This is a Christmas version of my very popular Nutella Ice Cream Cake. You can make it any time of the year but at Christmas, it is such a great dessert to have in your freezer. Make it for Christmas or for any time of the year or when you just want an amazing make ahead cake!
This Nutella Ice Cream Cake is a real “wow”. Make this Christmas version up to a week ahead to give you more time for relaxing.
The easy way to Ice Cream cake
This Ice Cream Cake has one of the most delicious chocolate cake bases you will make this year. The thin top and bottom are a moist and easy cake to make. In fact, it can be baked and used as a cake in its own right, even without the delicious Nutella ice cream.
The right mould is the recipe for success to Ice Cream Cake
The recipe looks very long but don’t panic, the ice cream is very simple. Pop the 4 ingredients into a mixing bowl and whip to combine. That’s it.
The instructions contain added Christmas bonus bits like nougat and cherries to make it special. You can always make this Christmas cake by buying a cake for the base and then sandwiching it with this Nutella ice cream BUT I think you should throw caution to the wind and make the gorgeous chocolate cake for this recipe.
The most important thing needed for this ice cream cake is a springform tin and a tall collar made from either baking paper in double thickness or acetate. You can buy acetate for decorating online or at cake stores. It is reusable and washable. This is the best way to make great cake layers and it peels off when you are ready to serve.
Preparing the cake
The cake will need to be trimmed before layering.
Making Ice Cream layers fun
Once you have prepared the cake, it’s time to layer. I like to paint mine with a little spiced syrup for Christmas. On any other day, I paint it with a bit of raspberry syrup (recipe in notes). The syrup gives the cake an extra boost of flavour. This is an optional step too.
Once the fluffy Nutella Ice Cream is made I fold through some Christmas treats. This can be anything you like. I have used soft nougat, cherries, and Christmas cake! See notes for other ideas, and of course, this is also an optional step.
Pile up that Ice Cream
The Nutella Ice Cream is scooped onto the first layer of cake and then another cake layer placed on top. The top layer is optional if this makes it less daunting for you. The cake is then frozen until firm and then later topped with a lovely Mirror glaze that stays soft when frozen (delicious!)
Removing the collar from the Ice Cream
The collar can be removed once the cake is frozen. I suggest leaving it for 24 hours. It is pretty easy to handle once frozen. Take it out of the cake tin and remove any paper still on the base. put it onto a cake base or serving platter and take off the collar. The chocolate glaze layer will stick to the paper or acetate a bit so just run your knife around as you pull it off.
To serve and decorate
You can prepare the cake for decoration and pop it back into the freezer if you like. When it becomes firm again or just as you are serving smooth the sides with a flat-bladed knife or spatular and decorate as you want
The cake pictured is decorated with soft nougat and cherries but you can use your imagination and decorate with anything you like. It can even be refrozen decorated, so you can leave it until needed. When serving it is best to take it out about 15 to 20 before you’d like to cut or present.
Try these Ice Cream cakes too!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
Frozen banoffee Ice Cream Cake
Brownie Ice Cream layer Cake
Christmas Ice Cream layer cake without a machine
Mango and Passionfruit Ice Cream Layer Cake
Chocolate Nutella Ice Cream Cake
Nutella Ice Cream cake is everyones favourite. The no churn Ice Cream is easy to make. A great dessert any time of the year
Ingredients
Chocolate cake dry ingredients
- 150 gm flour plain, 5.3 oz
- 200 gm caster sugar 1 cup, 7.05 oz
- 60 gm cocoa powder Dutch, dark , 2.11 oz
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon bi carbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice (or mixed spice)
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Cake wet ingredients
- 1 large egg 55 gm
- 125 ml buttermilk 1/2 cup, 4.22floz
- 125 ml coffee 1/2 cup, 4.22 floz
- 125 ml oil (vegetable) 1/2 cup, 4.22 floz
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Nutella Ice Cream
- 395 gm condensed milk separated| reserve 50 chilled | 1 tin |
- 500 ml heavy whipping cream or thickened cream, 16.90 floz
- 200 gm nutella 7.05 oz
- 10 gm cocoa dark dutch style (1 Tabspn)
Christmas additions to ice cream base
- 50 gm cherries glazed (shiny red) 1/2’d| 1.76 oz
- 50 gm nougat soft any kind cut into small pieces| 1.76 oz
- 50 gm roasted hazelnuts roughly chopped| 1.76 oz
Syrup *optional
- 50 gm caster sugar 1.76 oz
- 50 ml water 1.69 floz 1 1/2 tblsp
- 40 ml orange juice 1.35 floz | 2 tblsp
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
Easy Mirror Glaze
- 90 gm chocolate, dark up to 70%| 3.17 oz
- 50 ml water 1.69 floz
- 15 gm cocoa, dutch or extra dark| 1 1/2 tbsp|
- 50 ml condensed milk 1.76 oz
- 75 gm caster sugar 2.64 oz
- 5 gm gelatine, powdered 1 teaspoon
- 50 ml water 10.69 floz, 2 1/2 Tblsp
Instructions
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When it’s all said and done this is a chocolate cake with a simple ice cream made without a machine. The recipe is delicious as it is but for a simplified version, it can have a single thin layer of cake on the bottom that is made or bought and then topped with the whipped Nutella ice cream. However, the chocolate cake in this recipe is the ABSOLUTE best. It’s very soft, pillowy and chocolatey and is my go to cake for an everyday chocolate cake, as well as for this recipe
Chocolate Cake
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Spray and line a 20 cm / 8 in cake tin. You will need a collar of double thickness baking paper or an acetate collar. Oven 170C / 340 F
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Make a strong esspresso coffee (125ml)
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Mix the first 9 ingredients. Flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice in a large bowl.
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In a separate bowl mix the oil, buttermilk, coffee, vanilla and egg together well.
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Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until well combined, shiny and smooth.
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Pour the cake into the cake tin and put it into the oven. Bake until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Approximately 35 to 40 minutes
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Cool on a rack and chill well before trimming off the uneven top edge to leave a nice flat round cake. Slice the cake into two thin layers.
Syrup Optional
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Put the sugar, water, orange juice and allspice into a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer briefly for a minute or two. Set aside to cool
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Prepare the cake by lining the cake tin with baking paper making a color that rises above the top of the tin. If you have acetate, you can use this too. Find acetate at cake decorating or art shops. Put the cake base into the cake tin and paint it with the allspice syrup. (optional)
Nutella ice cream
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After setting aside 50 gm of condensed milk, put the remaining condensed milk, the Nutella and, the cocoa into the bowl of a mixer (or use a hand held mixer). Stir to combine the cocoa and the Nutella. Pour in the cream and whip the mixture until soft peak. Just thick and fluffy. Don’t over mix here. The ice cream is done! Stir in the chopped nougat, cherries and nuts with a spoon or spatula
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Scoop the ice cream onto the cake base in the cake tin. You may not want to use all the ice cream depending on how tall your collar is. I suggest you may use about 3/4 of it.
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Paint the inside of the second piece of cake with allspice syrup and put it on top of the ice cream. Press firmly to eliminate air bubbles. Make sure you leave a little space at the top for the mirror glaze at the top. Wrap well and freeze for 3 hours or overnight
Mirror Glaze * optional
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Put the gelatine into the extra water and stir. Set aside
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To make mirror glaze, put the first 5 ingredients into a small pot (Chocolate, 50 ml water, cocoa, condensed milk and, caster sugar. Keep the heat on low and stir until the mixture is shiny and completely combined. Take off the heat and add the gelatine stirring until dissolved. This is best strained to remove any lumps but if you don’t have a fine-meshed strainer then you can use as is.
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Pour into a jug and stand, covered until it is a bit above blood temperature. Uncover the ice cream cake and pour the mirror glaze onto the top. Cover with foil that doesn’t touch the top of the glaze (or put into a container with a lid and refreeze).
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The cake is now ready to use, after refreezing for several hours. It will last up to 2 weeks but is better in the first week. Take out of the freezer about 1/2 an hour before using.
Notes
If you have too much ice cream because you do not want a very tall cake then don’t use it all. Save leftover ice cream in a container and freeze to eat later
The cake goes a long way as it is very rich. This size cake will be enough for 12 people
Freeze the cake layers after baking if you like. This makes them easier to handle when layering
Put the base cake into the mold before painting with flavouring syrup.
Cake can be stored once unmoulded in a plastic container in the freezer.
Nutella Chocolate Ice Cream Cake is perfect any time of the year. You can add crushed oreo cookies to the Ice Cream, chopped chocolate, chopped cherry ripe, roasted chopped nuts. After dinner mints. lots of things!
For raspberry or other berry syrup use 200 gm fruit ( I use frozen berries) plus 200 ml water and 100 gm caster sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Puree cool and use
Make this as simple or elaborate as you like.
- Put 1 layer of cake on the bottom only if desired ( made or bought)
- Paint the layers with delicious syrup if you like or skip this step
- The chocolate Mirror glaze id AMAZING but if you aren’t into it just leave it off and decorate the top with grated chocolate, crushed biscuits, or chocolate cars when you serve
