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These angel food cake strawberry ice cream sandwiches are made from scratch without an ice cream maker. They’re heavenly treats for hot days.
One of my favorite ways to cool down on a summer day is with a frozen treat from the ice cream truck. From the novelty shapes to the iconic flavors (looking at you, strawberry shortcake bars!), the nostalgic fun of these frozen desserts is hard to beat. What’s less fun, however, is standing by the door on a sweltering afternoon, waiting for an ice cream truck that’s not driving down your street any time soon.
Luckily for me, cookbook author Hetal Vasavada invented these angel food cake strawberry ice cream sandwiches to capture all the fun and flavor of my beloved summertime treat. The recipe features a no-churn strawberry ice cream that’s a cinch to make from scratch—no ice cream machine necessary. It’s spread between slices of her light-as-air homemade angel food cake.
These ice cream sandwiches are perfect for pool days, summer birthday parties and holiday cookouts. But you can keep a stash in the freezer to enjoy, just because!
Ingredients for Angel Food Cake Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Heavy whipping cream: While regular ice cream is churned to add air and lighten the mixture, the lightness of this no-churn ice cream comes from heavy cream that’s beaten to create whipped cream.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Check the labels on those cans carefully, and don’t confuse sweetened condensed milk with evaporated milk!
- Strawberry jam: It’s easy to add fruity berry flavor with a scoop of store-bought or homemade strawberry jam.
- Flavor extracts: Use homemade vanilla extract or a store brand in both the ice cream and the angel food cake. A little almond extract in the cake adds nuance.
- Egg whites: Egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks to give this airy cake the perfect texture.
- Sugars: Granulated sugar is slowly added to the whipped egg whites to create the meringue, while fine confectioners’ sugar sweetens the cake batter.
- Flour: Though it may be tempting, don’t skip sifting the flour and confectioners’ sugar together. It will remove any lumps and ensure your cake’s texture is perfectly tender.
- Cream of tartar: A little cream of tartar stabilizes the egg whites as they’re whipped to peaks.
- Salt: Just a little salt in both the ice cream and the cake helps make the flavors really shine.
Directions
Step 1: Start your prep
Place the egg whites in a large bowl and let them stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Sift the flour and confectioners’ sugar together twice, then set the mixture aside.
Step 2: Make the cake batter
Add the cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla and almond extracts to the egg whites. Beat them on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the granulated sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and the sugar is dissolved. Gradually fold in the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time.
Editor’s Tip: Prepare for baking by preheating the oven to 350°F and making room on the lowest oven rack for the pans.
Step 3: Bake the cakes
Gently spoon the cake batter into two ungreased 8×4-inch loaf pans. Cut through the batter with a knife to remove any air pockets. Bake the cakes on the lowest oven rack at 350º for 30 to 35 minutes, until they’re lightly browned and the tops seem dry. Immediately invert the pans onto cooling racks, and let them cool completely, about one hour.
Editor’s Tip: Cooling angel food cakes upside down in the pan helps keep the cakes tall and their texture light.
Step 4: Make the ice cream
Beat the heavy whipped cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks form, about two to three minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, strawberry jam, vanilla extract and salt.
Working in batches, gently fold the condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream until they’re combined. Transfer the mixture to a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Freeze the ice cream until it’s firm, anywhere from two to four hours.
Editor’s Tip: You may want to make the ice cream before baking the cake since it requires a few hours in the freezer.
Step 5: Assemble the cake and ice cream
Run a knife around the insides of both loaf pans to release the cakes. Slice one loaf in half lengthwise, then slice each piece in half again to make four layers. (Save or freeze the other cake for another time.)
Line two loaf pans with parchment paper. Place one cake layer into the bottom of one of the pans. Top it with half of the prepared ice cream spread into an even layer, followed by a second layer of cake.
Repeat these steps with the other pan and the remaining cake and ice cream. Wrap the pans and freeze the sandwiches until the ice cream is firm, about one hour.
Editor’s Tip: Use that extra cake to make one of these angel food cake desserts!
Step 6: Slice and serve
Use the parchment paper edges to lift the loaves from the pans. Slice each loaf into eight ice cream sandwiches, and serve them immediately.
Angel Food Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches Variations
- Try another cake flavor: Instead of angel cake, use pound cake or chocolate cake, sliced to fit in the pan.
- Make them with quick bread: You don’t have to stick to cake for these ice cream sandwiches. Swap in a loaf of banana bread or lemon blueberry bread instead.
- Experiment with other ice creams: Keep things simple with a no-churn vanilla or no-churn mango ice cream. Or try other ice cream recipes like coffee, peppermint or London fog.
How to Store Angel Food Cake Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
Once the angel food cake strawberry ice cream sandwiches are sliced, wrap them individually in parchment, wax paper or storage wrap. Place the wrapped sandwiches in a freezer-proof bag or container to prevent freezer burn or off-flavors from reaching the treats. These sweet treats will last in the freezer for up to a month.
Angel Food Cake Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches Tips
Can you use store-bought angel food cake for ice cream sandwiches?
Absolutely! When you’re crunched for time (or when it’s too hot for the oven), store-bought angel food cake is an easy substitution in these strawberry ice cream sandwiches. Buy a loaf-shaped angel food cake if possible, and slice it into layers to fit in the loaf pans.
Can you make angel food cake ice cream sandwiches with store-bought ice cream?
Yes, these ice cream sandwiches will taste just as delicious with store-bought strawberry ice cream or other flavors you’d like to try. Allow the ice cream to soften slightly so that it’s easy to spread between the cake layers. Here’s an idea to try with store-bought ice cream: Neapolitan ice cream sandwiches! Spread a thin layer of strawberry ice cream over the bottom layer of cake, followed by thin layers of vanilla and chocolate ice creams. Finish with the top cake piece, and freeze the sandwiches as directed.
