Go Back
–+ servings

Cheat's Choc-Cherry Ice-Cream Sundae Cake

The Cheat's Choc-Cherry Ice-Cream Sundae Cake is a simple, no-bake dessert that's both indulgent and easy to make. Typically, it involves layering chocolate cake (often store-bought or pre-made) with ice cream, usually chocolate and cherry flavors. The layers are stacked together, creating a cake-like structure, and then topped with whipped cream, cherries, and sometimes chocolate syrup or other toppings like crushed nuts.
The "cheat" in the name refers to the use of store-bought ingredients, making it quicker and less time-consuming than a traditional homemade ice cream cake. It's a crowd-pleasing dessert perfect for parties, gatherings, or as a sweet treat to enjoy with family.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 3354 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 535g packet rich chocolate cake (see notes)
  • 60g butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 litres vanilla ice-cream
  • 50g sachet coconut milk powder
  • 3 x 52g Cherry Ripe bars, chopped
  • 2/3 cup cherry jam, strained
  • 200g dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1/3 cup thickened cream
  • Extra 300ml thickened cream
  • Maraschino cherries (see notes), to serve
  • Sprinkles, to serve

Milk chocolate cherry fudge

  • 150g milk chocolate, chopped
  • 1/4 cup thickened cream
  • 2 tbsp cherry liqueur (see notes)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Grease a 6cm-deep, 20cm round cake pan. Line base and side with baking paper.
  • Make cake following packet directions, using the butter, eggs and 3/4 cup water. Spoon into prepared pan. Level top. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 5 minutes or until a skewer inserted into centre of cake comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a baking paper-lined wire rack to cool completely.
  • Make milk chocolate cherry fudge. Place milk chocolate, cream and liqueur in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%), stirring every 30 seconds, for 1 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth. Set aside for 2 hours or until mixture thickens.
  • Trim top of cake to level. Split cake in half horizontally (each half should be about 2cm thick). Using the base of an 18.5cm round springform pan as a guide, cut a round from each cake half. Discard off-cuts. Grease the springform pan. Line base and side with baking paper, overlapping at join and extending paper 10cm above edge.
  • Place 1 litre vanilla ice-cream in a bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes to soften (ice-cream should not be melted).
  • Meanwhile, place 1 cake round in prepared pan to fit tightly, trimming edge, if needed. Stir 1/2 the milk powder into softened ice-cream. Fold in ½ the Cherry Ripe. Spoon mixture over prepared base, using the back of a spoon to create holes in the top of the ice-cream. Spoon 1/2 the fudge and 1/2 the jam into holes and on top of ice-cream. Freeze for 2 hours.
  • Place remaining cake round on top of fudge layer to fit tightly, trimming edge, if needed. Dollop with remaining fudge and remaining jam. Freeze for 1 hour.
  • Place remaining ice-cream in a bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes to soften (ice-cream should not be melted). Stir in remaining milk powder. Fold in remaining Cherry Ripe. Spoon over fudge layer, spreading top to level. Cover. Freeze overnight.
  • Place dark chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%), stirring every 30 seconds, for 1 minute or until melted and smooth. Set aside for 1 hour or until thick and spreadable.
  • Stand cake at room temperature for 5 minutes. Using an electric mixer, beat extra cream until just-firm peaks form. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1.4cm fluted nozzle. Remove cake from pan. Transfer to a serving plate. Working quickly, spread top of cake with dark chocolate ganache. Using picture as a guide, pipe cream on top. Decorate with cherries and sprinkles. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • You won't need the icing sachet.
  • Maraschino cherries are available at some large supermarkets, greengrocers and delis. You can use fresh cherries, if you prefer.
  • It is important to use the liqueur in the fudge to prevent it from freezing solid.

Nutrition

Calories: 3354kcalCarbohydrates: 89.6gProtein: 9.8gFat: 45.2gSaturated Fat: 29.9gCholesterol: 0.1mgSodium: 414mgPotassium: 460.9mgFiber: 2.8gSugar: 44.9gVitamin A: 144.4IUCalcium: 228.6mgIron: 2.9mg
Keyword Cheat's Choc-Cherry Ice-Cream Sundae Cake
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!