This 5 ingredient chocolate peanut butter ice cream cake is THE no bake ice cream cake to make this summer – everyone will love this dessert and since it’s no bake, the ice cream cake only takes a few minutes to put together, the freezer does the rest!
My husbands’ birthday was this past weekend. Every year I make him a cake, and while I usually make some super labor intensive cake (like this chocolate and raspberry layer cake) albeit being delicious does require more hands-on time. This year when I asked him what he wanted for his birthday, he said he wanted an ice cream cake. I asked if he wanted a specific flavor, and he said ‘something with Reese’s peanut butter cups.’
Easy enough.
[Tweet “Perfect for any party – 5 ingredient chocolate peanut butter ice cream cake from @sweetphi”]
After a quick trip to the grocery store I started making the recipe and looked down and there were only 5 ingredients. Ding ding ding – perfect for today’s Five Ingredient Friday! He also requested I make beer brat and caramelized onion pizza, a request I gladly obliged because that pizza…omg so good!
I do have to say, I was a little surprised by how easy it was to make this ice cream cake and how delicious it was. I should have known adding chocolate ice cream with Reese’s chunks with hot fudge and whipping cream would create a decadent cake. Chocolate-peanut butter anything is just a winner, isn’t it?
The thought of making ice cream cakes has always scared me a little. I have no idea why. The concept is really simple though-all you do is melt ice cream then put it in a mold/shape you want and then add in a few other ingredients and let it freeze. I used this 8 inch nonstick springform pan for this recipe.
And you know how some ice cream cakes are hard as a rock and need time to thaw before serving? Not this bad boy. This cake can be taken out of the freezer and sliced/served as is! It has to do with the combination of ingredients, and the fact that you’re using a hot fudge/whipped cream mixture to mix with cookie crumbles at the bottom of the cake instead of something like butter, which, when frozen would turn super hard and be almost impossible to cut through.
Like my favorite no bake desserts (this strawberry and cream icebox pie being on my list of course) no oven time is required, making it perfect for those hot summer days when the last thing one wants to do is turn on the oven.
Next time you are having a party or celebrating a birthday – make this delicious 5 ingredient chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream cake!

5 Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup chocolate wafers crushed
- 8 oz heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup hot fudge topping
- 1 1.5 Quart Bryers blast Reese's chocolate (or other chocolate - Reese's ice cream), melted
- 4-6 Reese's cups cut in half
Instructions
- Pulsate chocolate wafer cookies in a food processor or crush them up (you could put them in a plastic bag and crust them between two plates if you don't have a food processor) and set aside.
- In the food processor (this is what I did - less clean up this way) or with a stand mixer whip the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form, then add in the hot fudge topping until combined, then set aside.
- Now take about half of the whipping cream-hot fudge mixture and mix it into the chocolate cookie crumbs, mix until combined. Spoon and press the mixture into the bottom of a non-stick springform pan (or other nonstick dish).
- Spoon and smooth the melted ice cream on top of this crust (I let my ice cream just sit out for about an hour, but you could certainly microwave it for a minute to get it to melt faster.)
- Then take the remaining whipping cream-hot fudge mixture and pour it on top of the ice cream. Use a spatula and smooth it, then take Reese's cup halves and arrange them on top of the cake. Freeze for 4 hours - or overnight and then slice when ready to serve!
MasterCakes says
What a beautiful cake….chocolate and peanut butter are the best combo ever!!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much, these flavors are so good together 🙂
Michelle says
Super easy and looks like it’s going to be delicious! One tip: if you’re ice cream is super melty and you have hard swirls of peanut butter in it like I did, it might be best to freeze after you smooth out ice cream for a bit then put refridgeraged cream/hot fudge mix on after. My cream mix was not spreadable without making a bit of a soupy mess with the ice cream. Might be due to the lack of springform pan (using disposable square pan). Thanks for the recipe! I’m sure my boyfriend will love this.
Sweetphi says
Thanks for sharing the tip 🙂
Emma {Emma's Little Kitchen} says
I’m seriously crushing on your photos, the concept of this ice cream cake. It looks absolutely heavenly!
Sweetphi says
Why thank you for that lovely compliment of my photos, truly appreciate it 🙂
Meagan Wied says
Man oh man this ice cream cake is calling my name. I’m a sucker for Reese’s and ice cream so it’s a win-win.
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much! This is such a summer recipe, and with the Reese’s ice cream it’s just over the top delish … now, we just need to figure out how to make summer last a little longer so we can keep making ice cream desserts, right?
Sian @ Cakey Dreamer says
Wow Phi, this looks incredible! I’ve been looking for a quick and easy dessert to make for this weekend, so I might just have to try this one! Amazing <3 xx
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much Sian! I’m all about easy desserts, if you ever get the chance, THIS is the one to make, it’s so delish!
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures says
Wow! So decadent!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much – this cake is definitely decadent, but so easy to make 🙂
danicaliforniacooks says
Well this just looks divine! My boyfriend loves ice cream – I should have made it for his birthday two weeks ago.
Sweetphi says
Awe, sorry it was only posted after his birthday, I bet he would have loved it … there’s always an excuse for ice cream cake though, right? lol!
steworastory says
What is it with boys and chocolate and peanut butter? My husband would LOVE this cake too! I have a feeling that it’s going to be added to our birthday cake rotation. I love that it’s so simple too. Your husband is a lucky man–homemade pizza and cake for his birthday?! 🙂
Sweetphi says
Isn’t it funny what flavor combinations they like? Luckily I’m totally down with chocolate and peanut butter so it’s always fun coming up with recipes and then not having to eat them all myself lol. I think your hubby would love this in the birthday cake rotation, it was seriously one of my favorites I’ve ‘made’ because it was so easy and quick to put together.
KCole's Creative Corner says
What’s not to love? Super simple. 5 ingredients that we ALL should already have. DELICIOUS! ICE CREAM! I seriously want to make this ASAP! Thanks for sharing! Pinned! 😀
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for your lovely comment and the pin, definitely appreciate that! This is one of my all time favorite cakes I’ve made because of the simplicity 🙂
Jamie | The Kitchenarium says
Gah love everything about it! What a lucky birthday boy!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much! The ice cream cake was so much easier to make than some other creations I’ve made in the past, so hopefully he continues to request something like this 🙂
Samina - The Cupcake Confession says
Ice Cream cake this time of the year is just absolutely PERFECT!!!!! When I make this at home, I doubt if anyone else will get to taste it. I wouldn’t want to share! *heart eyes*
Sweetphi says
Haha, you’re so sweet, thank you for the comment! Luckily I had my inlaws over to share with, otherwise there would have been one of those no-sharing situations lol!
Aaryne @ Just Like Perfect! says
That looks fabulous! And you are right…chocolate and PB anything is a winner. I will have to put this on my list of “what to eat before summer is over”!
Sweetphi says
This would definitely be a great addition to your ‘what to eat before summer is over’ list because what summer is over until there has been ice cream cake (at least once ;))
Rachel @ Bakerita says
I’m all about this cake!! LOVE how easy it is and only 5 ingredients. I’m a chocolate peanut butter addict, so this is on my must-make list. But I better do it when other people are around to help me eat it, haha!
Sweetphi says
I’m also a chocolate-peanut butter addict, so I’m glad my hubby requested this! And girl, I hear you – this cake is great for parties and sharing so that one doesn’t eat it all 😉
Little Cooking Tips says
First of all, Happy Birthday to Nick, even though some days have passed since then:) Our best wishes for a happy, healthy, long life with you guys together!:)
Btw Panos also had his birthday on the 2nd, when was Nick’s birthday?:)
Now; regarding the amazing decadent cake; We have no words to describe our admiration for what you did. You made something that looks very complex, in a simple manner and taught us that making ice cream cake doesn’t have to be that hard after all:)
We’ll have to improvise for some of the ingredients, as Hershey’s isn’t available in Europe. But we we are confident that we’ll make this successfully!:)
Have a great weekend guys, and thank you for another amazing recipe!
xoxoxo
Sweetphi says
Thank you both, Nick appreciated the birthday wishes (please pass mine along to Panos as well)! His birthday was on the 9th 🙂 Thank you for your kind words about the cake! I think even with improvisation this cake would be fantastic 🙂
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
WOW! What a stunning cake. My husband turns 40 in a few months and I think he would love someting like this. I am not sure he would share it with anyone though haha
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much – I think your husband would love this for his 40th birthday, and you should tell him that sharing is caring and that since you made it, you get a slice 😉