Are you making dessert for guests or a special occasion? This Kahlúa Hazelnut Ice-Cream Cake is a delicious frozen dessert – the perfect sweet treat after dinner.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made this Kahlúa Hazelnut Ice-Cream Cake…so many times! It’s one of those desserts that looks super impressive and tastes amazing but isn’t too tricky to make, which makes it ideal to serve when guests come over.
Perfect for Summer
This dessert can be enjoyed anytime of year really, but will be extra enjoyable on those warm summer nights when everyone wants to cool down.
When I host Christmas Day lunch or dinner at my home THIS IS OUR CHRISTMAS DESSERT. It’s really refreshing after a big Christmas feast because it’s nice and chilly!
Easy To Make But Takes Time
This recipe isn’t too hard, but it does take some time to put together so make sure you factor in enough time before you need to serve it.
Not For The Kids
As it has kahlua in it, the Kahlúa Hazelnut Ice-Cream Cake is of course not suitable for the kids, so I make a non-alcoholic trifle for them. If you don’t have time to make two desserts, just buy a packet of ice-blocks for the kids – they’ll be happy with that!
Keep It Chilled
This ice-cream cake needs to be kept in the freezer overnight before serving, so clear some space in your freezer before you start making it. If you’re taking it to a friend’s place, check if they will have space in the freezer for it until its time to serve, so it doesn’t melt.
Why Use Kahlua?
Kahlúa has been one of the world’s favourite coffee liqueurs since it was created in Mexico in 1936. Made with coffee beans, it’s a key ingredient in many popular cocktails and is delicious when blended with milk, cream or ice-cream. It adds an amazing coffee flavour to this dessert!
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C
- Line the base of a springform round pan with baking paper
- Place nuts onto a baking tray and roast in oven for 10 minutes
- Cool nuts on baking tray, when cooled place into a tea towel and rub off skin (no need to rub them all off, just do what is easily removed), discard skins into bin or shake tea towel outside
- Roughly chop hazelnuts
- Place butter and sugar into an electric mixing bowl, mix until pale in colour
- Add eggs, continue to mix until all ingredients are combined
- Melt chocolate following packet directions (I melt on 50% in the microwave, 1 minute, stir, repeat until melted)
- Pour chocolate and kahlua into butter mixture, stir gently until combined
- Sprinkle half of the hazelnuts into springform pan
- Pour half the chocolate mixture over nuts
- Freeze for 30 minutes, remove icecream from fridge at 20 minutes to soften
- Spoon ice-cream over nuts, gently pressing into spring form pan
- Pour in remaining chocolate mixture
- Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour
- Remove plastic wrap (keeping to reuse) press remaining hazelnuts into chocolate mix, cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight
- To serve slice like a cake and serve immediately
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
I’d love to hear how it turned out!What can you do with the leftover Kahlua?
Now, what will you do with the 3/4 of a bottle of Kahlúa you have left? Here are some suggestions!
- add some to a chocolate dip and serve with strawberries
- make a White Russian cocktail
- make an espresso martini
- drink it over ice
10 comments
This looks soon good.
I love Kahulua, although I rarely have it in the house as I tend to end up drinking it as a digestif!!!??!! Oops.
I am not hosting Christmas this year, but my parents arrive for an extended stay in January so I will definitely have it on the list for whilst they are here. Pinning this to my Pinterest food boards.
Yum x
Claire, It is soooo yummy!.:) We love having it every Christmas. I hope your family enjoys it as much as we do.:)
I bet this would be good with frangelico!
Ooh yes that does sound nice, Megan!
Katrina, I made this for a Christmas party and it was an absolutely roaring success. The whole thing was demolished in minutes, and my extended family has requested it become an annual inclusion on the table. Thank you very much!
Hi Kat, this looks amazing ! Is there anything else you could try if you didn’t want to buy a bottle of Khalua for it ?
This looks so yummy! I’m planning to make it for Christmas, but am I reading it right that the base contains raw eggs? I haven’t made a frozen dessert like this before, so I’m a little thrown!
That’s correct Catherine. Did you make it for Christmas? I would love to hear how it went 🙂 Kat x
Hi Katrina I’ve made this a long time ago and love it! i’llbe taking to to a Christmas dinner party next weekend, will it keep for a week in the freezer if I make tomorrow or is it best to make day before?
How did you go with it Sue? I haven’t tried keeping it in the freezer for a week so I’m not sure. It might be okay or you might get some ice crystal develop. I would love to hear if you did make it a week in advance and how well it kept. All the best Kat x