Viennetta Ice Cream Cake
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Serve up this timeless Viennetta ice cream cake for dessert this summer. It includes creamy vanilla ice cream decadently layered with both chocolate and butterscotch magic shell.
If you haven’t had Viennetta ice cream cake before, you are missing out. I like to refer to it as an ice cream lasagna. Layers of creamy ice cream and a crunchy magic shell layer. It’s a popular dessert that Breyers made years ago back in the 80s. The original Viennetta looked like a fancy cake log but it was made with ice cream with a crispy chocolate layer all throughout the dessert.
So each bite you get creamy ice cream with crispy sweet chocolate. There is something about that crispy chocolate layer in this layered Viennetta dessert that leaves you wanting one more bite. Bet you want to give it a go now, right?
Here are a few reasons why I think you need to immediately make my homemade Viennetta ice cream cake recipe:
- It’s so quick and easy to make. Like, it will take you no longer than 5 minutes to assemble.
- Viennetta is a classic dessert that guests will love.
- It’s basically fancy ice cream and who can say no to an elevated ice cream dessert?
- You only need three ingredients: vanilla ice cream, chocolate magic shell, and butterscotch magic shell.
Okay, so now I’ve convinced you to give it a go, let’s get layering!
If you love Ice Cream as much as I do make sure you try out some of these other recipes like Oreo Ice Cream Cake, Ice Cream Grahamwiches, Strawberry Ice Cream Pie, Deep Fried Ice Cream Milkshakes, No Churn Ice Cream With Fresh Blackberries and Mint Oreo Ice Cream Pie.
What You’ll Need to Make Viennetta Ice Cream Cake:
Recipe Ingredients
- Some good quality vanilla ice cream
- Magic shell (one or two flavors, up to you)
- Waxed paper
- Brand new (reserved for kitchen use only) hair pick
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How To Make My Homemade Viennetta Ice Cream Cake:
Line a loaf pan with waxed paper. This will help you get your loaf out.
Spread 1/3 of your ice cream into the bottom of the loaf pan.
Run the pick along it to form deep grooves. These will fill in with our yummy magic shell.
Pour a layer of magic shell over and allow it to harden a minute.
Add another 1/3 of your ice cream and dig grooves into it with your pick again.
Pour magic shell over that as well.
Now add the rest of our ice cream and dig grooves into it as well.
Top this final layer with a drizzle of the chocolate magic shell.
Immediately cover the ice cream cake with aluminum foil and place it in the freezer until firm.
When ready to serve, allow it to sit out for about five minutes, and then remove it from the pan using the waxed paper.
Remove the waxed paper and place it on a platter to slice and serve.
Storage
Your ice cream can store for 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Just make sure to place it in a proper container for the freezer.
I recommend placing your ice cream cake on the back shelf, that way if you open and close the freezer it does not melt the ice cream.
Recipe Notes
- Using a fork or pick to create ridges into the ice cream helps to create that classic groove look from the ice cream and chocolate layer of the cake.
- You can make homemade magic shell if you want, but you can also buy it for about a dollar. No sense in making extra work for yourself!
- You can use any flavor of the magic shell to create a different flavor pairing. The original Viennetta ice cream cake did not have butterscotch so go with 2 bottles of chocolate if you want to be more traditional.
- Work somewhat fast, as the ice cream will melt pretty quickly once you get started assembling your dessert.
- For a fancy finish, add frozen whipped topping (like Cool Whip) and a sprinkle of cocoa powder for the iconic look. However, I’d only add this if I was eating it immediately.
- You can also add fun mix-in items to add flavor. Just add them over the magic shell once it hardens.
- Crush up and sprinkle with cookies like Oreo cookies.
- Add in some chopped candy bars.
- Add chopped nuts like roasted hazelnuts or almonds.
- Use a different flavor of magic shell.
- Swap the vanilla ice cream with chocolate ice cream, coffee ice cream, or any other ice cream flavor. You could also do one layer of vanilla, one layer of chocolate, and one layer of strawberry ice cream to make a Neopolitan Viennetta ice cream cake.
Recipe FAQs
What ice cream should I choose?
Quality ice cream is key in this Viennetta cake. The reason being is the ice cream is going to be a stand-out flavor. So reach for a creamy and delicious vanilla ice cream for this dessert.
I suggest Blue Bunny (this is the best I have tasted in a while) or something from Bluebell if you have that where you are. Edy’s also makes some very good ice cream and a lot of people swear by Purity. However, I haven’t had a chance to taste any of theirs yet so I’m just sticking to the ones I know as recommendations. Just go for the absolute best in your area.
You may also like these ice cream recipes:
Walnuts in Syrup For Ice Cream Sundaes
No Churn Ice Cream With Fresh Blackberries
Deep Fried Ice Cream Milkshakes
Ingredients
- 1.5 - 1.75 quarts good quality vanilla ice cream
- 1 bottle chocolate magic shell
- 1 bottle butterscotch magic shell*
Instructions
- Soften ice cream slightly by allowing it to sit out for 5-10 minutes but no longer.1.5 - 1.75 quarts good quality vanilla ice cream
- Line the loaf pan with waxed paper pieces that are long enough to hang over the sides.
- Spread 1/3 of the ice cream in the bottom of the loaf pan. Make grooves in it with the pick. Squirt chocolate magic shell over top, just enough to cover. Allow it to sit for one minute to harden.1 bottle chocolate magic shell
- Repeat the process using the butterscotch magic shell as topping on the second layer and then repeat once more, ending with just a drizzling of chocolate magic shell on top.1 bottle butterscotch magic shell*
- Immediately cover with aluminum foil and place in the freezer until frozen solid.
- To serve, remove the loaf pan and allow it to sit for five minutes. Grab both sides of waxed paper and pull the loaf out of the pan. Discard the waxed paper and place the loaf on a platter. Carefully cut and then serve.
Nutrition
“A happy person is not a person in a
certain set of circumstances, but rather
a person with a certain set of attitudes.”
~ Hugh Downs
I will make this just as soon as my beloved Blue Bell returns!
God Bless Blue Bell!
Bless them indeed, they sure have had a rough time of it lately!
I can not believe a southern girl like you didn’t put some chopped pecans in there!
Since this is all going into the freezer before serving, I don’t think that you would have to buy Magic Shell products. I think you could use regular chocolate syrup (chocolate fudge for this girl) or even caramel ice cream topping. And I will be adding some chopped pecans to the caramel layer.
Ummm, what about using some lemon curd & raspberries??? Lemon & blueberries ??? Crushed oreos ???
I do think you are pretty clever for buying a hair pick, just for the kitchen. I would have been dragging a serving fork through it.
Magic shell will harden and be crisp. Chocolate syrup and topping will remain soft and gooey. Still good, but not like a real Vienetta.
I’m a child of the 80’s so I love this post! Vienetta looks delicious and refreshing for the upcoming hot Alabama summer. Since Blue Bell has been recalled, I recommend Publix Premium ice cream…love it when they have it buy 1, get 1 free! Have a lovely Day 🙂
HOT Alabama summer. You hit that nail on the head and it will be here before we know it!
Ok, magic shell is probably not heard of by any store in my area, but I take it that its a thin chocolate or other flavoured syrupy fluid, like the chocolate for dipping cones in, that freezes into a crisp shell. So will attempt this with what I think will work ok. I can see the whipped cream layers working, this would be deluxe with crispy outside layers, or even served with what my mother called ice cream wafers, thin crisp wafers filled with strawberry,chocolate, and vanilla cream. I think I will have to try it as soon as it warms yo enough.
You are correct Eva! It is a thin chocolate coating that freezes into a crisp shell exactly like what they dip ice cream cones in. I hope you enjoy!!!
I was struck dumb to find it in one of the three grocery stores in town, but no butterscotch just the chocolate, so grabbed a bottle before it could disappear in front of my eyes.
Haven’t gotten to make the vienetta yet, but will give it a try, I think that I will go with a good strawberry ice cream, the chocolate, and will buy myself one of those cans of real whipped cream under pressure to put into the dish. That would be a fun treat for next weekend, which is a Holiday in Canada. I am sure that’s close to your Memorial Day, and most of the kids now don’t remember what either Victoria Day or Memorial day is about, its just a holiday. But my daughter loves strawberries, so figure can’t go wrong with it.
You are so right Eva, not many have a clue as to why we celebrate.
I can’t wait to surprise my family with this. I use to get this for holidays and my children were so disappointed when they stopped making it. Never would have thought of making it.
I hope they love it Mary!!! Let me know!
The true secret to completing this delicacy is actually… layers of whipped cream added and not your “Cool Whip”, either. If you could make your own that would be best… Otherwise, Redi-Whip would be fine. To make your own whipped cream, you will need to purchase a whipped cream canister kit, from Williams-Sonoma®. Start by getting some vanilla flavoring syrup, such as that available at Starbucks®, used as a coffee syrup. It takes 8 pumps of that…then, about 16oz. of heavy whipping cream, available at your local super market. Then place the lid onto the canister. With the CO2 cartridges compatible with the Issi® system ($14.99/10 pack at Williams-Sonoma®), charge the whipped cream by shaking the canister 8 times upright. Leave the canister lie on its side, for about 2-3 minutes. Then shake the canister, again upside down and test, to confirm proper consistency, by squeezing the trigger. By that time, you’ll be able to add rich, creamy layers of frozen whipped cream to the Viennetta™, which it’s the proper recipe, for the amazing ice cream treat. I can’t disclose the reason, I know this, but I assure you, it will complete your recipe…giving you the end result, you’ve been longing for. There is not any word of Viennetta returning to the global market, but Unilever®, is consistently, working on innovations, to better serve their customers.
Mercy. That wore me out and emptied my wallet just reading it. I’m one of those crazy people who can make homemade whipped cream without a visit to Williams Sonoma. But thank you for all of the in depth information! In the six years since I’ve started this site, yours is the first comment to include copyright, trademark, and registered trademark symbols! 🙂
This is one of the oddest comments I’ve ever read.
~giggles~
I was thinking the same… very inside trade type BUT viennetta does have some fluffy layers.
I going to take you recipe and run with it …will let you know how it turns out. Both hubby and I a are craving it, but no trip planned to Europe anytime soon…
This looks so good, easy and tempting on hot day. Thanks , Christy. You are one of the sweetest ladies I know on FB,