Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Cake Roll~

Here is a recipe I used for a recent gathering of our gourmet group that we hosted. The recipe is another that I found in the newspaper column of our local James Beard Award-winning chef, Sanford d'Amato.


First, a sponge cake is made in a jelly roll-sized pan. I used a half-sheet, rimmed baking pan.


After the sponge cake has cooled it is spread with softened ice cream (the sky is the limit here as far as flavors go), it is wrapped it in parchment paper of plastic wrap and put it in the freezer overnight. Pretty easy!

It doesn't look very pretty when first unwrapped...



...but after the end pieces are cut off it's beautiful. Next time I make it I will try to roll the cake a little tighter so I have a prettier spiral and also spread the ice cream a little thinner.

The recipe includes a chocolate sauce which was also wonderful. It has just a touch of maple syrup in it which you can't really taste but it gives a wonderful depth of flavor.

Even the raspberries tasted wonderful bathed in chocolate.

Chocolate Ice Cream Cake Roll

Printable Recipe

Chocolate sponge cake (see recipe)
1 quart good-quality ice cream
Chocolate glaze (see recipe)

Chocolate sponge cake:

4 large eggs, room temperature
1 large egg yolk
¼ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup cake flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 17½-by-11-inch jellyroll pan with parchment.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs, yolk, sugar and salt at medium speed until stiff peaks form; this will take 10 to 12 minutes. Gently sift in flour and cocoa, stirring just to combine. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan and bake in preheated oven until cake is springy to the touch and just begins to pull away from sides of pan, about 7 minutes. Immediately cut around edges to free cake and transfer cake and parchment to another baking pan or work surface to cool.

When sponge cake is cool, remove parchment and place cake on clean side of parchment. Slightly soften ice cream so it is spreadable but not melting and quickly spread an even ¼- to ½-inch-thick layer over flattened cake, leaving a 1-inch border on long end. Roll up, jellyroll style, toward uncovered border and quickly place in freezer. Just before serving, make chocolate glaze.

Chocolate glaze:

¾ cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped 1 tablespoon maple syrup

In a small, heavy pot, bring cream to a boil. Pour over chocolate in a bowl and let sit 1 minute. Add syrup and stir from center with rubber spatula to emulsify. When just warm, pour evenly over top of frozen cake and immediately cut and serve slices.

To serve, cut into slices and drizzle with chocolate glaze and fresh fruit (optional)