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Drumstick Ice Cream Cake

Drumstick ice cream cake is a party-sized frozen dessert with a caramelized sugar cone-and-peanut crust, vanilla ice cream layer, and a glossy chocolate magic shell top studded with peanuts. This cone crust ice cream cake slices cleanly, with every bite delivering the classic Drumstick cone flavor in layered form.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Freezing 6 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cone crust
  • 12 sugar or waffle cones Crushed fine for a firm, sliceable crust.
  • 0.25 cup salted peanuts Roughly chopped; use half for crust, half for topping.
  • 0.5 tbsp butter Melted, to bind the cone crumbs.
  • 3 tbsp sugar Helps caramelize the cone base.
Frozen layers
  • 0.5 gallon vanilla ice cream Soften until spreadable; keep cold as you work.
  • 0.5 cup caramel sauce Drizzled over the crust layer.
  • 1 cup chocolate magic shell or ganache Use magic shell for a crisp top or ganache for a richer set.
  • 0.25 cup salted peanuts Use remaining peanuts for topping right after pouring the shell/ganache.
  • 1 whipped cream For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 springform pan

Method
 

Make the cone crust
  1. Combine the crushed sugar or waffle cones, half the salted peanuts, sugar, and melted butter, then press firmly into a 9-inch springform pan. Freeze for 15 minutes to set the crust.
Add caramel layer
  1. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the frozen crust in an even layer. Freeze for 10 minutes to firm it up.
Layer the vanilla ice cream
  1. Spread the softened vanilla ice cream over the caramel crust and smooth the top. Freeze for 4 hours until set.
Top with chocolate shell and peanuts
  1. Pour the chocolate magic shell or ganache over the fully frozen cake. Immediately sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top before the chocolate sets.
  2. Freeze the cake for 2 more hours until the chocolate is completely firm.
Serve
  1. Release the springform and slice the ice cream cake. Serve with whipped cream.

Notes

Pro tip: Crush the cones finely and press hard into the pan so the base stays sliceable after freezing. Store covered in the freezer up to 1 week (best quality). Freezing is yes—freeze assembled cake as written, thaw just 5–10 minutes before slicing. For a dairy-light swap, use dairy-free vanilla ice cream and dairy-free caramel/chocolate magic shell if you want it to remain vegetarian-friendly.