Viennetta Ice Cream Cake
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Serve up this timeless Viennetta ice cream cake for dessert this summer. It includes creamy vanilla ice cream decadently layered with both chocolate and butterscotch magic shell.
If you haven’t had Viennetta ice cream cake before, you are missing out. I like to refer to it as an ice cream lasagna. Layers of creamy ice cream and a crunchy magic shell layer. It’s a popular dessert that Breyers made years ago back in the 80s. The original Viennetta looked like a fancy cake log but it was made with ice cream with a crispy chocolate layer all throughout the dessert.
So each bite you get creamy ice cream with crispy sweet chocolate. There is something about that crispy chocolate layer in this layered Viennetta dessert that leaves you wanting one more bite. Bet you want to give it a go now, right?
Here are a few reasons why I think you need to immediately make my homemade Viennetta ice cream cake recipe:
- It’s so quick and easy to make. Like, it will take you no longer than 5 minutes to assemble.
- Viennetta is a classic dessert that guests will love.
- It’s basically fancy ice cream and who can say no to an elevated ice cream dessert?
- You only need three ingredients: vanilla ice cream, chocolate magic shell, and butterscotch magic shell.
Okay, so now I’ve convinced you to give it a go, let’s get layering!
If you love Ice Cream as much as I do make sure you try out some of these other recipes like Oreo Ice Cream Cake, Ice Cream Grahamwiches, Strawberry Ice Cream Pie, Deep Fried Ice Cream Milkshakes, No Churn Ice Cream With Fresh Blackberries and Mint Oreo Ice Cream Pie.
What You’ll Need to Make Viennetta Ice Cream Cake:
Recipe Ingredients
- Some good quality vanilla ice cream
- Magic shell (one or two flavors, up to you)
- Waxed paper
- Brand new (reserved for kitchen use only) hair pick
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How To Make My Homemade Viennetta Ice Cream Cake:
Line a loaf pan with waxed paper. This will help you get your loaf out.
Spread 1/3 of your ice cream into the bottom of the loaf pan.
Run the pick along it to form deep grooves. These will fill in with our yummy magic shell.
Pour a layer of magic shell over and allow it to harden a minute.
Add another 1/3 of your ice cream and dig grooves into it with your pick again.
Pour magic shell over that as well.
Now add the rest of our ice cream and dig grooves into it as well.
Top this final layer with a drizzle of the chocolate magic shell.
Immediately cover the ice cream cake with aluminum foil and place it in the freezer until firm.
When ready to serve, allow it to sit out for about five minutes, and then remove it from the pan using the waxed paper.
Remove the waxed paper and place it on a platter to slice and serve.
Storage
Your ice cream can store for 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Just make sure to place it in a proper container for the freezer.
I recommend placing your ice cream cake on the back shelf, that way if you open and close the freezer it does not melt the ice cream.
Recipe Notes
- Using a fork or pick to create ridges into the ice cream helps to create that classic groove look from the ice cream and chocolate layer of the cake.
- You can make homemade magic shell if you want, but you can also buy it for about a dollar. No sense in making extra work for yourself!
- You can use any flavor of the magic shell to create a different flavor pairing. The original Viennetta ice cream cake did not have butterscotch so go with 2 bottles of chocolate if you want to be more traditional.
- Work somewhat fast, as the ice cream will melt pretty quickly once you get started assembling your dessert.
- For a fancy finish, add frozen whipped topping (like Cool Whip) and a sprinkle of cocoa powder for the iconic look. However, I’d only add this if I was eating it immediately.
- You can also add fun mix-in items to add flavor. Just add them over the magic shell once it hardens.
- Crush up and sprinkle with cookies like Oreo cookies.
- Add in some chopped candy bars.
- Add chopped nuts like roasted hazelnuts or almonds.
- Use a different flavor of magic shell.
- Swap the vanilla ice cream with chocolate ice cream, coffee ice cream, or any other ice cream flavor. You could also do one layer of vanilla, one layer of chocolate, and one layer of strawberry ice cream to make a Neopolitan Viennetta ice cream cake.
Recipe FAQs
What ice cream should I choose?
Quality ice cream is key in this Viennetta cake. The reason being is the ice cream is going to be a stand-out flavor. So reach for a creamy and delicious vanilla ice cream for this dessert.
I suggest Blue Bunny (this is the best I have tasted in a while) or something from Bluebell if you have that where you are. Edy’s also makes some very good ice cream and a lot of people swear by Purity. However, I haven’t had a chance to taste any of theirs yet so I’m just sticking to the ones I know as recommendations. Just go for the absolute best in your area.
You may also like these ice cream recipes:
Walnuts in Syrup For Ice Cream Sundaes
No Churn Ice Cream With Fresh Blackberries
Deep Fried Ice Cream Milkshakes
Ingredients
- 1.5 - 1.75 quarts good quality vanilla ice cream
- 1 bottle chocolate magic shell
- 1 bottle butterscotch magic shell*
Instructions
- Soften ice cream slightly by allowing it to sit out for 5-10 minutes but no longer.1.5 - 1.75 quarts good quality vanilla ice cream
- Line the loaf pan with waxed paper pieces that are long enough to hang over the sides.
- Spread 1/3 of the ice cream in the bottom of the loaf pan. Make grooves in it with the pick. Squirt chocolate magic shell over top, just enough to cover. Allow it to sit for one minute to harden.1 bottle chocolate magic shell
- Repeat the process using the butterscotch magic shell as topping on the second layer and then repeat once more, ending with just a drizzling of chocolate magic shell on top.1 bottle butterscotch magic shell*
- Immediately cover with aluminum foil and place in the freezer until frozen solid.
- To serve, remove the loaf pan and allow it to sit for five minutes. Grab both sides of waxed paper and pull the loaf out of the pan. Discard the waxed paper and place the loaf on a platter. Carefully cut and then serve.
Nutrition
“A happy person is not a person in a
certain set of circumstances, but rather
a person with a certain set of attitudes.”
~ Hugh Downs
I cannot wait to make this! I’m going to make it for dessert on Sunday – my brother-in-law always comes over for dinner that night.
For a similar taste/crunch – check out Haagen-Dazs Gelato Stracciatella. It’s the closest thing I’ve come across since Viennetta disappeared.
I’m super excited to make a “sliceable” version. Even better that it is an easy recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Oh wow. I’m excited about this recipe. I apparently pinned it about a year ago and forgot about it. I never did get to try Viennetta. My grandma bought it for me once, but I wasn’t able to open it that same day for some reason. The next time I went over to her house, my *blakety-blank* cousin and her husband had eaten it all! I was so mad! It never got replaced. *sigh* Oh well. I guess I will have to make it for Christmas dessert. 🙂 Thanks!
I remember Viennetta, I wanted to try it so bad from seeing the commercials as a kid, but was pretty much banned from it whenever it was brought home because it was a “grown-up” dessert. So, for the most part, I had to be content with that vile Neapolitan econo-tub crap. I hated it then and I hate it now. Pudding pops were good, but they’re no Viennetta. During the entire time it was available, I was lucky enough to try it ONCE AND ONLY ONCE. It was just as good as the commercials made it out to be, and I don’t know why it went away…
Personally, I remember more to them than your recipe. Either that or it’s that natural tendency to over-romanticize every positive childhood experience lol. I remember there being a chocolate wafer cookie layer…you know, the kind commonly used for making icebox cakes? And if they never included a layer of my favorite cookie, the love letter tuiles, AKA cigarette cookies, they SHOULD. These cookies can be found at the supermarket sold in a round tin labelled as “pirouettes”. Those two additions would make this dessert just blast off into outer space, imo. Peace out :.P
Oh, happy day! I have been mourning the loss of the Vienneta for twenty years. Oh, happy day!
🙂
Love the idea of home-made Vienetta. I can get the ingredients but not your brand. So am going to give this a try. Again thank you for recipie.
Deirdre
Couple of points…
You are not “a small part of your life”! You bring me joy,humor, faith lifting comments, great recipes, and so much more!
My mom was the hit of the church ladies luncheons, when she was the first to bring viennetta torte. Than she told them how easy it was. She had a way of finding recipes that looked and tasted “fancy” but were easy. I try to follow her example.
Ok I was born in the fifties! I got my first (and still using) cell phone in 2007. My great nephew had to teach me to text.
While our daughter was in high school my husband bought a $50 car with an 8 track, and a soda bottle back up light. She was so embarrassed, but bought a grease tape and kind of liked it. That car ran for months until she had an accident!
Christy Jordan, you are the best!! I was lamenting this forgotten treat just the other day!! I remember eating it with a fork at my grandparents’s house thinking I was one sophisticated kiddo. I also remember feeling less sophisticated when I got home from my summer visit with them and none of my school clothes my mama had bought fit!!! Boy, did she grouch! Well, this big girl buys her own clothes, so I am gonna make this today and share it with my seven year old..and maybe the husband. Thanks so much!!
~giggles~ I always had the same problem when I came home from my grandparents!!!