Best Copycat Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake - How to Make DQ Ice Cream Cake

Step 1Line a 9" springform pan with plastic wrap. In a large bowl, stir vanilla ice cream until smooth and spreadable (but not liquid). Using an offset spatula, evenly spread in bottom of prepared pan. Freeze 30 minutes.

Step 2Meanwhile, uncover jar of fudge topping and microwave in 15-second increments, stirring between each, until slightly warmed and spreadable, 30 to 45 seconds total.

Step 3Scatter chocolate crunchies on top of frozen ice cream. Dollop fudge across crunchies, then carefully spread with an offset spatula. Freeze cake until slightly firm, 15 to 30 minutes.

Step 4In a large bowl, stir chocolate ice cream until smooth and spreadable (but not liquid). Carefully spoon over fudge layer and gently spread until smooth. Cover top of cake and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours or up to 1 week.

Step 5About 2 hours before serving, peel off top plastic wrap layer, leaving chocolate ice cream exposed. Invert cake onto a platter, with chocolate layer at the bottom. Remove sides of springform pan and peel off remaining plastic wrap. Return to freezer while whipping cream.

Step 6In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium high-speed, beat cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Transfer about one-third of whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.

Step 7Spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake. Pipe a shell border around top edge and base of ice cream cake, if desired. (If cake starts to melt, return to freezer until firm and refrigerate whipped cream.)

Step 8Freeze decorated cake, uncovered, 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Step 9Just before serving, sprinkle top edge and base of cake with sprinkles. Let sit at room temperature about 5 minutes, then cut into slices with a sharp knife.