Decadent Ice Cream Cake Recipes Worth Throwing Together Before Summer Ends

There are a lot of great things about having a summer birthday. (I’m an August baby, so I would know!) You can plan an outdoor party, you don’t have to worry about it getting dark super early, and there’s zero chance of a snowstorm coming along and ruining everything. But the absolute best part of celebrating over the summer is that ice cream cake is an even more appealing option than a regular cake. (Cooks know ice cream cake recipes are also typically more appealing than regular cake recipes, too.)

Now, don’t get me wrong: I love a good red velvet or chocolate layer cake as much as the next person. It’s just that they sometimes feel like so much work. You need to make the cake and frosting separately, then wait around for cakes to cool before you can decorate. I don’t know about you, but when it’s gorgeous outside, the last thing I want to do is stand in a hot kitchen waiting for a sponge cake to bake evenly. With ice cream cake, there’s none of that.

And even if you don’t have a summer birthday, there’s plenty of hot weather worth celebrating. When it’s 90 degrees out, every weekend feels like an occasion for an outdoor bash. So scroll down and peruse the below ice cream cake recipes. Some of them are totally no-bake—just throw some ingredients together, pop your batter in the fridge, and voila. Others are a little more involved (if you do like baking brownies or a cake layer, these are for you). No matter what, you’ll definitely want to serve one of these easy ice cream cakes at your next birthday party. Or, frankly, any day of the week.