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This pretty, no-bake, Swirled Berry Ice Cream Butter Cake is the go-to summer cake…super easy, super simple, yet so darn delicious. Sweet vanilla butter pound cake, layered with creamy strawberry ice cream, blackberry gelato, and sweet berry jam. Then topped generously with a mixture of whipped cream and berry jam and lots of fresh summer fruit. This cake is no-bake, icey cold, creamy, extra berry-filled, and so very pretty…with very little effort.
I might have said this last summer too. But I feel like I am really embracing ice cream this summer…and using berries in desserts too! In the last month or so, I feel like I’ve made a new ice cream recipe every other day. And I still have more coming (the next two are chocolatey and both are unreal).
It’s funny because ice cream isn’t the easiest to work with since it melts so fast. It always makes for a challenging time when it comes to photos. But man, ice cream is so good. I loved ice cream as a kid, but I have an even deeper appreciation for it now that I’ve experienced new flavors beyond my prized chocolate DQ peanut butter cup blizzards (still the best though).
Anyway, my point in all this is that I’ve got many creamy, ice cold, sweet desserts coming your way. I’m super excited about them. And we’re starting off with a real favorite. Normally I love chocolate, but there’s something so special and so delicious about this cake.
I’ve wanted to make something like this for a long while now. I love the idea of a simple pound cake layered with lots of ice cream. But I wanted to think of a way to make the cake even more special and more delicious.
So I went with a vanilla butter pound cake, creamy strawberry ice cream, sweet jam and then the real secret? Blackberry gelato, which is even lighter and creamier than ice cream. It’s a real Italian summer kind of treat.
The details – let’s talk cake
As you can see, I did bake my own homemade pound cake. It’s just so easy to do and to me, homemade is always best. My recipe uses a good amount of butter, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla, so it’s very flavorful, rich, soft, and fluffy. It’s perfect for layering with sweet berry ice cream.
That said, if you want to use a store bought pound cake, by all means please do so! I get that you might not want to turn your oven on. Or that you might just not have the time.
Store-bought is great in a pinch and will be delicious!
Moving along…the ice cream and gelato
I love to use a mix of creamy strawberry ice cream and then either blackberry or raspberry gelato. If you’re trying to find blackberry gelato, you’ll probably have to get it from a local spot or specialty shop. We have a local brand that sells it, but I couldn’t find anything similar in the store.
If you’re shopping at the grocery store, try Talenti black raspberry chocolate chip gelato. That’s what I used for this cake and it’s soo delicious. The chocolate chips make it even more special too.
For the strawberry ice cream, I used Tillamook Oregano strawberry ice cream, which never fails.
You’ll swirl the ice cream and gelato together, then layer it with the pound cake. I added jam in between each layer for an even sweeter almost juicy bite.
Once the cake is assembled just freeze until extra cold.
Finish it up…
Whip a little cream, then spread it over the top of the cake. Add more jam and lots of fresh berries and slices of stone fruit (I used plums).
Then simply slice and enjoy every last creamy, berry-filled bite of ice cream cake.
To sum this cake up…it’s sweet, heavy on the ice cream, but with just the right amount of vanilla buttery cake. It’s so creamy (it’s the combination of ice cream and gelato), but a little soft and almost juicy from the jam. It’s pretty perfect, and every bite leaves you wanting another…which admittedly is a very dangerous thing.
Plus, it’s especially easy to make, which is why I’m proclaiming this as your go-to summer cake!
Swirled Berry Ice Cream Butter Cake
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 741 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 (9×5 inch) vanilla butter pound cake (homemade recipe follows)
- 1 1/2 pints strawberry ice cream
- 1 1/2 pints blackberry or raspberry gelato
- 3/4 cup blackberry or raspberry jam
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional)
- fresh berries and stone fruit, for topping
Instructions
- 1. Line a (9×5 inch) loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch overhang on both sides. 2. Using a large serrated bread knife, slice the top dome of the cake off to level the top. Then slice the cake horizontally into 3 layers. Don't stress if they're not each the perfect size. Gently fit the bottom piece of cake inside the loaf pan.3. In a bowl, combine the strawberry ice cream and blackberry gelato until swirled/mixed. Don't over mix, you want swirls. Spread half of the ice cream over the bottom piece of cake. Dollop over about 1/4 cup of jam. Add the middle layer of cake, then the remaining ice cream. Dollop over 1/4 cup of jam. Add the top piece of cake, gently press down. Wrap the cake and freeze 4 hours or until frozen. 4. Before serving, using an electric mixer, whip the cream with the vanilla and sugar (if using) until soft peaks form. 5. Remove the cake from the freezer. Use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan, then invert it onto a serving plate. Dollop on the cream, then 1/4 cup of jam. Top with fresh fruit. Slice and enjoy immediately.
Notes
*Inspired by Williams-Sonoma.
Vanilla Butter Pound Cake
Servings: 1 (9×5 inch) cake
Calories Per Serving: 2353 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease a (9×5 inch) loaf pan.2. In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until combined. Add the sour cream and vanilla, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. 3. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes, or until the center is just set. Let cool.
