set it aside to cool completely.

When the cake is cool, flip it and trim the excess with a serrated knife to leave a flat top.

Clean the 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

Use a rolling pin to roughly crush 3 cups of pretzels in a large zip-top freezer bag.

In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip 1 ¾ cups of heavy cream to medium peaks.

Fold in the evaporated milk and crushed pretzels just until combined.

Pour the cream mixture into a lined cake pan, spreading it to form an even layer.

Over a double boiler or in the microwave, melt 1 cup of chocolate chips, stirring until smooth.

Top the whipped cream mixture with the remaining 2 cups of whole mini pretzels, lightly crushing as you sprinkle them.

Pour the chocolate evenly over the pretzels.

Top the chocolate and pretzels with the chocolate cake layer, cut side down, pressing lightly to adhere. Freeze at least 6 hours or overnight.

To make the ganache, heat the remaining ¼ cup heavy cream in a small pot to a simmer.

Turn off heat, add the remaining ⅓ cup chocolate chips, and whisk until smooth.

Transfer the chocolate ganache to a small piping bag.

Invert the cake onto a serving platter and remove the cake pan and parchment paper.

Pipe ganache around the edges of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Pipe a swirl pattern in the center if desired.

Pipe chocolate or vanilla whipped cream around the edge of the cake and garnish with additional mini pretzels if desired.

Serve immediately or keep the cake frozen until ready to serve.

You've probably noticed no-churn ice cream recipes making the rounds, particularly in the warmer months. Deceptively easy to make, popular no-churn ice cream recipes are typically made with a combination of whipped cream as a base, condensed milk to sweeten the mixture, and a variety of flavorings as desired. The ice cream mixture is poured into a freezer-safe container, wrapped, and frozen until firm. If you're thinking that sounds delicious — you're right. If you're thinking, can that really taste that good? Yes, it can. Perfectly scoopable and rich with no need for churning (the process of whipping and freezing an ice cream base until frozen to a classic ice cream consistency), no-churn ice cream is the ultimate answer to a simple, refreshing, and customizable dessert you can make year-round. 

Rosenhouse recommends, "I love adding acidic, salty, or otherwise intense flavors to no-churn ice cream. The richness of the cream and condensed milk are just begging for a pop of flavor that will bring balance to the mix. Pretzels serve that purpose really well here. And if you're serving adults, note that a splash of booze, including rum, vodka, or any liquor you prefer, is the answer to keeping your homemade ice cream scoopable right out of the freezer."

So if you were thinking you needed an ice cream maker to whip up a batch of the homemade stuff, think again. No-churn ice cream is here to take all the fuss out of the equation.

This homemade ice cream cake requires no special equipment to make. The chocolate cake recipe is whisked together by hand, using just one bowl, and baked in a standard 9-inch cake pan. If needed, you can also use a square pan or springform pan to get the job done. The chocolate for the chocolate-pretzel crunch layer in the center can be melted in the microwave or over a double boiler, and the no-churn ice cream can be whipped up in a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer. Even the chocolate ganache is made simply on the stovetop. If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a small plastic bag with a corner cut off. You can also drizzle the ganache over with a spoon.

While there are a few steps involved in getting this cake done, it's an impressive dessert you can make using equipment you most likely already have on hand. It's also customizable — if you love this recipe, feel free to switch up the pretzels with crushed Oreos, chopped nuts, or any other crunchy items you love, to take this cake in a variety of directions.