No-Churn Cake Ice Cream
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Whipping cream beaten to stiff peaks. Sweetened condensed milk and sugar blended smooth. Fold slowly into the cream while whipping. Parchment-lined loaf pan waits for the creamy mix. Frosting dolloped randomly on top, dragged for swirls. Additional frosting scooped and spread to build texture. Sprinkles folded in or left to crown. Freeze minimum three hours till firm but scoopable. Calories 415, carbs 42g, protein 6g, fat 26g. Simple, no ice cream machine required. Classic birthday cake flavors with creamy richness and visual swirl effect.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#no churn
#ice cream
#cake flavor
#dessert
#homemade
#sprinkles
#buttercream
#easy dessert
Whisked cream turning thick, cold air biting your cheeks. That first snap when mixing condensed milk with sugar; the familiar gloss, no lumps here. Fold it all slow, don’t kill the air. Parchment lines loaf pan, ready for rich waves. That frosting dollop — riotous white peaks on creamy pastel, scraping knife through swirl patterns. Not exact but freestyle. Sprinkle chaos evokes childhood moments. Freeze patiently, resist temptation to check too soon. Texture firm with spring, not rock. Scoop yields dense but fluffy bites. No machine, no stress. Tried this with different frostings; buttercream holds shape best, whipped cream or cream cheese frosting runny under freeze. Sugar tweak optional if you want less clingy sweetness. Colors optional but sprinkles add fun crunch and visual pop. You want cold, creamy, texture that holds swirls; these simple steps get you there, every time.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (13 ounces)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vanilla buttercream frosting, plus extra for swirling
- 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles, plus extra for topping
About the ingredients
Heavy whipping cream is the backbone here; too warm, it won’t whip correctly—chill bowl and beaters in freezer minimum 15 minutes. Condensed milk lends sweetness and body without crystallizing grains. Use vanilla buttercream frosting, store bought or homemade, but avoid cream cheese frosting unless you like runnier texture after freeze. Granulated sugar dissolves faster if gently mixed with condensed milk first; avoids gritty mouthfeel. Sprinkles are variable—jimmies, nonpareils, or edible glitter work; avoid large chunky candies or nuts, they freeze hard and break teeth. Parchment lines loaf pan prevent sticky mess, important since mixture’s sticky and cold. If frosting too stiff to spread, warm slightly or microwave 5-10 seconds—soft but stable. No substitutions for heavy cream; alternatives like half-and-half won’t whip stiff enough, ruining texture.
Method
- Whip heavy cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Listen for slightly thickened texture and glossy sheen, not grainy or runny.
- In a medium bowl, mix condensed milk and sugar until fully combined and sugar dissolves slightly, no gritty mouthfeel.
- Gradually fold condensed milk mixture into whipped cream while gently mixing. Keep cream airy but well incorporated.
- Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Pour in ice cream base and level with spatula until even surface.
- Spoon 4 tablespoons of vanilla buttercream frosting on top in uneven blobs. Use a butter knife to drag frosting and make swirls, avoid over mixing or losing swirl contrast.
- Scoop additional frosting and dab on, spread thin layers. Thumbprint patterns optional, adds interesting texture.
- Sprinkle some of the rainbow sprinkles over frosting, folding some lightly in with the swirls for specks of color.
- Top with generous sprinkles evenly spread. Press slightly but keep appearance intact.
- Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap or lid and freeze minimum 2 hours 50 minutes until firm but scoopable for best texture.
Cooking tips
Whip cream to stiff peaks but watch closely — overwhipping turns curdled microbatches. The ‘very stiff peak’ stage means firm tip holds shape when whisk lifted but still silky, not crumbly. Mixing condensed milk and sugar blends flavors; avoid adding sugar directly into cream or it won’t dissolve. Folding means slow, gentle turns to keep air trapped; rushing this collapses volume. Spoon frosting in uneven dabs to avoid it mixing uniformly — this layering technique creates visual depth. Swirling with knife creates aesthetic chaos but don’t over swirl or frosting disappears. Sprinkles folded into frosting blobs give pops of color inside, top layer sprinkles for bright contrast. Freeze with tight cover to prevent ice crystals forming on surface; check firmness by gentle press after 2 hours. Ideal texture is firm enough to scoop easily but soft enough to yield clean spoonfuls. If too hard after freeze, thaw 10-15 minutes at room temp before serving. Leftovers freeze well but best eaten within a week for freshness.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Keep heavy cream cold cold cold—chill bowl and beaters at least 15 mins. Warm cream won't whip right. Listen for thickened sound, glossy sheen. Stop whipping at stiff peak or it goes grainy or breaks. If overdone, tiny curdled bits show. Fold slow with condensed milk to trap air. Quick stirs deflate volume, texture gets heavy.
- 💡 When mixing condensed milk and sugar, use gentle swirls till sugar softens. Grit sticks if rushed or sugar added directly to cream. Helps texture stay creamy not rough. Condensed milk is sweet but stops sugar crystals. Fold into cream gently—not too much or swirls vanish. Airy texture depends on it.
- 💡 Buttercream frosting consistency matters; soft but stable spreads best. Too stiff frosting tears layer. Warm slightly if needed but watch for runniness. Cream cheese frosting stays runny when frozen; avoid unless texture mismatch is okay. Swirling frosting with knife—go uneven not smooth. Creates visual contrast and prevents flat spread look.
- 💡 Sprinkles come in all shapes; jimmies and nonpareils work best. Big chunky ones freeze hard and cause breaks—bad. Edible glitter adds sheen but no crunch. Fold some sprinkles inside frosting blobs for surprise color; top layer for bright effect. Press lightly to avoid sinking or melting frosting layers.
- 💡 Freeze covered tightly—plastic wrap or lid—to stop ice crystal formation. After 2 hours, test firmness with gentle press. Too hard? Let sit 10-15 minutes room temp to soften. Texture here dense but scoopable, not rock solid. Leftovers freeze well but lose peak texture after a week—best fresh but practical to stock.
Common questions
Why fold whipped cream slow?
Quick folding kills air bubbles, volume drops fast. Cream turns heavy, loses fluff. Gentle strokes keep light texture. Takes patience, not speed. Air is lift in ice cream.
Can I use powdered sugar instead?
You can but dissolves slower in condensed milk. Might grit slightly if not mixed well. Regular granulated works best. Powder blends easier but check texture before folding into cream.
Frosting too stiff to spread?
Warm slightly 5-10 seconds microwave or room temp till soft but not runny. Firm frosting tears cake-like swirl effect. Too soft leads to blending with cream, losing contrast. Balance is key, temp by feel.
How long to store leftovers?
Wrap airtight, freeze up to 7 days best quality. Longer freezes cause freezer burn, graininess. Thaw briefly before serving. Also can store in separate containers to keep sprinkles intact. Texture shifts after long freeze.
