Ice Cream Cake With Peanut Butter Ganache

a square overhead photo of ice cream cake on a white plate.

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5 from 10 votes

Ice Cream Cake With Peanut Butter Ganache

Ice Cream Cake with Peanut Butter Ganache is a no-fuss dessert everyone loves!

Prep Time30

Cook Time5

Plus overnight freezing time1

Total Time1 35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 496kcal

Author: Paige

Equipment

knife
Ice Cream scoop
medium sauce pan
Metal or heat proof bowl to fit inside saucepan
measuring spoons and cups
Bread loaf pan
Offset or rubber spatula

Ingredients

2 Loaf cakes, store-bought, vanilla and chocolate (approx. weight of twelve ounces each)
2 pints Ice Cream, vanilla and chocolate, one pint of each
3 ounces Milk Chocolate, chopped
⅓ cup Chocolate chips, semi-sweet
⅓ cup Peanut Butter, creamy
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons Heavy Cream Total measurement is 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of heavy cream
½ teaspoon Vanilla (Pure Vanilla Extract)
½ cup Honey Roasted Peanuts, chopped, but reserving two tablespoons whole nuts for the top of the cake, plus more for serving.

Instructions

Prepare a standard-sized loaf pan (9 x 5") by spraying the bottom and sides with non-stick baking spray, then lining the inside with plastic wrap so it overlaps on the two longest sides by about six inches. (The baking spray will help the plastic stick to the loaf pan).
Use your fingers to smooth the plastic out as much as possible.
MAKE THE PEANUT BUTTER GANACHE
Place both the milk and semi-sweet chocolate in a medium-sized bowl with the peanut butter.
Heat the cream in a non-stick sauce pan on medium-high heat until it starts to bubble up on the sides.
Continue to slowly heat the cream all the way through - but not to the point of boiling - which should take about 3 minutes. Remove it from heat and add the vanilla.
Pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate/peanut butter mixture. Let this sit undisturbed for three minutes, then stir using a rubber spatula starting from the middle and then around the sides until it's smooth and combined.
Set the ganache aside while assembling the rest of the cake. Note: Ganache will harden when it's cold, so to make it spoon-able just microwave it for ten seconds at a time. Note: Before assembling the cake, reserve a generous ⅓ (third cup) of the ganache for serving.
ASSEMBLE THE ICE CREAM CAKE
Remove both ice creams from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature until lightly softened, about fifteen minutes.
Starting with the chocolate ice cream, transfer it to a medium-sized bowl and stir until smooth using a spatula. Spoon it evenly on the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Wipe any random ice cream smudges from the sides of the pan with a paper towel.
Cut the vanilla loaf cake into half-inch slices, then place on top of the chocolate ice cream in a single, even layer. You'll need to trim some smaller pieces to make the cake cover all the ice cream snugly.
Spoon a 1/3 cup of the peanut butter ganache carefully over the top of the cake, spreading in an even layer. Sprinkle three tablespoons of the chopped peanuts on top, then place in the freezer for thirty minutes.
Remove from freezer and add the chocolate loaf cake as the next layer, cutting it the same way you did the vanilla. Spoon the vanilla ice cream on top of this, then freeze again for thirty minutes.
Finish the cake by spooning all but the reserved 1/3 cup of ganache on top. Sprinkle with the whole peanuts, and freeze for 30 minutes, then loosely cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight. See Recipe Note. Note: Allowing the cake to freeze one final time before placing the plastic wrap on top.
Before serving, remove from freezer and let the cake sit at room temperature for fifteen-twenty minutes. Loosen the plastic wrap from the sides of the cake by running a thin knife along the edges to make sure the cake and ice cream aren't stuck to the sides.
Grasp the plastic wrap overhang on each side and gently lift the cake out of the pan, then set it on a cutting board lined with wax paper.
Cut into slices with a sharp knife that's dipped in very hot water and carefully dried with a clean cloth first. Makes the slicing much easier.
Serve with a little of the peanut butter ganache on top and a few more honey roasted peanuts.

Notes

Allowing the cake to freeze one additional time before adding the plastic wrap will help make sure it doesn't stick to the top of your cake when you go to serve it. :)
You'll have scraps of cake left over from trimming the cake to fit the loaf pan, so you have full permission to eat these :)
Make slicing easier and neater by dipping your knife into very hot water and carefully drying it with a thick kitchen towel first.
Use an offset spatula to spread the ganache and ice cream if you have one, otherwise a regular rubber spatula works fine.

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