Copycat Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake: A Nostalgic Crowd Pleaser
If you’ve ever savored the iconic Dairy Queen Buster Bar, you know the magic of its crunchy, creamy, and chocolatey layers. Now imagine recreating that magic in a homemade ice cream cake that’s perfect for feeding a crowd. This copycat Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake brings the nostalgia of a classic summer treat to your table with every bite.
The Layers of Deliciousness
Here’s how the cake stacks up:
- Crunchy Fudge Graham Crust
The base of this cake is made from fudge covered graham crackers. You can buy pre-made, but you can also make your own. Since you’ll have the magic shell fudge topping, just spread a thin layer on top of the graham crackers once they’re in the dish.
- Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream
A generous layer of vanilla ice cream comes next. It requires 1 1/2 tubs of ice cream to be exact. Use your favorite brand. To keep it budget friendly, I use Kroger brand’s vanilla bean.
- Decadent Hot Fudge
Not one but two jars of hot fudge get drizzled in and spread into the nooks and crannies. This rich layer adds depth and indulgence to the cake.
- Crunchy Peanuts
To balance the sweetness and bring even more crunch, salted or dry-roasted peanuts are added next. You can add more if you’d like. No rules here.
- Hard Shell Fudge
A thin layer of hard shell fudge goes on top of the peanuts to contrast the smooth hot fudge.
- Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream
This cake gets a second generous layer of vanilla ice cream for a total of 3 full 48 oz tubs.
- Crunchy Peanuts
Another layer of peanuts is added so you can see them, just like with a Buster Bar.
- Hard Shell Fudge
Finally, the bottles of hard shell fudge are emptied out all over the top of the cake.
Why You’ll Love It
This ice cream cake is more than just a dessert – it’s a trip down memory lane. Each bite offers the perfect combination of textures: the crunch of the crust and peanuts, the creaminess of the ice cream, the gooey richness of the fudge, and the snap of the chocolate shell. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, or just looking for a nostalgic treat, this Copycat Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake is sure to be a hit. Plus it’s easy to make ahead of time. If you’re a fan of DQ ice cream cakes, you’ll also have to check out my Oreo Blizzard dupe ice cream cake here.
Buster Bar Ice Cream Cake
Ingredients
- 3 48 oz tubs vanilla ice cream (144 oz total)
- 8 1/2 graham cracker sheets
- 2 bottles Magic Shell fudge topping (14.5 oz total)
- 2 11.5 oz jars hot fudge (23 oz total)
- 1 1/2 c peanuts
Instructions
- Line a 9x13 dish or pan with cling wrap or parchment paper.
- Place a single layer of graham crackers in the bottom of the pan, breaking pieces apart to make them fit. If you're not using pre-made fudge graham crackers, squeeze some of the hard shell fudge on top and spread out over the graham crackers.
- Scoop half of the ice cream (1 1/2 tubs) over the fudge graham crackers then top with all the hot fudge and spread out as evenly as you can.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of the peanuts on top of the hot fudge followed by a thin layer of the hard shell fudge.
- Scoop the rest of the ice cream on top then cover with cling wrap and condense everything together by using your hands to press down all over the top ice cream layer until you achieve a relatively flat surface. Remove the cling wrap.
- Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of peanuts and empty out the rest of the hard shell fudge on top.
- Freeze for 5+ hours. Remove from the freezer, cut into 20 servings and enjoy!