Baked Alaska

4.6
(62)

Baked Alaska is a cake topped with ice cream and caramelized meringue. It's so delicious and a great way to wow your guests! You can use your favorite flavor of ice cream or a combination of flavors.

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Close up on a baked Alaska with a large slice missing.
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Prep Time:
25 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Additional Time:
10 hrs
Total Time:
10 hrs 35 mins
Servings:
16
Yield:
1 (8-inch) baked alaska

Baked Alaska can be intimidating, but it's actually not very hard to make at home. You just need the right recipe! That's where we come in.

What Is Baked Alaska?

Baked Alaska is a baked dessert consisting of cake, ice cream, and meringue. So how does the ice cream not melt during the baking process? The meringue insulates it from the heat. The treat is baked in a hot oven for a few minutes or just long enough to firm and brown the meringue.

close up view of Baked Alaska toasted on top, on a platter

melissahyerstay

What Is In Baked Alaska?

These are the ingredients you'll need to make this baked Alaska recipe at home:

  • Ice cream: Use store-bought vanilla ice cream or make your own at home.
  • Egg whites: You'll need egg whites to make meringue.
  • Cream of tartar: Cream of tartar stabilizes the meringue.
  • Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the flavor, but it won't make your baked Alaska taste salty.
  • Sugar: A cup of white sugar will satisfy your sweet tooth.
  • Cake: Use store-bought white cake or make your own at home.

How to Make Baked Alaska

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make baked Alaska:

  1. Pack the ice cream into a prepared bowl and freeze.
  2. Make the meringue.
  3. Turn the ice cream out onto the prepared cake layer.
  4. Spread the meringue over the ice cream.
  5. Bake until the meringue is lightly browned.

Cook’s Note

Sometimes I like to use a kitchen blowtorch to caramelize the meringue instead of baking it.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"I cheated a little and used sliced pound cake cake as a base then I poured some Baileys liqueur over it before the ice cream was added," says Kim Bee. "Other than that it went like a dream."

"I spooned raspberry sauce on the base before adding the ice cream and meringue," according to bevadel2000. "A tour de force to finish a meal. Delicious."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 16 servings

  • 2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened, or as needed

  • 8 egg whites

  • teaspoon cream of tartar

  • teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup white sugar

  • 1 8-inch round prepared white cake layer

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    All ingredients gathered to make baked Alaska.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  2. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round mixing bowl with plastic wrap. Pack softened ice cream into the prepared bowl, then flatten the top and cover with more plastic wrap. Freeze until firm, 8 hours to overnight.

    Ice cream packed into a mixing bowl.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  3. Beat egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form.

    Egg whites, sugar, salt and cream of tartar beaten together till stiff peaks form.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place cake in the center. Remove ice cream from the freezer, discard plastic wrap, and turn ice cream out on top of cake.

    Cake placed on a baking sheet with ice cream placed on top.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  5. Quickly spread meringue over ice cream and cake, swirling in decorative patterns if desired. Freeze for 2 hours.

    Meringue quickly spread over top of ice cream.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

  7. Bake cake on the lowest oven shelf until meringue is light brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

    Baked Alaska baked until golden-brown.

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  8. Slice and enjoy!

    a heroic view of a baked Alaska with a slice missing

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

83 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

330 Calories
11g Fat
53g Carbs
6g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 16
Calories 330
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 315mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 53g 19%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 44g
Protein 6g 12%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 149mg 11%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 204mg 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.