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    Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes

    Baked Alaska

    Published: May 24, 2020 · Modified: Jan 27, 2021 by Erin · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Cake with dome of ice cream

    Baked Alaska was a dessert for celebrations when I was growing up. We had it for my dad's birthday many years, and occasionally for other special moments. I remember as a young child being enamored with the magic of this dessert! How does the ice cream go into the oven and not come out a big, puddly mess? It's the magic of science! A perfect meringue blanket of insulation over the dome of ice cream.

    On a particularly memorable occasion, when I was young, my mom put the Baked Alaska into the oven, and just a few minutes later the smoke alarms began to sound. Smoke poured from the oven! My sisters and I were told to go into the front yard. Panicked, we obeyed! It turns out, the paper bag that my mom put under the cake had burst into flames. I'm not quite sure how, but my dad put the fire out and avoided the fire department making a trip to our house.

    Baked Alaska covered in meringue

    Not wanting a repeat of these flames, I decided to fold strips of aluminum foil to place between the cake and a sheet pan, so that the cake could be lifted off and placed onto the serving plate. It was a 2-person job, but it worked! You could probably just put it on an oven-safe plate, but I haven't tried that method. If you are a risk-taker, the old paper bag method works too!

    This was the perfect finish to our Alaska-themed dinner!

    Recipe

    Slice of Baked Alaska

    Traditional Baked Alaska

    Recipe by: Erin
    Traditional Baked Alaska is a surprisingly simple, but really impressive dessert with layers of cake, ice cream, and meringue.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12
    Calories 560 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 Vanilla cake mix (and ingredients listed on box to make cake)
    • ½ gallon Vanilla ice cream

    Meringue

    • 6 egg whites
    • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 cup sugar
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    Instructions
     

    • Soften a ½ gallon of ice cream on the counter for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line a medium sized mixing bowl with plastic wrap. Scoop the ice cream into the bowl, pressing firmly to remove any air pockets. Cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours. (Can be done up to a week in advance.)
      ½ gallon Vanilla ice cream
    • Prepare cake according to package directions and pour ⅔ full into a 9-inch cake pan. Bake at 325 for 35-45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool. Then invert the ice cream onto the cake, wrap together, and freeze until ready to serve.
      1 Vanilla cake mix
    • Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla on medium-high speed with a whisk attachment, until foamy. Slowly add sugar and continue beating several more minutes until mixture is glossy and has formed stiff peaks.
      6 egg whites, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, ½ teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup sugar
    • Fold 2 strips of aluminum foil, using enough to fold over several times to create sturdy "holders" for the cake. Lay across a baking sheet. Place the cake and ice cream onto the foil strips. Using a spatula, spread meringue in a thick layer all over the ice cream cake, making sure it is completely covered all the way to the baking sheet, to seal. Use the back of a spoon to create valleys and swirls.
    • Bake in the oven at 500 degrees for 3 minutes, or until peaks are golden brown. Watch carefully, as it can burn quickly. Let cake rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Freeze leftovers.

    Notes

    I make this cake in a round cake plan, but if you purchase a rectangular block of ice cream this can also be done in a 9x13 and cut about a half-inch bigger than the ice cream cube.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 560kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 450mg | Potassium: 386mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 68g | Vitamin A: 664IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 297mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Photo of Erin Gierhart

    Welcome! I'm Erin: Wife, mom, lover of great food, and former food safety administrator. I am passionate about cooking mostly from scratch recipes that bring comfort, without spending all day in the kitchen. Most recipes on this site can be made in under 30 minutes! This approach to cooking allows me to provide delicious meals for my family while freeing up time to spend with those I love.

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