These lemon ice cream sandwiches are the ultimate refreshing treat for summer.

They’re bursting with bright, tangy lemon flavor and are sure to become everyone’s favorite dessert.

Despite having a few simple steps, this recipe is very easy to make at home. We will guide you through the entire process with detailed step-by-step instructions, photos, and a full video so you can create these delicious lemon ice cream sandwiches with confidence.

This recipe was actually another one of my boyfriend’s requests.

While I was planning recipes for the upcoming week, he asked if I could make lemon ice cream sandwiches, but instead of using biscuits, he wanted them with cake.

So that’s exactly what we made, and they turned out absolutely delicious.

For this recipe, I’m using my new square baking pan, and I couldn’t be more excited. I’m not sure if I’ve used it already this week, but honestly, I’ve been wanting this pan for years.

I didn’t even know the exact name of it until about a year ago when I asked @ruefig on Instagram, and she kindly told me. But it wasn’t until this month that I finally got my hands on it.

Where I live, this pan usually costs over 100 euros, I’m not even kidding. So when I saw it at Homesense for just $12, I grabbed it immediately without a second thought.

Lemon Ice Cream Sandwich

This lemon ice cream sandwich is made with a soft, tangy lemon cake and filled with a creamy, easy-to-make ice cream.

I believe the ice cream layer should be slightly thicker to create the perfect balance between cake and ice cream, so I’ve adjusted the quantities just a little to make sure this recipe turns out exactly right, thick, creamy, and absolutely delicious.

Let me quickly explain how we’ll organise this recipe so you can prepare it easily at home. First, we’ll start by making the lemon cake batter. We will bake half of the batter in a square pan, and then bake the other half separately to create two cake layers. Once both layers have cooled down completely, we will prepare the ice cream.

The ice cream has two simple parts: first, we’ll make the lemon-infused cream, and second, we’ll whip the cream and combine it all together to create a creamy, refreshing ice cream filling.

Finally, we’ll trim the cakes to remove any browned edges (and you can eat those delicious scraps), and then assemble the sandwiches.

Make sure your pan is lined with parchment paper before layering: place one cake layer on the bottom, spread the creamy lemon ice cream evenly, and finish with the second cake layer on top to create the perfect lemon ice cream sandwiches.

Key Ingredients

For this recipe, we will be using lots of fresh lemons, both for the cake batter and for the ice cream, so make sure you have a big bag ready.

Lemons: We’ll need both the zest and juice. Make sure to only zest the bright yellow part of the skin, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens both the cake and ice cream, balancing the tartness of the lemons.
All-purpose flour: Used only for the cake to give it structure and a soft crumb.
Eggs: Essential for the cake, providing structure and richness. We will also need egg yolks for the ice cream to create a creamy texture.
Yogurt: Adds moisture and a slight tang to the cake, enhancing the fresh lemon flavour.
Butter or vegetable oil: Butter will give the cake a richer taste, but if you don’t have it on hand, a neutral oil like sunflower oil works well too.
Baking powder: Helps the cake rise to become light and fluffy.
Heavy whipping cream: Make sure it has at least 35% fat content, as this will create a rich, creamy lemon ice cream for your sandwiches.

What Equipment Do We Need

Mixing bowls for preparing the cake batter and ice cream
Whisk to combine your wet ingredients smoothly
Spatula or wooden spoon for folding and mixing
Saucepan for preparing any lemon cream infusions
Square pan to bake the cake layers evenly
Parchment paper to line your pan and prevent sticking
Zester for finely grating the lemon zest without the bitter white pith
Juicer to extract fresh lemon juice easily and efficiently

Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches

step by step recipe

lemon cake

Start by zesting 3 lemons, making sure to only remove the bright yellow part using a fine zester.

Place the lemon zest into a bowl along with the granulated sugar. Using your fingers, rub the lemon zest into the sugar until it becomes fragrant.

This step helps release the natural oils from the zest, making the sugar beautifully aromatic and enhancing the lemon flavor in your cake.

Next, add the flour and baking powder to the lemon sugar mixture. Using a whisk, mix everything together until well combined.

Now add the eggs, along with the oil and the yogurt to the bowl.

Mix everything together with a whisk until you have a smooth, well-combined batter with no lumps remaining.

Finally, add the lemon juice to the batter. I recommend adding it slowly, mixing gently after each addition.

This helps to prevent the batter from curdling and ensures the lemon juice is fully incorporated.

Now preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Line your square baking pan with parchment paper. Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly.

Once the oven is hot, bake the cake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the baked cake from the pan and set it aside to cool.

Then repeat the same process with the remaining half of the batter to create your second cake layer.

Once both cake layers have cooled, you can trim off the brown top layer if you prefer.

This will give you a cleaner, more even look when assembling your ice cream sandwiches later.

prepare the lemon ice cream

Start by zesting 4 lemons. Place the zest into a bowl with the granulated sugar and use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar.

This will help release the natural oils from the lemon zest, infusing the sugar with a deeper, more vibrant lemon flavor for your ice cream.

Next, pour half of the heavy cream along with half of the lemon-infused sugar into a saucepan. Warm it over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Once the mixture starts to boil and the sugar has completely dissolved, remove the pan from the heat.

In the mixing bowl with the remaining lemon-infused sugar, add the two egg yolks.

Using a whisk, mix them together thoroughly.

Then, slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the bowl with the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly as you pour.

You can ask someone to help you pour while you whisk, or do it yourself slowly and carefully.

This process tempers the egg yolks, preventing them from scrambling.

Once fully combined, return the entire mixture back to the same saucepan.

Then, place the saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture, stirring constantly with a spatula.

Continue until the mixture thickens slightly, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Be careful not to overheat. Once thickened, remove the pan from the heat.

Next, add the lemon juice to the mixture.

It’s best to add it slowly while stirring gently to prevent the cream from curdling.

This gradual addition helps keep the sauce smooth and creamy while enhancing the lemon flavor.

In a separate clean and dry bowl, whip the remaining heavy whipping cream with some granulated sugar (just a little to help the cream whip easily) until soft peaks form, then continue whipping just a little longer until the cream is slightly firmer but still smooth and creamy.

Now, slowly pour the cooled lemon mixture into the whipped heavy cream.

If the lemon mixture is still too hot, allow it to cool slightly before combining to avoid melting the whipped cream.

For an extra burst of lemon flavor, you can also fold in some additional lemon zest at this stage.

Line the square baking pan with parchment paper. Place one lemon cake layer at the bottom of the pan.

Pour the lemon ice cream mixture evenly over the cake. Freeze for 20 minutes to let the ice cream set slightly.

After 20 minutes, carefully add the second cake layer on top. Cover and freeze the assembled ice cream sandwiches overnight for the best texture and flavor.

When ready to enjoy, simply slice the lemon ice cream sandwiches into portions and serve. Keep them stored in the freezer until just before serving to prevent melting.

For the best texture and flavor, let them sit outside the freezer for about 5 minutes before eating. Enjoy this refreshing summer treat!