A Brief History of Ice Cream and Cake
Two of our favorite things go together perfectly.
Want to have your cake and eat it, too? You might be familiar with this phrase if you’re the type of person who wants the best of both worlds, or to win no matter what. But when it comes to ice cream, you can have your cake and eat it, too—literally! Ever heard of an ice cream cake? Of course you have—the delectable treat features creamy ice cream sandwiched between layers of scrumptious cake and topped with frosting. It’s the perfect treat for every event from birthday parties, to baby showers, to holiday parties—even weddings, if you’re the kind of person who wants to have their wedding cake and eat ice cream, too!
But just where did the ice cream cake originate? Whose brilliant idea was it to combine two of the best desserts out there into one amazing confectionary delight?
Turns out the history of ice cream cake dates all the way back to the Renaissance!
The origins of the ice cream cake date back all the way to the 14th century. While there is some scholarly debate over the exact start date of the Renaissance, it is believed to have started in Italy during the 14th century and reached its peak in the 15th century. After blossoming in Italy, the Renaissance then spread through the rest of Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Whatever the exact dates, the Renaissance is reported to be the time period when the ice cream cake originated, though technically the dessert being feasted on during the Renaissance wasn’t made with ice cream. During this time period, a dessert called trifle became very popular in many homes. While not made with what we know and love as ice cream today, trifle had the makings of an early ice cream cake that eventually morphed into what we refer to as an ice cream cake nowadays.
Trifle was a dessert made with layers of fluffy, sweet biscuits and dolloped with homemade cream. The dish was a very well-known way to end a meal during the Renaissance period and is said to be a source of inspiration for ice cream cake. Supposedly, during the Victorian era of the 19th century, trifles were expanded upon by molding the dessert into various shapes for presentation at dinner parties or other festive occasions. To keep the cream used in trifles in place, molds would be lined with sponge biscuits, and filled with cream, then frozen. This resulted in the creation of the first ice cream cake!
There is, in fact, a recipe for ice cream cake dated to the early 1870s. While the concept of ice cream cake during this time may have been intriguing and perhaps even popular, it was likely only available to the wealthy. Ice cream was a luxury item for most during the 19th century as it was somewhat complicated to make and freeze, and required significant amounts of cream and sugar which were not always readily available.
When did Ice Cream Cakes become more accessible and popular?
It took some time for ice cream to become more readily available to the masses. Because of this, the ice cream cake didn’t catch on as easily as you might like to think given how delicious it is! It took several decades—well into the 20th century, as a matter of fact—for ice cream cakes to really take off! This is largely due to the mass production of ice cream later on, which made ice cream easy to acquire and even easier to eat.
Ice cream cakes really took off in popularity in the 1970s when cakes like Fudgie the Whale, Carvel’s iconic iced brown chocolate ice cream cake with a clever smile, and “Happy Birthday” scrawled across it with white icing, became popular. Many people can fondly remember the incredibly prevalent Fudgie the Whale commercials that Carvel played across various television stations during the 1980s!
Since Fudgie became popular in the 1970s and 1980s, ice cream cakes have continued to evolve. Today, many popular ice cream shops like Baskin Robbins, Dairy Queen, Friendly’s, and Cold Stone Creamery create and sell ice cream cakes in their stores.
Some Coldstone Creamer employees have even taken to TikTok to post fascinating videos about how they make ice cream parlor staples like waffle cones, waffle bowls, and, of course, ice cream cakes! It’s amazing to see how popular some of these TikToks are with millions of likes and comments, all reflecting something we know to be true—it’s human nature to love ice cream and learning about how ice cream, and ice cream cakes, are made.
And, of course, you can make a delicious ice cream cake at home!
It may be a little more complicated to make your own ice cream cake instead of leaving it to the professionals, but there are countless recipes on and offline that give step-by-step instructions on how to make your very own ice cream cake. Most cakes are made for special occasions, and what makes for a better occasion than homemade ice cream cake?
To make homemade ice cream cake, ice cream is usually softened and molded into the shape you’d like your cake to be (often a cake pan or bowl.) Then, the ice cream is re-frozen and topped with icing or other toppings. Many homemade ice cream cakes are made in the traditional style mentioned previously, too, where a mold is lined with cake or biscuits, then filled with ice cream and frozen. There are not only multiple ways to try your hand at making your own ice cream cake, but a never-ending array of flavor combinations, decorations, and delectable toppings to try!
Ice cream cakes are a fun way to both have your cake and eat your (ice cream) too! This delicious dessert actually dates all the way back to the Renaissance period, making it a timeless and foolproof choice for your next event. If you’re not up to the challenge of making your own ice cream cake, though, don’t worry—ice cream without the cake is just as great! Consider having the world-famous Besties Ice Cream truck at your next event. Book a free phone consultation today to get started.