If You Have Ice Cream, Candy Bars, And Chocolate Shell Topping, You Have A 3-Layer Easy Frozen Dessert

If there's one dessert that really doesn't get enough credit, it's the humble ice cream cake. An iconic classic that fuses two of the world's most beloved treats, ice cream cakes are sweet, creamy, and nostalgic, yet they aren't as readily available as some of today's more popular frozen confections (we're looking at you, fro-yo). Luckily, there is a way to create an easy ice cream cake at home using only three ingredients: Ice cream, chocolate shell topping, and candy bars.

Sure, there may not technically be any cake in this pared-back version, but it creates the perfect textural balance without the need for any actual baking. You can also style it just like a regular ice cream cake, creating distinguishable layers and a sliceable shape that's sure to impress at any gathering. The best part? It takes minutes to put together and can be ready to serve within two hours — and there is no cleanup involved. 

To try it out, just line a loaf tin or cake pan with some plastic wrap and press a thick layer of ice cream into the bottom. Top with an even layer of candy bars and repeat until the pan is full. Freeze until set — this can take as little as 90 minutes, but overnight will lead to a more solid result. When the cake is hardened, remove it from the dish and flip it carefully before covering it completely with the shell topping.

The crunchy texture of a wafer-based bar like a KitKat will work particularly well for this. You can also leave those types of bars whole, as they're easy to slice through, which helps the structure of the cake. For even more stability, switch up the order of the layers and place the KitKats at the bottom. Some other great options include Snickers, Twix, or Milky Way. Loacker wafer cookies would also make a delicious base, as would any type of crunchy cookie. 

The ice cream flavor is totally up to you as well. Try a classic vanilla to lighten up the chocolate shell or lean into it further with a mudslide or moose tracks flavor. Caramel or butterscotch would also be delicious, or you could take inspiration from a traditional spumoni cake. If you're not a chocolate fan, you can buy other magic shell flavors like caramel or peanut butter.

There are so many add-ons to experiment with too. Sprinkle nuts or pretzels between the layers for some crunch or add a drizzle of chocolate or salted caramel sauce. A layer of crushed peanut butter cups or M&Ms would also be fun. Feel free to add toppings to the shell too, like sprinkles or fresh fruit. You can, of course, also incorporate some cake into this if you want to keep things classic. This Duncan Hines mix works well. Place the cake layer at the bottom for the best results.