Birthday Cake Rolled Ice Cream

This sweet and creamy birthday cake rolled ice cream is swirled with a rainbow of colorful sprinkles and chunks of birthday cake throughout a vanilla ice cream base.

Why this recipe works

Making birthday cake rolled ice cream is actually quite easy using just 6 ingredients and a few staple kitchen supplies. Starting with our classic rolled ice cream recipe as a base, we’ve added colorful Jimmie sprinkles and crumbled birthday cake for that special touch.

Much like our no churn birthday cake ice cream, you can include the frosting on the cake for further decadence, or leave it plain when adding to the base. Rolled ice cream is a unique way to make ice cream and doesn’t have to be reserved for going out! These are tons of fun to serve at birthday parties, just be sure to keep them chilled when you aren’t enjoying them.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

ICE CREAM – The ratio of sweetened condensed milk to heavy cream is important. If you find that the ice cream is too soft and won’t roll without melting into a puddle before you can get it off the pan then you need to add more heavy cream (or less sweetened condensed milk) to the mixture. If the ice cream is brittle and breaks instead of rolls, you need a greater portion of sweetened condensed milk. Different brands of sweetened condensed milk may make a difference also.

MIX INS – If you don’t already have birthday cake on hand, you can typically purchase just a single slice of cake or a single cupcake from the grocery store that will be plenty to use in this recipe. Jimmies do not bleed their color when they get wet like many sprinkles. Do not use nonpareils for this recipe. If you’d like to use specialty sprinkles, test their color fastness before mixing them in with the ice cream base.

How to Make Birthday Cake Rolled Ice Cream

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Prior to preparing the ingredients, place a full-size sheet pan with rimmed edges into the freezer. Be sure there is ample space for the sheet pan to set level. Allow the pan to chill in the freezer for at least 15 minutes up to several hours in advance. (Alternately, you can use several smaller sheet pans.)
2. Whisk together the heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, salt, and vanilla in a bowl until thoroughly combined.
3. Pour the ice cream base mixture into the prepared pan. If you’d like to use smaller pans, pour just enough of the ice cream mixture to coat the full bottom of the pan. The layer should not be thicker than 1⁄8”.
4. Sprinkle the jimmies over the ice cream base – add a tablespoon or so at a time until you have an amount you like. Crumble a piece of cake or cupcake and scatter the crumbles over the ice cream.
5. To make rolling the ice cream easier, allow the cake crumbles to soften a bit, soaking up some of the liquid. Use a spatula to mix the toppings into the ice cream base and redistribute evenly across the pan.
6. Freeze for at least 2-3 hours, until the ice cream is solid.
7. Working quickly with a 3” wide straight spatula – gently lift the edge of the ice cream and then glide your spatula across the sheet pan to make rolls of ice cream. Transfer the rolls into a paper cup or bowl for serving.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

For storing, cover the sheet pan tightly with plastic wrap or form into rolls and transfer them to an air-tight container. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month.

You can use any size pan as long as they are metal and have a rim. Pour just enough base mixture into the pan to spread a thin, solid layer (there was no such thing as “too thin” in my experiments) and freeze, then roll, then repeat. Store the rest of the base mixture in the refrigerator in between pours. I preferred using quarter sheet pans and doing smaller batches at a time.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with optional wafers, maraschino cherries, whipped cream, and additional sprinkles on top if desired.

Rolled ice cream melts quickly, so work fast during the process of making and decorating. Keep the ice cream in the freezer when you are not working with it to prevent it from melting or getting overly soft. It may be difficult to make if you live in an overly hot or humid climate or if your temperature indoors isn’t cool enough.

More Related Recipes

• Funfetti Icebox Cake
• Rocky Road Ice Cream
• Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
• Instant Pot Funfetti Cheesecake
• No Churn Birthday Cake Ice Cream

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