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Brownie Ice Cream Cake

Brownie ice cream cake with a fudgy, dense baked brownie bottom and a thick layer of vanilla ice cream, finished with glossy chocolate ganache. Bake, freeze, then slice into clean bars with chewy brownie edges and cold ice cream contrast in every bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
freezing 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Brownie layer
  • 1 box brownie mix Use boxed mix plus the ingredients listed on the package (typically eggs and oil/water). If making homemade brownies, use your full brownie recipe instead.
  • 0.25 lb homemade brownies Optional substitution: use homemade brownies in place of boxed brownie mix.
Ice cream layer
  • 0.5 gallon vanilla or chocolate ice cream Soften until spreadable, then smooth into an even thick layer.
Chocolate ganache
  • 1 cup heavy cream Heated to steaming for ganache.
  • 6 oz dark chocolate Chopped for easy melting.
  • 1 tbsp butter Added for a richer ganache texture.
Toppings
  • 1 whipped cream For topping at serving time.
  • 1 chocolate shavings For topping at serving time.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Bake and cool the brownie base
  1. Heat oven to the temperature listed on the brownie mix package and bake the brownie in a 9x13 pan according to package instructions until set. Cool completely so the ice cream layer won’t melt on contact.
Add ice cream layer
  1. Spread softened vanilla or chocolate ice cream in an even, thick layer over the cooled brownies. Use gentle pressure to level the surface for clean slices.
  2. Freeze the cake for 4 hours until completely firm. The firm set helps the ganache pour without mixing into the ice cream.
Make and pour ganache
  1. Heat heavy cream until steaming (hot but not boiling), then pour over chopped dark chocolate and butter. Stir until smooth and glossy.
  2. Cool ganache until pourable, then pour over the frozen ice cream layer. Tilt the pan to cover evenly for a uniform top.
  3. Freeze at least 2 more hours until the ganache is set. Keep frozen until ready to serve.
Serve
  1. Top the brownie ice cream cake with whipped cream and chocolate shavings just before serving. Slice with a sharp knife for neat edges.

Notes

Pro tip: if your ganache looks too thick, warm it briefly in short 10–15 second bursts until pourable, then pour immediately. Refrigerate is not recommended because the ice cream will soften—store covered in the freezer up to 2 weeks. Freezing is yes: freeze baked-but-uncut cake and add ganache and toppings when ready. Dietary swap: use dairy-free dark chocolate chips and plant-based heavy cream for a dairy-free version (texture may be slightly softer).