Baked Alaska

Baked Alaska is ice cream on a cake base, wrapped in meringue and browned in a hot oven until the outside crisps while the inside stays frozen. The meringue insulates the cold center, so it all comes together in one dramatic dessert that looks like it should be impossible but works every time.

Ingredients for Baked Alaska

Sponge cake gives a sturdy base that holds ice cream without crumbling. Egg whites beaten with sugar make the meringue that browns and insulates everything inside. Vanilla extract flavors the meringue lightly. Cornstarch stabilizes the meringue so it holds its shape in the heat. Cream of tartar helps the egg whites whip to stiff peaks. Ice cream (any flavor you like) is the frozen center that the meringue protects. Salt seasons the meringue.

Why This Baked Alaska Works

Meringue is mostly air and egg white, which is a poor heat conductor. When you brown it fast in a very hot oven, the outside sets and browns before the heat can reach the ice cream inside. The cornstarch and cream of tartar stabilize the meringue so it doesn’t weep or collapse during baking.

The sponge cake provides a flat, stable platform that won’t soak through or break under the weight of the ice cream and meringue. The whole assembly goes into the freezer before baking, so the ice cream is as cold as possible when it hits the oven, buying you time before it melts.

Mistakes To Avoid

Weak meringue that collapses or weeps happens when egg whites are not beaten to stiff peaks or when you skip the cornstarch and cream of tartar. The meringue should look glossy and hold a peak that doesn’t fall over when you lift the whisk.

Melted ice cream shows that the meringue was not thick enough, the oven was not hot enough, or the assembly did not freeze long enough before baking. A thick meringue layer (at least 1 inch all over) and a 500°F oven are not optional.

Burnt meringue that turns dark brown or black means the oven stayed hot too long or the meringue was too thin to insulate. Watch it the whole time and pull it out as soon as the peaks and edges are golden.

Exposed ice cream at the edges happens when you do not seal the meringue completely to the cake base. Push the meringue right to the edge of the cake all the way around so no ice cream shows.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (188 grams)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113 grams), softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
• 6 large egg whites, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
4. Add flour mixture and milk in three additions, starting and ending with flour, mixing on low speed until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan.
5. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack, then turn out onto a serving plate.
6. Spread softened ice cream in an even layer over the cooled cake, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight until the ice cream is rock-hard.
7. In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar while beating on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes.
8. Fold in cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt gently until just combined. The meringue should be smooth and glossy.
9. Remove the frozen cake from the freezer. Spread or pipe meringue over the entire top and sides of the ice cream and cake, making sure to seal it completely to the plate with no ice cream visible.
10. Heat the oven to 500°F (260°C). Place the Alaska on a baking sheet and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue peaks and edges until golden. Serve immediately.