Chocolate Ice Cream Cake Roll
A thin, rich chocolate sponge cake spread with your favorite ice cream rolled up and frozen, then before serving it’s covered in a luscious chocolate ganache.
Today is my twins’ 16th birthday! We had a big family party over the weekend to celebrate and I baked up two decadent Chocolate Ice Cream Cake Rolls.
When I asked Matt and Cole what kind of cake they wanted, they both said chocolate. When I asked what kind of chocolate, I got shrugs. But Cole said I should make something I could put on the blog. I thought that was a fabulous idea.
I saw this recipe for chocolate ice cream cake roll on Redbook. What I loved about the recipe was the luscious chocolate ganache that is poured over the cake roll before serving.
One cake roll was filled with Cherry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream and one filled with Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. Many of the guests wanted a half slice of each. Of course I had to taste test each one too.
This is a great recipe that I would definitely make again. It came together easily, looked impressive, and I was able to make it a week ahead of time.
Chocolate Ice Cream Cake Roll
Ingredients
Cake
- 1/2 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Filling
- 1 container (1 1/2 quarts) ice cream, softened
Glaze
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 6 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped*
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375º. Spray a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray, line with parchment or wax paper and spray paper with additional spray.
- In a small bowl, combine cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Separate egg whites and yolks into 2 large bowls.
- Beat whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup of the sugar. Continue to beat on high speed just until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. (I used my KitchenAid to beat the whites and my hand mixer to beat the yolks.)
- Beat yolks with the remaining 1/4-cup sugar and extracts until thickened, about 3 minutes. On low speed, beat in flour mixture until blended. Stir in 1/4 of beaten egg whites into mixture. Fold in remaining whites. Spread in prepared pan; smooth top.
- Bake 12 - 14 minutes or until top springs back when gently pressed. Let cool 2 minutes on a wire rack.
- Dust a clean towel with confectioners' sugar; loosen edges of the cake from the pan and invert cake onto towel. Remove pan; carefully peel off parchment. Starting from the short end, roll up cake in towel; place seam side down on wire rack; cool completely.
Filling
- While cake is cooling put ice cream on the counter to soften. When ice cream is softened, unroll cooled cake and spread evenly with ice cream.
- Roll up cake. Wrap tightly in parchment, then in foil and freeze, seam side down, overnight until firm.
Glaze
- In a small saucepan, heat cream, chocolate, and corn syrup over low heat until chocolate is melted and glaze is shiny and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla; cool to room temperature.
- Unwrap cake; trim ends. Place cake on a wire rack over a tray or waxed paper. Pour glaze along top of cake roll, spreading with a spatula to cover sides. Freeze cake uncovered until glaze is firm about an hour.
Notes
*I used King Arthur Flour Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa and Scharffen Berger Semisweet Chocolate Baking Bar. Great chocolate really makes a big difference in baking.
Adapted from Redbook
More great chocolate cake recipes:
Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake, Barbara Bakes
Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake, Barbara Bakes
Chocolatey Rich Vegan Chocolate Cake, Not Quite Nigella
Texas Sheet Cake, Brown Eyed Baker
Two Minute Chocolate Mug Cake, Completely Delicious
I made this today for the 3rd time. Everyone who has eaten it, loved it!!! My granddaughter requested it for her 9th birthday.
That’s awesome – thanks Theresa!
Hi,
I tried your recipe and it turned out great. As a matter of fact I made it twice
Now, I want to make it for a friend, but I was told she only likes vanilla cake. My question is this. Can I just leave out the cocoa powder to make this woman happy. Lol.
Thank you for sharing this great recipe. Will always be my go to birthday cake.
Tara
Thanks so much Tara! I haven’t tried it, but you should be able to substitute additional cake flour for the cocoa. You may want to increase the vanilla to 2 teaspoons. Let me know if you try it.
Could you use a chocolate cake mix?
Hi Karen – I haven’t tried it, but if you want to use a cake mix, I would try this recipe https://www.mybluprint.com/recipe/cake-roll-boxed-cake-mix
I am attempting to make this cake for next Friday..I am making 2…One double Dutch Chocolate One Chocolate Mint…HE DESERVES IT…This recipe is right up my alley
Great – enjoy!
My cake seems to absorb the ice cream, any tips?
Hi Chrisy – was in regular ice cream or something else? Did you let your ice cream melt?
Hi, thanks for recipe.. how long would you be able to leave it in the freezer for? Two days ok?
Cheers
Hi Dana – yes, two days is fine. I wouldn’t do it more than a week ahead.
Can I use regular flour, not cake flour?
Hi Debra – yes, you can use regular all purpose flour. You can also make cake flour by replacing 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of corn starch for every cup of flour.
Thank you Barbara! I will let you know how it comes out. We are bringing it to our friends’ house for dessert after dinner. We are all foodies and are looking forward to enjoying a great dessert:)
Pingback: Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream Cake Roll - Barbara Bakes
This is a great recipe and your instructions and pics were so helpful. I used this to make my dad’s birthday cake a couple of weeks ago. He loved it! I recently posted about it on my blog. Thanks for sharing!
Barbara, what a brilliant idea! Love what you did to the swiss roll. Simply amazing! Thanks for sharing.
Kristy
I saw this recipe in Family Circle Magazine and knew I had to make it. A chocolate cake rolled up with ice cream inside, my goodness, what could beat that!! Except for maybe cabana boys serving you a fresh pineapple mango daiquiri while you bask in the hot sun on a beach in the Bahamas.
Hi Karen – I like the way you think!
could i make this and glaze it and then freeze for several days? i’m in need of a make ahead dessert…
Hi Natalie – I had a little bit leftover in the freezer for several days and it tasted great. My only concern would be that you let the glaze set up in the freezer before you cover it and I wouldn’t wrap it tightly. I just covered it on a plate with plastic wrap. Enjoy!
Love this! I was just thinking that it would be perfect for the girls’ birthday cakes and then I scrolled down to see that you made it for your boys…I especially like the fact that you can change this up with different flavors of ice cream. I am partial to the mint…