This simple ice cream sandwich cake with only FOUR ingredients and 10 minutes of prep time is a reliable no-bake summer dessert that both adults and kids will love.

Use store-bought or from-scratch ice cream sandwiches and layer them in a baking dish with caramel sauce, hot fudge, whipped topping, and the toppings of your choice for a totally refreshing, EASY dessert on a hot summer day.

Square slice of ice cream sandwich cake on white plate with extra cherry on the side.

Old-fashioned ice cream sandwiches are one of our favorite nostalgic treats. Our grandma kept her freezer full of ice cream sandwiches and Klondike bars; nothing was better on a hot summer day.

Many years ago, our mom was at a picnic where an ice cream sandwich cake was served; she got the recipe and passed it along to us; it quickly became one of our favorite summertime treats to keep in the freezer.

You might wonder, what in the world is an ice cream sandwich cake?!

Basically, this is an icebox cake using ice cream sandwiches instead of graham crackers or cookies and layered with rich sauces and toppings, just like you'd build your reliable sundae.

Only Four Ingredients!

This simple ice cream dessert uses only FOUR base ingredients (whatever toppings you’d like to add are extra!):

Ingredients for ice cream sandwich cake prepped and labeled.

Ice Cream Sandwiches – Regular, old-fashioned ice cream sandwiches are reliable for this! The easiest route is to use store-bought, but you can absolutely use from-scratch ice cream sandwiches, too!
Caramel Sauce: Go ahead and grab a jar at the store, or you can use the same amount of from-scratch caramel sauce if you’d like.
Hot Fudge: Same! Either use jarred fudge topping, or you can use from-scratch hot fudge sauce.
Whipped Topping: Cool Whip is a wonderful option for this cake, just be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator before using it. If you want fresh whipped cream, our recipe is stable enough for this cake.

How to Make an Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

It only takes a few straightforward steps! Are you ready?

Grab your favorite freezer-safe 9×13-inch baking dish (a deeper one like the one linked or a lasagna-style pan are reliable, but a regular one works too, the layers will extend above the top a bit) and line the bottom with vanilla ice cream sandwiches.
Drizzle caramel sauce over the ice cream sandwiches, then pop the dish in the freezer.
Add another layer of ice cream sandwiches.
Spread hot fudge over the second layer of ice cream sandwiches.
Top with whipped topping or from-scratch whipped cream.
Leave it in the freezer until you're ready to serve, then sprinkle with the topping of your choice (pictured are chopped peanuts and maraschino cherries to emulate an ice cream sundae – you can add a drizzle of chocolate syrup or magic shell topping, too!).

Keeping leftovers

Cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap to keep it as fresh as possible, then store it in the freezer for up to 1 week.

Ways to change it

By switching up the sauces and/or toppings, there are many different possibilities in terms of the types of cakes you can create! Here are some ideas:

Ice Box Style: Instead of saving all of the Cool Whip for the top of the cake, you can divide it in half, add a layer on top of the first layer of ice cream sandwiches, then spread the caramel sauce and any other desired toppings.
Turtle Ice Cream Sandwich Cake: Make it a turtle-style ice cream sandwich cake by swapping out the peanuts and maraschino cherries for chopped pecans and more fudge or chocolate sauce on the top.
Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Sandwich Cake: You can use cookies and cream ice cream sandwiches (multiple brands sell them!) instead of vanilla ice cream sandwiches. You can also omit the caramel sauce, go all-in on chocolate and add chopped or crushed Oreo cookies between layers and/or on top.
Birthday Cake (Funfetti) Ice Cream Sandwich Cake: Some brands sell birthday cake or birthday party-style ice cream sandwiches with sprinkles. Use these and add colorful rainbow sprinkles to your topping!
More Toppings: The options are endless, but the following are some ideas… M&Ms (regular size or mini M&M candies), different chopped nuts, Reese’s Pieces, chopped peanut butter cups, chopped brownie bits, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, crushed graham crackers, or chopped candy bars.

Yield: 16 servings
Prep: 30 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients

24 ice cream sandwiches, from-scratch or store-bought
12 ounce ( 340.2 g ) jar caramel topping (or substitute from-scratch )
12 ounce ( 340.2 g ) jar hot fudge topping (or substitute from-scratch
8 ounce ( 226.8 g ) Cool Whip
Chopped peanuts
Maraschino cherries

Method

Line the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan with half of the ice cream sandwiches, cutting them to fit as needed.
Spread the jar of caramel topping over top of the ice cream sandwiches. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Arrange the remaining ice cream sandwiches on top of the caramel layer, again cutting as needed to fit the pan. Spread the hot fudge over the ice cream sandwiches. Spread the Cool Whip on top. Place in the freezer until ready to serve.
Serve with chopped peanuts and maraschino cherries. The dessert can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 week.

Notes

Pan Recommendation: If you have a lasagna-style pan or deep 9×13-inch pan, that is reliable for accommodating these layers! If not, a regular 9×13-inch pan will work too, but your top layer will likely be higher than the sides of the pan.

Ice Cream Sandwiches: This recipe features old-fashioned, rectangular sandwiches with vanilla ice cream. Use whatever kind you’d like as long as two layers will fit in your pan.

Can you change up the flavors? Yes, absolutely! As mentioned above, you can use different ice cream and toppings (see the post above for specific suggestions). You can also change up the sauces, too. Maybe you want to do butterscotch sauce, strawberry sauce, peanut butter sauce, or something else entirely! The beauty is all the different flavors and combinations you can use.

Can you substitute from-scratch whipped cream? Yes! Our from-scratch whipped cream recipe is stable due to the sugar used, so it is a good replacement option and will not break down and get watery in the freezer.

Make-Ahead: Since this is a completely frozen dessert, it's reliable for making ahead! It will be good in the freezer for up to 1 week but will taste a standby if you serve it initially within 1 to 2 days of making it.

Serving Tips: Remove the ice cream cake from the freezer about 20 minutes before you plan to serve it; it will make slicing and serving much easier. To make straightforward, clean slices, run a sharp knife under hot water, wipe clean, then slice and serve.

[Photography by Dee of One Sarcastic Baker ]