Caramel Turtle Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
Creamy ice cream sandwiches layered with decadent chocolate ganache, pecans, salted caramel, and whipped cream make up this turtle ice cream sandwich cake. It’s the perfect semi-homemade ice cream cake you can make to celebrate special events.
It’s a budget-friendly way of serving an ice cream cake, which can often cost $20+.
While ice cream sandwiches are good on their own, combined with creamy chocolate, caramel, and whipped cream, they take on a new life and are amazing!
Pick up Signature SELECT ice cream sandwiches at your local Safeway or Albertsons affiliate in several flavors to make your own ice cream sandwich creation.
I went with the caramel ice cream sandwich bars and was inspired to make my favorite ice cream sundae flavor – salted caramel turtle come to life.
You can also choose peppermint, cookies and cream, vanilla, or Neopolitan flavors. I’ll give some tips below for how to embellish those flavors into unique ice cream cakes as well.
Ingredients in Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
- 1 box Signature SELECT Ice Cream Sandwich Bars
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- brownie bites, for garnish (optional)
- Homemade Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- Chocolate Ganache
- 8 oz chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- Whipped Cream Layer
- 16 oz heavy whipping cream (or you can sub Cool-Whip)
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Note – you will need 24 oz of heavy cream for this recipe for all the layers.
You’ll want to prepare the caramel sauce, the chocolate ganache, and the whipped cream before you even take the ice cream sandwiches out of the freezer. The sauces should be slightly cooled, but saucy.
Prepare the caramel first as it takes longer to cool down.
Make the Caramel Sauce
You’ll add sugar and water to a heavy-bottomed saucepan, allow it to dissolve, and gently bubble for about 9 minutes until it caramelizes and turns a beautiful amber color. Then add butter, cream, vanilla, and salt. The mixture is set aside to cool and then poured into a glass jar to cool completely. It will be thin and loose at first but will thicken as it cools.
Resist the urge to stir! As the sugar and water are heated, if you stir them, you’ll cause grains to form and it will not be smooth and creamy. Instead, you can gently swirl the pan over the heat if needed, but be sure not to let the caramel go high up the sides of the pot or this will make the caramel sauce crystallize and become grainy, as well.
Do not step away from the stove while the caramel is cooking. This sauce is super easy, but it can take anywhere from 6-12 minutes to thicken and turn that gorgeous amber color.
Prepare the Chocolate Ganache
I went with a layer of chocolate ganache because I wanted to have a fudge-like consistency in the layers. Simple chocolate syrup would not hold the sandwiches together and does not harden, whereas a ganache hardens as it cools and has an amazing chocolate flavor with a hint of coffee that pairs amazingly with the ice cream sandwiches.
Place 2 cups of water in a saucepan and place a glass bowl on top of the water to create a double boiler. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Place the chocolate chips, heavy cream, and instant coffee in the glass bowl over simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth. Be careful removing the glass bowl from the pan as it will be hot.
Make the Whipped Cream
In a large metal bowl, beat the heavy cream for about 5 minutes on high speed until soft peaks form and it’s light and fluffy.
Add the powdered sugar and continue beating until incorporated.
Do not overmix as it can become hard to spread.
Assemble the Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
Line an 8×8 square pan with plastic wrap so the edges hangover.
Place a layer of unwrapped ice cream sandwiches in the pan. I was able to get 1 row with the full sandwiches and one row with half-cut sandwiches.
Cover the ice cream sandwiches with half of the chocolate ganache mixture by pouring it over.
Then sprinkle a layer of pecans (1/4 cup), a layer of caramel sauce, then a thin layer of whipped cream.
Repeat with the remaining ice cream sandwiches, whipped cream, then top with a drizzle of ganache, a drizzle of caramel sauce and chopped pecans. I added brownie bites that I found in the Safeway bakery to the top for an extra crunch.
Do not cover, rather place the pan immediately in the freezer so that the cake can cool and harden. If you plan to store in the freezer for more than a day, allow the chocolate and caramel to harden for an hour, then cover with foil.
I’ve found plastic wrap sticks and will ruin your toppings.
Remove from the freezer and allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Enjoy!
Caramel Turtle Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box Signature SELECT Ice Cream Sandwich Bars
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
- brownie bites for garnish (optional)
Homemade Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Chocolate Ganache
- 8 oz chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
Whipped Cream Layer
- heavy whipping cream or you can sub Cool-Whip
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the Caramel Sauce
- Add the sugar and water to a heavy-bottomed saucepan, over medium low heat. Allow it to dissolve, and gently bubble for about 9 minutes until it caramelizes and turns a beautiful amber color. Then add butter, cream, vanilla, and salt. Pour into a glass jar to cool.
- Resist the urge to stir! As the sugar and water are heated, if you stir them, you’ll cause grains to form and it will not be smooth and creamy. Instead, you can gently swirl the pan over the heat if needed, but be sure not to let the caramel go high up the sides of the pot or this will make the caramel sauce crystallize and become grainy, as well.
Prepare the Chocolate Ganache
- Place 2 cups of water in a saucepan and place a glass bowl on top of the water to create a double boiler. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Place the chocolate chips, heavy cream, and instant coffee in the glass bowl over simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth. Be careful removing the glass bowl from the pan as it will be hot.
Make the Whipped Cream
- In a large metal bowl, beat the heavy cream for about 5 minutes on high speed until soft peaks form and is light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating until incorporated. Do not overmix as it can become hard to spread.
Assemble the Cake
- Line an 8x8 square pan with plastic wrap long enough to hang over the edge of the pan.
- Place a layer of unwrapped ice cream sandwiches in the pan. I was able to get 2 rows with the full sandwiches and one row with half-cut sandwiches.
- Cover the ice cream sandwiches with half of the chocolate ganache mixture by pouring it over. Then sprinkle a layer of pecans (1/4 cup), a layer of caramel sauce, then a thin layer of whipped cream. Repeat with the remaining ice cream sandwiches, ganache, whipped cream, then top with a drizzle of caramel sauce and chopped pecans. I added brownie bites that I found in the Safeway bakery to the top for an extra crunch.
- Do not cover, rather place the pan immediately in the freezer on a flat surface so that the cake can cool and harden. If you plan to store in the freezer for more than a day, allow the chocolate and caramel to harden for an hour, then cover with foil. I've found plastic wrap sticks and will ruin your toppings.
- Remove from the freezer and use the plastic wrap edges to carefully remove it from the pan to a serving dish. Remove the plastic wrap before slicing. Allow the cake to thaw for 10 to 12 minutes before slicing and serving.
Additional Ice Cream Sandwich Cake ideas:
Use the peppermint ice cream sandwiches and pair with the chocolate ganache, whipped cream and use crushed thin mints or peppermint OREO’s as the topping.
Pair the vanilla ice cream sandwiches with strawberry jam, chocolate ganache, whipped cream and use crushed freeze-dried strawberries for the top, or drizzle with extra strawberry jam.
Please rate and review if you try this recipe and let us know your thoughts in the comments. Be sure to tag @supersafeway on Instagram if you make this to be featured in our stories.
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