Italian Gelato Cake

This classic Italian gelato cake is a no-churn ice cream cake made with creamy hazelnut gelato, dark chocolate, and a crunchy cookie base—perfect for summer parties and birthdays!

Whether it’s a birthday or a dinner with friends, this classic Italian gelato cake is a guaranteed hit. And the best part? You don’t need an ice cream maker!

In Sicily, where I grew up, ice cream cakes, or gelato cakes, and semifreddo are a big part of summer.

Every pastry shop has them, in all kinds of flavors—pistachio, hazelnut, chocolate, strawberry—you name it.

It’s the go-to dessert when it’s hot outside and you want something cold, creamy, and sweet. I’ve always loved them, so today I’m excited to share my favorite homemade version with you.

It starts with a crumbly base made from cookies, then gets layered with creamy hazelnut gelato (yes, homemade!), toasted hazelnuts, and a crisp layer of dark chocolate.

It looks super fancy but is actually really easy to put together and tastes just like the ones you’d find in a small Sicilian pasticceria.

And if you love Italian frozen desserts as much as I do, try this Nutella gelato, the famous Sicilian Lemon granita, or this delicious chocolate semifreddo.

Ingredients

You only need a few basic ingredients to make this gelato cake recipe, most of them would probably be in your pantry already:

• Hazelnut butter: Hazelnut butter is made by blending roasted, peeled hazelnuts until smooth—just like peanut butter. You can make it at home or use a good-quality store-bought version. Just make sure it’s 100% hazelnuts, with no added ingredients.
• Condensed milk: It adds the right amount of sweetness and keeps the gelato creamy without churning. You can use store-bought, or make your own—I often use this condensed milk recipe
• Double cream: This is the base for your gelato, so make sure it’s nice and cold before whipping—it’ll give you better volume and a fluffier texture. In the US, look for heavy cream with at least 36% fat.
• Cookies: These make the crunchy base of the gelato cake. You can use digestive biscuits /cookies, graham crackers, and butter cookies work too. I often use Gran Cereale cookies which are basically the Italian cousin of digestives.
• Chocolate: Go for good-quality dark chocolate, around 70% cocoa—it melts beautifully and adds a rich, bittersweet contrast.

How to make gelato cake

Making Italian ice cream cake at home might sound complicated, but it’s actually really easy.

You only need a few simple ingredients and steps to make it work!

And the best part? No ice cream maker needed!

Below you’ll find the easy step-by-step recipe instructions with photos to guide you through each stage.

Just scroll to the bottom of the post for the full printable recipe.

STEP 1. Whip the cream, then gently fold in the condensed milk and hazelnut butter until smooth and creamy.

STEP 2. Pour half of the gelato mixture into a loaf tin and freeze for 1.5 hours.

STEP 3. Spread a layer of melted dark chocolate and chopped hazelnuts over the frozen base.

STEP 4. Pour the remaining gelato on top, freeze for 1.5 hours, then top with crumbled cookies. Freeze again until fully set and ready to serve.

When ready to serve, flip the cake onto a board or platter, remove the cling film, drizzle with chocolate, sprinkle with hazelnuts, and enjoy right away.

Recipe tips

• Use full-fat ingredients: For the creamiest gelato, always go for full-fat cream and condensed milk.
• Chill your container: Place your loaf tin or container in the freezer before you start — it helps the mixture freeze faster and more evenly.
• Room-temperature hazelnut butter: If you’re using a hazelnut spread or butter from the fridge, take it out at least an hour in advance so it blends easily into the mix.
• Cold cream is key: Make sure your double cream (or heavy cream) is fridge-cold before whipping.
• Line the loaf tin: to help the cling film stick to the loaf tin and stay in place, lightly brush the inside of the tin with a little olive oil first. Then press the cling film on top—the oil helps it cling perfectly, making it much easier to layer in your gelato.

Storage tips

Store the hazelnut gelato cake in a freezer-safe container (I usually use a loaf tin) and cover it tightly with a lid or plastic wrap.

If you have leftovers, slice the cake into individual portions and wrap each one in parchment paper or cling film.

Keep them in an airtight container in the freezer for a quick, single-serve treat anytime you need something sweet and refreshing.

More gelato cake recipe ideas

• Nutella gelato cake: Simply swap the hazelnut butter with Nutella (same quantity) for a rich chocolatey gelato. Add a drizzle of Nutella and a sprinkle of roasted hazelnuts between the layers for extra flavor and crunch.

• White chocolate pistachio gelato cake: Replace hazelnut butter with pistachio paste (make sure it’s pure pistachio, not sweetened spread). Add a layer of melted white chocolate and crushed pistachios in the center and on top.

• Tiramisu’ gelato cake: Add 1-2 tablespoons of instant coffee to the hazelnut gelato base, substitute the crumbled cookies with ladyfingers and dust with cocoa powder before serving.

Did you try this recipe?

Please let me know how you liked it! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thepetitecook!

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Recipe

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This Italian gelato cake is a no-churn ice cream cake made with hazelnut gelato, dark chocolate, and a cookie base—perfect for summer parties!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Freezing time6 hours hrs

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Serving: 12

Calories: 423kcal

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• 400 g heavy cream, unsweeted, cold, approx 1 ⅔ US cup
• 300 g sweetened condensed milk , approx 1 US cup
• 150 g hazelnut butter (100% hazelnuts, no added sugar), approx ½ US cup + 1 tbsp
• 100 g dark chocolate, chopped, approx ⅔ cup
• 4 tablespoons roasted hazelnuts, chopped

Gelato cake base:

• 180 g digestive cookies, about 13-14 cookies
• 3 tablespoon condensed milk

MetricUS Customary

Instructions

• In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, whip the cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

• In a separate bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and hazelnut butter until smooth and creamy.

• Gently fold the hazelnut mixture into the whipped cream using a spatula, working from the bottom up to keep the mixture light and airy.

• Line a loaf tin with cling film or parchment paper. Pour half of the hazelnut gelato mixture into the tin and smooth the top. Cover and place in the freezer for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Store the remaining gelato mixture in the fridge, for later use.

• Melt the dark chocolate and set it aside to cool completely.

• Remove the tin from the freezer and pour in half of the melted chocolate, spreading it evenly over the gelato base. Sprinkle half of the chopped hazelnuts on top.

• Pour in the remaining gelato mixture, smooth the top, cover the tin again, and return it to the freezer for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

• Place the digestive cookies in a food processor with 2-3 tablespoons of condensed milk and blend until finely crumbled.

• Take the tin out of the freezer and spread the cookie mixture evenly over the gelato, pressing it down gently. Cover and return to the freezer for at least 4 hours, or until fully set.

• Before serving, let the gelato cake sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes.

• Place a large serving board or platter on top of the loaf tin, then carefully flip the tin over so the gelato cake slides out onto the board. Peel off the cling film, drizzle with the remaining melted chocolate, sprinkle over the chopped hazelnuts, and serve straight away.

Notes

• Use full-fat ingredients: For the creamiest gelato, always go for full-fat cream and condensed milk.
• Chill your container: Place your loaf tin or container in the freezer before you start — it helps the mixture freeze faster and more evenly.
• Room-temperature hazelnut butter: If you’re using a hazelnut spread or butter from the fridge, take it out at least an hour in advance so it blends easily into the mix.
• Cold cream is key: Make sure your double cream (or heavy cream) is fridge-cold before whipping.
• Line the loaf tin: to help the cling film stick to the loaf tin and stay in place, lightly brush the inside of the tin with a little olive oil first. Then press the cling film on top—the oil helps it cling perfectly, making it much easier to layer in your gelato.

Nutrition

Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 336mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 577IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 2mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.