Baked Alaska recipe

Looking for a show-stopping dessert? This baked Alaska recipe always gives the wow factor! It’s easy to make, and the results are always impressive. The best part? You can make it ahead of time, so all you have to do is pop it in the oven when you’re ready to serve!

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Why you’ll love this tasty dessert recipe

• A real show stopper for Thanksgiving, Christmas, dinner parties, or special occasions.
• It’s a real crowd pleaser, kids and adults alike love it.
• You can make it ahead, leaving you time to spend with your guests.
• All the ingredients are 100% vegetarian.

What is in baked Alaska?

Baked Alaska has a cake base, an ice cream filling, and a meringue casing.

Ice cream in the oven? Are we mad? Well, maybe a little bit mad but you really must try this exceptional dessert – you won’t regret it!

How to make baked Alaska with step-by-step instructions

Making our baked Alaska recipe is easy if you follow our simple instructions.

A full printable recipe, along with the measurements in both US customary and metric, is available in the recipe card below.

For the filling

Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C.

Then, line your cake pan with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray.

Using either a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a handheld electric mixer on medium speed, in a large bowl, combine half the sugar and egg yolks and whisk until it’s thick and pale yellow; this takes approximately 15 minutes.

Now, add vanilla extract and fold in the melted chocolate to combine.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat egg whites and kosher salt, on medium speed, until frothy, then add the remaining sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Next, fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake until the cake has set, approximately 20 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Now, spray a metal bowl with cooking spray and then line it with plastic wrap, then add your ice cream to the lined bowl.

Pack the ice cream in tightly and then cover the surface with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for a minimum of 2 hours until it’s very hard.

Remove the plastic wrap from the top of the ice cream and place your cooled cake on top of the ice cream, ensuring there are no gaps.

Cover with plastic wrap and return the ice cream cake to the freezer and freeze until it has frozen solid.

For the meringue

Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or handheld electric mixer, add egg whites and cream of tartar to a bowl.

On medium speed, beat until it becomes frothy and has doubled in volume, then slowly add the granulated sugar.

Continue beating until glossy peaks form, approximately 6 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 500°F/260°C.

Now, remove the bowl from the freezer and, remove the plastic wrap from the bottom, flip the ice cream cake onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Then pipe or spread the meringue over the entire ice cream cake, swirling decoratively, so it touches the parchment paper.

If the ice cream starts to melt, place it in the freezer for 15/20 minutes.

Then place it in the oven until the meringue is golden brown, approximately 1 – 2 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Want to avoid using the oven?

You can skip the oven stage, add the meringue, and then use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue!

Enjoy your baked Alaska!

When would you eat a dessert like this?

There’s no denying that a Baked Alaska is a special occasion dessert.

It’s perfect on any holiday table, Thanksgiving, especially a Christmas table; let’s face it, those meringue peaks look a little like snow peaks – right?

But you can make it at any time of the year, and it’s perfect for impressing guests when you’re hosting a dinner party.

And why not try another festive recipe? Marzipan cake from Baking for Happiness!

How does the ice cream not melt in a baked Alaska?

It’s all thanks to the meringue!

Meringue is a mixture of whipped egg whites and sugar that forms a stable foam.

When baked, the meringue forms a crispy shell around the outside of the cake and ice cream, insulating it from the heat.

So now you know!

Ice cream flavors – you choose!

We’ve used mint chocolate chip ice cream in our Baked Alaska, but feel free to use your favorite ice cream.

Chocolate ice cream, vanilla ice cream, pistachio ice cream, choose whichever you prefer!

Why not try this protein ice cream recipe?

How do you store leftover baked Alaska?

Wrap the leftovers in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Recipe notes and expert tips

• Don’t want to make the cake base?
  Use a store-bought pound cake, cut it, and arrange the pound cake slices on top of the ice cream layer, ensuring there are no gaps.
• Flavors
  Use whichever ice cream flavor you prefer!
• Storage
  You can keep any leftovers in the freezer wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 2 months.

More dessert recipes for you to try at home

If you love our baked Alaska, then you should try these dessert recipes.

• Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie
• Creme brulee
• No bake Biscoff cheesecake
• Apple crumble
• Chocolate mousse
• Nutella pizza

We hope you enjoy making and eating our Baked Alaska and would love to hear how you got on with making it.

Please leave a comment below or feel free to ask any questions you may have.

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