The Key For Getting Perfect Layers When Making Ice Cream Cake

The ice cream cake is arguably the perfect sweet treat — after all, it combines two of the best desserts out there. Of course, you can always go out and buy a version when the craving strikes, but you can also make an even more delicious version right at home. To find out some tips and tricks on what to keep in mind when making ice cream cake, we spoke with Tyler Malek, co-founder and head ice cream maker at Salt & Straw. The popular brand also makes its own version of ice cream cake that features its best-selling birthday confection made with blackberries.

Malek told us that in order to get the layers just right in your dessert, you have to move quickly. "[The ice cream is] going to start melting really fast and your ingredients will start falling to the bottom," he said. Once the ice cream has been added to the cake, you only have about five to 10 minutes to get it into the freezer to set. As well as working fast, he suggested a few other things you need to do to prepare your freezer which will help with the ice cream cake-making process.

It's important to make sure your freezer is set at the right temperature. "Your freezer needs to be really cold because the cake needs to harden as quick as possible to avoid the layers melting together," explained Tyler Malek. So it's a good idea to set your freezer's temperature to the coldest setting, if possible.

Additionally, you're going to need a lot of space in the freezer — not only room for the dessert itself but extra space for there to be enough airflow surrounding it. However, it also helps to have a barrier between your creation and the freezer door. "You want a ton of airflow, but you want to make sure the cake isn't getting hit with a rush of hot air every time you open the freezer door," he said. To take care of this problem, Malek suggested putting a bag of peas or something similar in front of the confection (but not touching it) to act as a "force field" between the open door and the cake.

Now that you know about these key steps, it's time to give it a go by making your own version at home. If you need a recipe to start with, try our chocolate-covered pretzel ice cream cake. Or you can get creative and come up with your own recipe by thinking about the best cake and ice cream pairings for the ultimate dessert.