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Rainbow Ice Cream Cake

Rainbow ice cream cake with vibrant horizontal stripes of rainbow sherbet layered over a crunchy Oreo crust. Built as a make-ahead, no-bake frozen dessert with a whipped topping exterior and rainbow sprinkles for an eye-catching kids birthday cake look.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Freezing 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Oreo cookies crust
  • 24 Oreo cookies Crushed fine for a solid, sliceable crust.
  • 6 tbsp butter Melted to bind the crushed cookies.
Rainbow sherbet layers
  • 1 pint raspberry sorbet Spread in a thin layer for a vivid purple stripe.
  • 1 pint orange sherbet Spread after raspberry layer is firm.
  • 1 pint lemon sorbet Use quickly to keep layers smooth.
  • 1 pint lime sherbet Finishing green layer for the rainbow effect.
Whipped topping and decoration
  • 16 oz whipped topping Two 8 oz tubs; enough to coat top and sides.
  • 0.5 rainbow sprinkles Generous topping for a bright, festive finish.

Equipment

  • 1 springform pan

Method
 

Make the Oreo crust
  1. Press the crushed Oreo cookies mixed with melted butter firmly into a 9-inch springform pan. Make the surface level, then freeze for 15 minutes until set.
Layer the rainbow sherbet
  1. Work quickly and spread the raspberry sorbet in a thin, even layer over the chilled crust. Freeze for 30 minutes until firm, then repeat with the orange sherbet, freezing between each layer.
  2. Spread the lemon sorbet in a thin, even layer and freeze for 30 minutes until firm. Spread the lime sherbet as the final layer and freeze until set.
Freeze, frost, and decorate
  1. Freeze the completed layered cake for 4 hours until completely solid. This ensures the stripes stay crisp when sliced.
  2. Cover the top and sides with whipped topping. Press gently to seal the surface and keep the edges neat.
  3. Decorate generously with rainbow sprinkles, scattering them over the frosted top and letting some fall down the sides. Return to the freezer for 2 more hours until firm.
Slice and serve
  1. Slice the cake to reveal the rainbow layers inside the whipped topping exterior. Serve straight from the freezer for clean, vivid stripes.

Notes

Pro tip: spread each sherbet layer thin and freeze until firm before adding the next to keep sharp, horizontal stripes. Store in the freezer, covered, up to 1 week (best texture after 2–3 days). This freezes well for up to 1 month. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies for the Oreo crust.