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A no-bake summer dessert layering strawberry and vanilla ice cream with crispy strawberry shortcake crunchies and whipped cream frosting, inspired by classic strawberry shortcake ice cream treats.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (130g) all purpose flour, divided
  • 1/2 cup (155g) sugar, divided
  • 3/4 cup freeze dried strawberries
  • 7 tbsp salted butter, room temperature, divided
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 quart container strawberry ice cream
  • 1.5 quart container vanilla ice cream
  • 1 3/4 cups (420ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 3/4 cup (86g) powdered sugar
  • 1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup freeze dried strawberries
  • Red and Ivory gel icing color, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  2. Divide 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup sugar evenly between two bowls.
  3. Pulse freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until powdered and stir into the strawberry bowl.
  4. Add 4 tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the vanilla bowl and 3 tablespoons butter to the strawberry bowl.
  5. Use a fork to mix each bowl until the mixture clumps into a crumble.
  6. Spread the strawberry crumble on one baking sheet and the vanilla crumble on the other.
  7. Bake the crumbles about 5 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.
  8. Cool the crumbles completely, then break them into small pea-sized pieces with your fingers.
  9. Toss the crushed crunchie pieces together in a bowl and set aside.
  10. Line an 8×3-inch cake pan with overlapping clear plastic wrap, leaving extra to hang over the sides.
  11. Soften the strawberry ice cream at room temperature for about 20 minutes until spreadable.
  12. Press the softened strawberry ice cream evenly into the prepared pan.
  13. Sprinkle about 1 cup of the crunchies evenly over the strawberry layer.
  14. Freeze the pan about 2 hours, until the strawberry layer is mostly firm.
  15. Soften the vanilla ice cream for about 20 minutes, then spread it evenly over the crunchies.
  16. Freeze the cake 2 to 3 hours until completely firm.
  17. Use the plastic wrap to lift the frozen cake from the pan onto a serving plate or cake board, then return it to the freezer.
  18. Chill the mixing bowl and beaters before whipping the cream.
  19. Whip cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
  20. Frost the cake with whipped cream, freezing about 20 minutes between coats as needed to prevent melting.
  21. Press the remaining crunchies onto the sides of the cake.
  22. Pulverize remaining freeze-dried strawberries into powder and mix into leftover whipped cream; add gel color if desired.
  23. Pipe a whipped cream border on top of the cake using a piping tip.

Notes

Let ice cream soften for about 20 minutes before layering to ease spreading without melting., Keep cake and workspace cool; freeze cake between frosting layers to avoid melting whipped cream., Watch crunchies carefully while baking as strawberry powder burns fast; 5 minutes is approximate., Break crumble into small pea-sized pieces for ideal crunch without hardness., Line cake pan with clear wrap extending over edges for easy cake removal., Chill mixing bowl and beaters before whipping cream to achieve stiff peaks faster., For clean slices, dip knife in hot water and dry between cuts., White chocolate fudge layer was tested but omitted as it did not freeze well and complicated serving., Store tightly wrapped in freezer for 4-5 days for best texture; can keep up to 2 weeks but quality may decline., Serve slices after 10-15 minutes in fridge or 5-10 minutes at room temperature for easier slicing.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://margorecipes.com/easy-strawberry-crunch-ice-cream-cake-recipe/