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Rainbow Ice Cream Cake

Rainbow ice cream cake with vibrant rainbow sherbet stripes layered over an Oreo crust and set with a white whipped topping exterior. It’s an easy colorful frozen dessert with firm layers you can slice clean for a kids birthday cake look.
Prep Time 45 minutes
freezing 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420

Ingredients
  

Oreo crust
  • 24 Oreo cookies Crush into fine crumbs for a sliceable crust.
  • 6 tbsp butter Melt until just fluid so it binds the crumbs.
Rainbow sherbet layers
  • 1 pint raspberry sorbet Spread thin and work quickly so it stays spreadable before refreezing.
  • 1 pint orange sherbet Layer on top of the firm raspberry layer.
  • 1 pint lemon sorbet Layer on top of the firm orange layer.
  • 1 pint lime sherbet Layer last before the long freeze.
White exterior
  • 2 8 oz whipped topping Use straight from the tub to cover the top and sides.
Topping
  • 1 Rainbow sprinkles Decorate right after covering so they stick before refreezing.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the Oreo crust
  1. Press the crushed Oreo cookies and melted butter into a 9-inch springform pan to form an even crust layer, then smooth the top.
  2. Freeze the crust for 15 minutes until firm.
Layer the rainbow sherbet stripes
  1. Work quickly to spread the raspberry sorbet in a thin, even layer over the crust, keeping the surface flat.
  2. Freeze for 30 minutes until firm, with a clear separation from the crust.
  3. Spread the orange sherbet in a thin, even layer over the firm raspberry layer, then smooth to the edges.
  4. Freeze for 30 minutes until firm.
  5. Spread the lemon sorbet in a thin, even layer over the firm orange layer, then smooth again.
  6. Freeze for 30 minutes until firm.
  7. Spread the lime sherbet in a thin, even layer over the firm lemon layer, then smooth to create the final stripe.
  8. Freeze the completed layered cake for 4 hours until completely solid.
Top with whipped topping and finish
  1. Cover the top and sides with whipped topping to form a white exterior layer.
  2. Decorate generously with rainbow sprinkles and return the cake to the freezer.
  3. Freeze for 2 more hours until the whipped topping is set.
Slice and serve
  1. Slice the cake to reveal the vivid rainbow sherbet layers inside the whipped topping exterior.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the sorbet/sherbet cold and work fast—thin, even layers freeze into clean rainbow stripes. Store covered in the freezer up to 7 days; for best texture, thaw slices just 5–10 minutes before cutting. No freezer-burn fixes needed if it’s tightly wrapped. Dietary swap: use dairy-free whipped topping if you need a dairy-free version while keeping the same layering method.