Caramel Macchiato Ice Cream Cake

This ice cream cake is made of a cookie crust layered with chocolate ganache, coffee and vanilla ice cream and, finally, drizzled with salted caramel. It's so good.

Whether for memorial day, a birthday, or just because, this caramel macchiato ice cream cake is the perfect way to cool off in the summer. With 4 layers, it makes for an impressive dessert. But don’t worry, it's easy to make!

Grab your favourite tub of vanilla (or see below for my recipe) and coffee ice cream and let’s make this delicious cake!

Tips & Twists:

• I love to make my own ice cream. If you have a machine, making your own ice cream is cheaper and tastes better. Bonus: you control what goes in it, and its easier to spread into a layer for the cake.
• You can use any crunchy cookie to make the crust. Biscoff would be delicious. Oreos or another chocolate cookie would also work really well with the flavors of this cake.
• It is best if left overnight to set before cutting to serve.

My Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 scant cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• Vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt

Whisk everything together and churn in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Enjoy!

Caramel Macchiato Ice Cream Cake

Cookie crust layered with chocolate ganache, coffee and vanilla ice cream drizzled with salted caramel. SO good.

Crust

• 1 sleeve of graham crackers (crushed)
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil

Ganache

• ½ cup heavy cream
• 6 ounces dark chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp butter
• Flaky salt

Ice Cream

• 1.5 qts coffee ice cream
• 1.5 qts vanilla ice cream

Caramel Sauce

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, , cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of salt

Make the Crust

1. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until you have fine crumbs. You can also beat with a rolling pin or measuring cup if you don’t have a food processor.
2. Melt butter and coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour over crumbs and pulse until crumbs are fully moistened and start to come together. (Or mix in a bowl). Press into a parchment lined 9 x 13 dish. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Make Ganache

1. Heat heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble around the edges. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips. Whisk until chips are melted and everything is combined. Add butter and whisk to combine. Ganache should be smooth and shiny.
2. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with flake salt. Return to freezer for 30 minutes

Top with Ice Cream

1. Set out vanilla and coffee ice cream containers and allow the ice cream to soften a bit. Once softened, scoop out all the coffee ice cream and spread it evenly over your cake. Repeat with the vanilla ice cream. Return to freezer and allow to freeze for at least 6 hours before serving.

Make Caramel Sauce

1. I made this caramel sauce recipe from Belly Full. (You can also use storebought caramel.)
2. Drizzle the top of your ice cream cake with caramel sauce. Drizzle in a crosshatch pattern to emulate the iconic drink.

Notes:

• I made both ice cream flavours for this cake. In addition to being delicious, making your own ice cream for ice cream cake has the added benefit that it is already soft, so it is very easy to spread into layers for the cake. You can find my coffee recipe here, and vanilla recipe in the blog post above.
• You can use storebought caramel sauce, or omit it entirely.
• The caramel sauce recipe will make much more than you need. You can save it in a jar in the fridge and use as a dessert topping, add it to your coffee, or make caramel ice cream.