Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake Roll, the perfect hot summer’s day dessert. No need to buy an ice cream cake with this easy recipe that requires very little effort. Make a simple vanilla sponge, fill with Neapolitan ice cream and roll!
My husband’s nonna was known for her delicious ice cream cake! She made this simple cake during the summer and was known for brushing the sponge with peach schnapps for extra flavor and moisture. This is a recipe I’ve been wanting to recreate for years!
And if, like me, you are intimidated by cake rolls, don’t be. I made a roll cake for the first time when I recently posted this Ricotta and Pistachio Roll Cake recipe. It was much easier than I thought and so I decided it was time to take on an ice cream cake roll just in time to enjoy for this summer.
What is Neapolitan ice cream?
Neapolitan ice cream is characterized by it’s 3 flavors (chocolate, vanilla and strawberry) all placed side by side in the same package.
It is said to have that it was created by Neapolitan immigrants who went to America and took along with them their ice cream making expertise.
You can most definitely purchase any ice cream flavor of your choice for this cake. Ideally, ice cream packaged in a rectangular shaped container is ideal since you can slice it and place it on your sponge in order to roll the cake.
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Scroll to the end of this post for the complete printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
Prepare the sponge:
Separate 4 large eggs, place the whites in a separate bowl and set aside. Add the yolks to a large bowl and whisk vigorously with sugar until pale and frothy, about 3 minutes. A hand held mixer or egg beater may be used for this step. Stir in vanilla extract.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt and use a rubber spatula to stir into the egg mixture until smooth.
At this point the batter will be quite thick and have a pasty texture.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Fold half the egg whites into the batter. Stir in the remaining egg whites just until there are no visible white streaks of egg whites. 
Pour the mixture in a parchment paper covered baking sheet (10 x 15 inches) and spread it out evenly with a spatula. Tap the baking sheet on your counter a few times to eliminate air bubbles. Bake in a 350 degrees F preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until golden and spongy. Do not overbake the sponge.
Immediately invert the sponge onto a sheet of parchment paper (or a clean tea towel) lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Carefully peel off the sheet of parchment paper and discard. Roll, using the parchment paper to guide you, from the short end. Wrap in the parchment paper and let cool completely.
Assemble the cake roll:
Unroll the sponge and brush the entire surface with liqueur of your choice. I used coffee liqueur but other options include rum, Amaretto or Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur).
Remove the carton of Neapolitan flavored ice cream from the freezer and slice with a sharp knife into roughly half inch slices.
Use a spatula to transfer slices of ice cream onto the sponge. Leave a 1-inch border at one of the short ends as the ice cream tends to ooze out when you rolling. I used about 3/4 of the ice cream. package. Return unused ice cream to the freezer. 
Don’t worry if the slices are not perfectly arranged, it will turn out fine when you roll the cake.
You’ll notice that I did not obtain a swirl of all 3 flavors in each slice of cake as I had hoped for. Oops! Although this is not completely necessary it does make for a pretty slice of cake so if this is what you wish for, place your slices of ice cream in the opposite direction that I placed mine in.
Carefully lift one short edge of the parchment paper and slowly, as tightly as possible, roll the cake using the parchment paper to guide you along. If some of the ice cream oozes out at the opposite end simply remove the excess with your spatula. Dust the top with more powdered sugar to avoid sticking to the parchment paper.
Place the roll seem side down on a sheet of clean parchment paper. Wrap it and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer to set before serving, at least 2 hours.
Remove from the freezer 5-10 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife and serving. Return any leftover cake in the freezer.
Tips and suggestions:
- Neapolitan ice cream may be replaced with any ice cream flavor of your choice.
- If you can not find ice cream sold in a rectangular carton, use ice cream in a bucket style container. Let it soften for 5 minutes, scoop onto the sponge and spread it with a spatula before rolling the cake.
- Substitute rum, Amaretto, or Frangelico in place of coffee liqueur.
- If you don’t want to use liqueur, you may leave the sponge as is or make a simple syrup. In a small sauce pan combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool completely before brushing on the sponge.
To serve:
You can definitely serve this ice cream cake roll as is. To dress it up garnish with grated dark chocolate (as shown), whipped cream, or fruit.
How long does it keep?
Keel leftovers well wrapped in the freezer for up to 1 month.
If you try out this cake please let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below. Feel free to Pin it for later. Buon appetito!
Here are more delicious summer treats for you to enjoy!
- Blueberry Granita
- Balsamic Strawberries with Vanilla Ice Cream
- Maple Roasted Peaches
- Gelo di Fragole
- Gelo di Caffè
- Biancomangiare
- Biancomangiare with Cookies
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp. powdered sugar divided (for dusting on parchment paper and cake)
For the filling
- 1/4 cup coffee liqueur (use up to 1/2 cup, if desired)
- 1.5 liters Neapolitan ice cream (I used 3/4 of a 2 litre carton)
Garnish
- 1 oz dark chocolate grated
Instructions
Prepare the sponge:
- Remove the eggs from the refrigerator about an hour before preparing the sponge.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 10 x 15 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Separate the eggs, place the whites in a bowl and set aside. Add the yolks to a large bowl and whisk vigorously with sugar until pale and frothy, about 3 minutes. A hand held mixer or egg beater may be used for this step. Stir in vanilla.
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt and use a rubber spatula to stir into the egg mixture until smooth. At this point the batter will be quite thick and have a pasty texture.
- Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold half the egg whites into the batter. Stir in the remaining egg whites just until there are no visible white streaks of egg whites.
- Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread evenly with a spatula. Tap the baking sheet a few times on your counter to remove air bubbles in the batter.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and spongy. Do not overbake the sponge.
- While the cake is baking, tear off a sheet of parchment paper the same size as the baking sheet. Dust the entire surface with powdered sugar. A clean dish towel may be used in place of the parchment paper.
- When the cake is out of the oven, immediately invert it onto the prepared sheet of parchment paper. Roll, using the parchment paper to guide you, from the short end. Wrap in the parchment paper and let cool completely.
Assemble the cake roll:
- Remove the carton of Neapolitan flavored ice cream from the freezer and slice into roughly half inch slices with a sharp knife.
- Unroll the sponge and brush the entire surface with coffee liqueur.
- Use a spatula to transfer slices of ice cream onto the sponge. Leave a 1-inch border at one of the short ends as the ice cream will ooze out when you begin rolling it.
- Carefully lift one short edge of the parchment paper and slowly, as tightly as possible, roll the cake using the parchment paper to guide you along. If some of the ice cream rolls out at the opposite end simply remove the excess with your spatula.
- I used about 3/4 of the ice cream. Return unused ice cream to the freezer.
- Place the roll seem side down on a sheet of clean parchment paper. Dust the top lightly with powdered sugar to prevent it from sticking. Wrap in the parchment paper and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer to set before serving, at least 2 hours.
Serve
- Remove from the freezer 5-10 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife and serving. Garnish with grated chocolate or other garnish of your choice such as whipped cream or fruit
Notes
Tips and suggestions:
- The Neapolitan ice cream may be replaced with any ice cream flavor of your choice.
- If you can not find ice cream sold in a rectangular carton, use ice cream in a bucket style container. Let it soften for 5 minutes, scoop onto the sponge and spread it with a spatula before rolling the cake.
- Substitute rum, Amaretto or Frangelilco hazelnut liqueur in place of coffee liqueur.
- If you don't want to use liqueur, you may leave the sponge as is or make a simple syrup. In a small sauce pan combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool completely before brushing on the sponge.
I just tried to make this and i don’t know what I did wrong….after layering with the slabs of ice ream, i began to roll and the sponge split at each turn 🙁 what do you suppose I did wrong?
Hello Mary, the trick in order to ensure the sponge doesn’t crack is as I described in this step: Immediately invert the sponge onto a sheet of parchment paper (or a clean tea towel) lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Carefully peel off the sheet of parchment paper and discard. Roll, using the parchment paper to guide you, from the short end. Wrap in the parchment paper and let cool completely. This is really the best way to describe this process. Just wondering if you let it cool completely before you tried to fill it? Cake rolls are not always easy to get at first try, I also had the experience of the cake cracking before I let it cool thoroughly. I do hope this helps!
What a lovely cake, Nadia! I’ve never attempted anything like this, but you do make it sound easy. Might just give it a go…
Hello Frank, well it is only my second time but I’m getting the hang of rolling cakes and find it much easier than I thought. Always like a new challenge! Let me know if you give it a try!
You made me laugh out loud when you explained why the slices didn’t have each colour of ice cream. I wondered how you made it work out that way, thought there as a secret trick. Haha.
I actually think I like it they way pictured so people like me who love chocolate can choose a slice with all chocolate ice cream!
Hi Marci, well I noticed only when it was too late. Oh well, next time! But you are right, this way those who only want 1 particular flavor can choose the slice that they want. Perfect!
My mom made this all the time! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Hi Silvana, glad to hear this. It seems like several reader’s moms made this recipe. Hope you enjoy!