Let me set the scene for you: It’s my birthday and I’m surrounded by my closest friends, who happen to be from every corner of the U.S. I, someone born and raised in Pittsburgh, opt for an ice cream to celebrate my birthday. I cut into the ice cream cake—a cake made with a layer of chocolate ice cream, a thick layer of fudge and chocolate crunchy pieces, and a layer of vanilla ice cream, all topped with sweet whipped cream–like frosting—and someone says, “Where’s the actual cake?”
Naturally, chaos ensued. What do you mean cake in an ice cream cake? To my horror, multiple people chimed in to agree that ice cream cake is “supposed” to be made with real cake topped with ice cream and frosting. As the debate continued, we realized that the people who thought of ice cream cake as an all-ice-cream dessert with a layer of crunchies were raised on the East Coast and in the Midwest, while those who thought ice cream cake has real cake grew up on the West Coast.
During the birthday-party-turned-ice-cream-cake-brawl, I flew to Allrecipes to see what we offered as ice cream cake recipes. And, wouldn’t you know, we have both recipes for ice cream cakes made of only ice cream as well as ice cream cakes with a layer of true cake. So, which one is correct?
What Is The Difference Between Ice Cream Cakes?
If you think about it, the original ice cream cake is really Baked Alaska, which was invented in the 1800s. The dessert is made with cake, a dome of ice cream, and a toasty merigenue. However, that “fancy” dessert isn’t what we consider a true “ice cream cake” today—and that’s because the invention of soft serve changed it all.
Tom Carvel, the founder of Carvel, created soft serve ice cream in the 1920s and used that softer consistency treat to create another dessert: the ice cream cake.
Carvel’s ice cream cake features two layers of chocolate and vanilla ice cream sandwiched with chocolate-flavored crunchies and topped with whipped icing. Today, Carvel sells its ice cream cake—alongside more famous iterations, like Fudgie the Whale, Cookie Puss, and Hug Me Bear—at its locations across 20 states. However, most of Carvel’s locations are in the East and Midwest, with only two locations in West Coast states.
What about the other chains?
Friendly’s, the New Jersey-based restaurant chain that sells its cakes in the grocery store freezer, ice cream cake is the same as Carvel’s.
Cold Stone Creamery, which originated in Tempe, Arizona, has multiple ice cream cakes that feature layers of real cake, ice cream with mix-ins, and a whipped cream topping.
Baskin-Robbins, which first opened in California, actually sells two kinds of ice cream cake: one with cake and one with all ice cream. However, its most traditional ice cream cake features your choice of a cake flavor, your choice of an ice cream flavor, and whipped topping icing.
Dairy Queen is where things get tricky. Because the chain first opened in Illinois, but now has expanded to nearly all 50 states—and its ice cream cake is made with chocolate and vanilla ice cream, crunchy pieces, fudge, and whipped cream icing.
So, is there actually a regional difference between ice cream cakes, like there’s East Coast and West Coast butter?
While my friends—and some Redditors—would argue yes, the answer is technically no. Instead, the way you perceive ice cream cakes depends on your favorite chain. Because, even though you may love DQ’s all-ice cream cake, you can still find Baskin-Robbins’ half-cake half-ice cream cake in practically all of the same states.
So, really, the big question is, which chain has the best ice cream cake? Don’t worry, I tested that, too, and you can find out in our ice cream cake taste test.
It turns out that my birthday party ice cream cake debate ended the best way it could: We were all right.
