Brownie-bottomed, ganache-topped, no-churn strawberry ice cream cake – It’s a mouthful but a spectacular one, I promise. Think of it as a glamorous way to serve chocolate-dipped strawberries. Oh, and with brownies. There’s a reason (or several) people swoon over this combination: puckery-sweet fruit pairs strikingly with smooth-yet-bitter dark chocolate. Even the colors are alluring.
Despite being made-from-scratch, this cake is deceptively easy to pull together. I had originally planned on making my own sweetened condensed milk for the no-churn ice cream, but a short nap and epic toddler meltdown left me with curdled milk and not enough time to start over. Sooo I opted for a sweetened condensed milk that listed only sugar and milk as ingredients and soon forgot the original plan. This plan is much better. Enjoy!
Brownie-Bottom No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream Cake
This recipe makes a 6-inch cake (use a tall-sided springform pan) or double to make an 8-inch cake. The ice cream is adapted from Sarah’s beautiful The Vanilla Bean Blog and the brownie base is adapted from David Lebovitz via another one of my favorite blogs, Sprouted Kitchen
Brownie layer:
2 1/2 tbsp butter
4 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp vanilla
6 tbsp sugar
1 egg
1/6 c flour
pinch of salt
Strawberry ice cream layer:
2 c sliced strawberries
1 tbsp sugar
7 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c heavy cream
Chocolate ganache topping:
1/4 c heavy cream
4 oz semisweet chocolate chips
Extra strawberries, for topping
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter the bottom and 1/2-inch up the side of a 6-inch springform pan. Melt the butter and chocolate chips together in a medium pot over medium heat, stirring to combine. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the egg until combined. Add the flour and salt and stir until the batter comes together and begins to pull from the sides of the pot. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until cooked through, 15-17 minutes. Cool fully before adding the ice cream.
2. Add the strawberries and sugar to a medium pan over medium heat. Use a potato masher or wooden spoon to mash and help release the juices from the strawberries for 2 minutes. Pour the strawberries and juice into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Press through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl to remove the seeds, and chill the strained strawberry puree for at least 30 minutes.
3. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. With a handheld mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream in a large bowl just until stiff peaks form. Fold half of the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture until fully incorporated. Add the remaining whipped cream and gently fold until only a few white streaks remain. Pour on top of the cooked and cooled brownie, smooth the top, and freeze overnight.
4. Remove the ice cream cake from the freezer. Place the chocolate chips in a small, shallow bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small pot over medium-high heat until steaming, then pour over the chocolate chips. Wait 30 seconds, then gently stir to melt the chocolate and combine with the cream. Use your hands to briefly warm the sides of the springform pan and release the cake. Spread the chocolate ganache over the cake. Top with fresh strawberries and wait 30 minutes before serving; alternately, return the cake to the freezer and move to room temperature and top with the strawberries 30 minutes before you plan to serve.
blogger / nectarine / 2600 posts
Ok this looks delicious and I so want some now. Definitely going to try this!
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts
Drooool
apricot / 334 posts
This looks sooo good!
eggplant / 11408 posts
Seriously trying to figure out how soon I can make this. Yummmm.
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
I want some now – looks delicious!!
honeydew / 7488 posts
my mouth is watering!
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
Well, this post couldn’t have come at a better time. My DH’s birthday is on Friday, he requested an ice cream cake, he generally prefers a pan of brownies to an actual birthday cake, and strawberries are his second favorite fruit…
grapefruit / 4669 posts
o.m.g. nomnomnomnomnom
GOLD / cantaloupe / 6703 posts
I may have to try this! I was just telling DH on Saturday that I have never had an ice cream cake and this would be a great one for his birthday in a few weeks!
eggplant / 11408 posts
@FutureMrsMcK: can we come to your house, then?!?!
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
@LovelyPlum: So last night I asked DH if he had his heart set on a Carvel cake (because he has always just asked for a pan of brownies, not an actual cake, so if he wanted a specific one I’ll get it for him) because I’d read this awesome recipe with A BROWNIE BASE and STRAWBERRIES! and he didn’t bite! He pretended to think about it for a minute or two but then said “I want a Carvel cake”.
Pffft. Well then maybe I’ll get him his Carvel cake and then I’ll make myself a strawberry brownie ice cream cake and eat the whole damn thing in front of him while channeling Sally…
cherry / 158 posts
Well, those Carvel cakes are darn good too
If anyone gives the recipe a try, report back!
eggplant / 11408 posts
@FutureMrsMcK: Men. They don’t know what they’re missing. I say make it. Bet he changes his mind
If not, even better!
guest
This looks absolutely ridiculous. I’m sure it lives up to its name .I wish I was skilled enough to improvise like you.
guest
That cake pairs some of my favorite flavors together; chocolate and strawberry! If nothing else that ice cream looks to be oh so smooth and yummy and I’d happily eat it right up regardless of the chocolate brownie