This show-stopping ice cream loaf is easy to put together with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and cherries and store-bought ice cream.

Happy Fourth of July! I realize I’m getting this dessert idea out to you at the very last possible minute, but this is so easy and elegant that I just had to share. Plus, it doesn’t have to be patriotic. You can swap in whatever fruits and whatever flavors your prefer and enjoy this ice cream loaf technique all summer long.

Here I used vanilla bean and lemon ice creams. The lemon ice cream is super refreshing, and plays really well with the fresh summer fruit. The blueberries, strawberries, and cherries were so beautiful that I couldn’t bring myself to cook them as I had originally planned, but using raw fruit makes this ice cream cake taste fresh and almost light, plus it cuts down on the prep time.

Here’s the rundown of what we’re doing here: Line a loaf pan with parchment. Soften some ice cream and spoon in a layer. Top with blueberries and a tad of honey and freeze. Soften another flavor of ice cream and add that, then top with the strawberries and cherries. Freeze again. Top with a final layer of ice cream and freeze one more time before unmolding. Top with a pile of cherries and berries (and maybe some sparklers?!), slice, and serve–with cherry pit whipped cream for bonus points.

Go buy your ice cream and fruit and get layering!

Way better than a loaf of bread, right??

Cherry Berry Ice Cream Loaf

Yield: 8-10 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

This show-stopping ice cream loaf is easy to put together with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and cherries and store-bought ice cream.

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Ingredients

• 1 quart vanilla ice cream
• 1 pint lemon ice cream
• 1 pint blueberries, plus more for serving
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
• 1 cup strawberries, hulled and quartered, plus more whole strawberries for serving
• 1 cup cherries, pitted and halved, plus more whole cherries for serving*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. NOTE: Prep time listed does not include 6 hours chilling time.
2. Line a loaf pan with parchment. Let the vanilla ice cream soften at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, then spoon it into the bottom of the pan and smooth it out to form an even layer about one inch thick. You’ll use less than half of the quart of ice cream, so stash the rest back in the freezer to use later.
3. Stir together the blueberries, honey, and lemon extract in a medium bowl. Spoon them on top of the vanilla ice cream layer. Freeze for two hours, or until the berries are firm.
4. Let the lemon ice cream soften at room temperature, then spread the softened ice cream into an even layer on top of the frozen blueberries. Mix the strawberries and cherries together and spread them on top of the ice cream. Freeze for two hours, or until the fruit is firm.
5. Soften the vanilla ice cream again, and spread some of it on top of the cherries and strawberries to reach the top of the loaf pan. (You may have some extra ice cream, so go ahead and eat it while you wait for the loaf to freeze!) Freeze for at least two hours, or until the top layer is very firm.
6. Turn the pan over onto a large, chilled platter. Peel off the parchment paper. Garnish the loaf with the extra fruit. Slice into 8-10 slices and serve right away, with cherry pit whipped cream if desired.

Notes

*Save the pits for cherry pit whipped cream! It's a fabulous counterpoint to this cake.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 208Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 64mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 2gSugar: 25gProtein: 3g

The nutrition label provided is an estimate for informational purposes only and may not be accurate. I am not a nutritionist or medical professional.