This copycat Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake recipe has all the components of the classic Dairy Queen frozen treat, simply served as a slice instead of frozen on a stick.
Easy to prepare in 15 minutes, it’s loaded with layers of ice cream, hot fudge, magic shell, and peanuts, all pressed on top of graham cracker pieces.
Copycat Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake
Our 5-ingredient Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake is a copycat of Dairy Queen’s famous frozen dessert, easily made baking dish to share with friends and family.
Made with classic vanilla ice cream, ribbons of hot fudge sauce, and plenty of peanuts in the middle, the cake is covered in a hard chocolate coating with more peanuts sprinkled on top.
Dairy Queen Buster Bars and Peanut Buster Parfait dessert recipes are fun to replicate at home, especially when they take mere minutes to make and taste like the real deal.
A Buster Bar cake is the ultimate summer ice cream treat, perfect for pool parties and potlucks, because after all, even homemade Dilly Bars or Blizzards are only enough to satisfy one.
Why We Love This Buster Bar Ice Cream Dessert Recipe
- Quick and easy to make in 15 minutes.
- Only uses 5 ingredients.
- Combines Dairy Queen classics into one large, layered cake.
- Delicious copycat dessert that tastes just like the original frozen treat.
- Perfect party food prepared in a baking pan so you have plenty to feed a crowd.
More Easy Copycat Recipes
Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake Ingredients
- Fudge-covered graham crackers
- Vanilla ice cream
- Hot fudge topping: I used Mrs. Richardson’s brand but feel free to use your favorite.
- Chocolate magic shell topping
- Dry roasted peanuts
Substitutions and Additions
- Create Your Crust: You can use chocolate graham crackers or Oreo cookies for the bottom layer of your ice cream cake if you prefer.
- Fill With Another Flavor: Feel free to use chocolate ice cream or any of your other favorite flavors instead of vanilla. You can also use homemade vanilla ice cream instead of store-bought brand, or try my Caramel Pretzel Ice Cream, S’mores Ice Cream, Reese’s Peanut Butter Ice Cream recipes.
- No Nuts: To make a nut-free cake, you can substitute chocolate chips, toffee bits, crushed pretzels, or even mini M&M’s for the peanuts.
Recommended Tools
- 9×13 baking dish
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Ice cream scoop
How to Make Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake
- Prepare The Pan: Spread the broken pieces of graham crackers in the bottom of the baking pan. Scoop the ice cream on top, then press and spread the ice cream to cover.
- Layer: Spread the heated hot fudge over the ice cream, sprinkle with peanuts, repeat the ice cream layer, and top with more peanuts.
- Cover The Cake: Cover the entire cake with magic shell and top with peanuts. Cover and chill in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
- Serve: Cut into 12 slices (3 slices x 4 slices). Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tip From Our Recipe Developer
- If the ice cream begins to become too soft while you are assembling the cake, you can place the pan (and the unused ice cream) into the freezer for 30 minutes and then finish assembling the cake.
- You can line the bottom of the cake pan with unbroken fudge-covered graham crackers, but the ice cream will not be able to penetrate the fudge layer. You want the ice cream to be able to meld with the fudge and graham crackers.
- You can substitute any flavor of magic shell for the chocolate magic shell.
- You can use any variety or brand of vanilla ice cream. I chose Great Value Homestyle Vanilla.
- If you cannot find the 16-ounce container of hot fudge topping, you can substitute 1½ container of the 11.75-ounce jar of Smucker’s hot fudge topping. Mrs. Richardson’s brand is the only one I have been able to find lately, so you use what is available.
Storage
- To Store: Store any leftovers tightly covered with plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 10 days.
Other Easy Ice Cream Desserts
- Mexican Ice Cream
- Rolled Ice Cream
- No Bake Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
- Copycat Dairy Queen Buster Bars
- Easy Ice Cream Cake
- Skrewball Whiskey Ice Cream
- Mason Jar Ice Cream
- Hula Pie
Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake
Serves — 12
Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake is inspired by Dairy Queen's classics. It's a family-size take on the traditional chocolate dipped dessert on a stick, served as a slice for sharing.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Freeze Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 14 fudge-covered graham crackers broken into smaller pieces
- 96 ounces (2 48-ounce) containers of vanilla ice cream
- 16 ounces container of hot fudge topping (I used Mrs. Richardson’s brand)
- 14.5 ounces (2 7.25-ounce) bottles of chocolate magic shell topping
- 1¼ cups dry roasted peanuts divide ½ cup, ½ cup and ¼ cup
Instructions
- Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Evenly spread the broken pieces of fudge-covered graham crackers in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Scoop the ice cream onto the broken fudge-covered graham crackers, then carefully press and spread the ice cream out evenly.
- Remove the lid from the hot fudge topping and heat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. (This is only to warm and loosen the hot fudge, so it spreads easier) Quickly spread the hot fudge over the ice cream.
- Sprinkle the ½ cup of peanuts over the hot fudge layer.
- Repeat the ice cream layer with the remaining container of ice cream.
- Sprinkle ½ cup of the peanuts over the ice cream.
- Remove the lids and foil covering over the top of the magic shell containers. Heat in the microwave for 8-10 seconds. Screw the lids on tight and shake to completely mix the magic shell. Squeeze the first container over ½ of the peanut layer. Quickly sprinkle ½ of the remaining peanuts over the magic shell before it hardens. Squeeze the second container of magic shell over the remaining half and quickly sprinkle the rest of the peanuts over the magic shell before it hardens. Cover and chill in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Just before serving, remove the Buster Bar from the freezer and slice it into 12 slices (3 slices x 4 slices). Serve immediately.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Store any leftovers tightly covered with plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 10 days.
- If the ice cream begins to become too soft while you are assembling the cake, you can place the pan (and the unused ice cream) into the freezer for 30 minutes and then finish assembling the cake.
- You can line the bottom of the cake pan with unbroken fudge-covered graham crackers, but the ice cream will not be able to penetrate the fudge layer. You want the ice cream to be able to meld with the fudge and graham crackers.
- You can substitute any flavor of magic shell for the chocolate magic shell.
- You can use any variety or brand of vanilla ice cream. I chose Great Value Homestyle Vanilla.
- If you cannot find the 16-ounce container of hot fudge topping, you can substitute 1½ container of the 11.75-ounce jar of Smucker’s hot fudge topping. Mrs. Richardson’s brand is the only one I have been able to find lately, so you use what is available.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 880kcal | Carbohydrates: 122g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 486mg | Potassium: 697mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 93g | Vitamin A: 960IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 337mg | Iron: 2mg
Always liked it at Dairy Queen, Anxious to try this at home.
10 **********
It’s sounds easy, and I’m not good at intricate recipes!