Spumoni-Style Italian Cream Cake Recipe

If you love gelato, this Spumoni-style Italian ice cream cake recipe from recipe developer and chef Patterson Watkins should be right up your alley! Spumoni is an Italian dessert that typically consists of cherry gelato, pistachio gelato, and vanilla or chocolate gelato, flavors chosen not just for their relative deliciousness, but because they are similar to the colors on the Italian flag. Spumoni even has its own day, National Spumoni Day, on August 21st, so it's safe to say that the molded gelato treat is quite beloved.

This recipe requires little more than patience and gelato. "Talenti brand is the easiest to source at the grocer and they tend to have a really extensive selection of flavors," Watkins says. "I'm always a fan of supporting local businesses. If you happen to have a gelato shop in your city, town, or area, you can always hit them up as well." Spumoni is a versatile dessert. Watkins recommends serving this ice cream cake on holidays or family dinners, but says that it also can make a great frozen snack.

To make this spumoni-style Italian ice cream cake recipe, you'll need nine whole amaretti or spiced butter cookies and ⅓ cup crushed amaretti or spiced butter cookies. You'll also need pistachio gelato, cherry vanilla gelato, and chocolate gelato.

To decorate the spumoni, you'll need whipped topping, maraschino cherries, and colored sprinkles. Why use Cool-Whip or another pre-made whipped topping? "This is when dairy stabilizers work in your favor," Watkins says. "You can make your own sweetened heavy cream whipped topping. But those homemade versions can get either a little gummy or separated or icy under deep freeze conditions."

Move the gelato from the freezer to the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. This will slightly thaw the gelato and make it easier to work with. Watkins recommends staggering the gelato thawing. "For best results, stagger the gelato thaw in the refrigerator with the layering and setting," she says. "Once you've placed one layer and returned the pan to the freezer, remove the next layer of gelato to thaw."

This is the only tricky part of the recipe. The secret ingredient here, according to Watkins, is patience. "Like with any frozen treats, waiting is the hardest part," she says.

Line a standard loaf pan with plastic wrap. Make sure to completely cover the loaf pan, especially the pan's corners and sides. Place the whole amaretti or spiced butter cookies in a single layer at the bottom of the loaf pan. Sprinkle crushed cookies over the bottom of the pan to fill in any gaps between the whole cookies. Press the crushed cookies slightly to compact them.

Add the softened pistachio gelato to the loaf pan. Spread the gelato evenly over the cookie layer. Tap the loaf pan on your counter or work surface to release any air bubbles in the gelato. Put the loaf pan in the freezer to partially set for 1 hour.

Once the pistachio gelato layer has set, add the softened cherry gelato and spread it evenly over the pistachio layer. Just as you did with the pistachio layer, release any trapped air bubbles and return the loaf pan to the freezer to set for 1 hour. Repeat this process with the chocolate gelato.

Once all the gelato layers have set, carefully release the ice cream cake from the loaf pan by gently pulling on the plastic wrap. Remove the plastic wrap and if necessary, smooth out the sides of the gelato layers.

Next, transfer the ice cream cake to a plate. Spread or pipe whipped topping over the top and sides of the ice cream cake, and then garnish it with maraschino cherries and sprinkles.

And that's it! Your spumoni-style ice cream cake is ready to serve! Watkins recommends serving this ice cream cake with espresso or an Italian digestif such as Amaro.

This spumoni should last for at least 3 months in the freezer if stored properly. "Thoroughly wrap it in a layer of plastic, then secure it with some aluminum foil," Watkins says. "This will assist in keeping the freezer burn at bay."