Cheesecake ice cream folded with buttery cake cubes soaked in a sweet-and-salty honey butterscotch sauce.
If you were wondering whether I’ve been eating much ice cream this summer, the short answer is: absolutely. Ice cream hour—the quiet slot between dinner and bedtime when you can indulge without sharing—has been an essential daily ritual. I may skip lunch most days, but that moment with a bowl of something cold and decadent is nonnegotiable.
Most nights I reach for a pint from the freezer, but every now and then I push myself to make homemade ice cream. I’m always surprised at how easy it turns out to be. Past failures with rock-hard results taught me a lot, and discovering reliable recipes made the process far less intimidating. One of the best tricks I’ve learned is using an eggless base—no custard eggs to overcook or curdle—so the texture is consistently smooth and creamy.
My latest experiment is an adaptation of a well-known recipe for Ooey Gooey Honey Butterscotch Butter Cake Ice Cream. It combines a cheesecake-style ice cream base with cubes of butter cake that have been drenched in a honey butterscotch soak. The sauce keeps the cake tender even after freezing, creating soft pockets of cake throughout the ice cream. The interplay of smoky-sweet butterscotch and tangy cheesecake flavor is what makes this frozen dessert so irresistible. Think of it as a self-contained sundae—layers of sauce, cake, and creamy ice cream in every scoop.
- For the butter cake
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup cake flour
- For the honey butterscotch
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup honey
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- Pinch of sea salt
- For the ice cream
- Half of the butter cake, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3/4 cup honey butterscotch sauce
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- 3–4 drops butter flavoring (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan (no need to grease the sides).
- Melt the butter and stir in the vanilla; set aside to cool slightly.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs, egg yolks, both sugars, and salt. Whip 8–10 minutes, until the mixture has roughly tripled in volume.
- Fold in the cake flour, then gently fold in the melted butter mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake 20 minutes, until golden and pulling away slightly from the sides.
- Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut half the cake into 1/2-inch cubes for the ice cream.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and honey. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to color. Continue cooking without stirring until it turns a deep amber.
- Remove from heat and carefully drizzle in the heavy cream, stirring to dissolve any hardened sugar. Add the butter one tablespoon at a time, stirring until smooth. Finish with a pinch of sea salt to taste. Allow the sauce to cool slightly before using.
- Place the cake cubes in a large bowl and pour 3/4 cup of the honey butterscotch sauce over them. Toss gently to coat and let them sit while you prepare the base; the sauce helps keep the cake tender once frozen.
- Whisk 2 tbsp of the milk with the cornstarch to form a smooth slurry. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with the 1/2 tsp salt until smooth.
- Fill a large bowl with ice and water for an ice bath.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining milk, 1 1/4 cups heavy cream, light brown sugar, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil 4 minutes, stirring as needed. Remove from heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Return to the stove and bring back to a boil, cooking until slightly thickened (about 1 minute), stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
- Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Transfer the custard to a sealable bag or shallow container and chill in the ice bath until completely cold, about 30 minutes.
- Churn the cold custard in a frozen ice cream maker canister according to the manufacturer’s directions. Add butter flavoring, if using, during churning. Churn until thick and creamy (roughly 20–30 minutes depending on your machine).
- Spoon the churned ice cream into a freezer-safe container, layering with the coated cake cubes and additional sauce if desired. Press a piece of parchment or plastic directly on the surface, seal with an airtight lid, and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
For more ice cream inspiration:
Sweet Corn and Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream
Cinnamon Basil and Pine Nut Praline Ice Cream
Peanut Butter Oreo Ice Cream