Birthday Baked Alaska Recipe (2024)

I'd feel a little guilty calling it Baked Alaska if I didn't actually bake it. I've always put my assembled Alaska into a 450° F. oven (on a wooden board to insulate the bottom) for a few quick minutes to do the deed. A/k/a baking it.

Because you are going to end up inverting the ice cream cake, the lady fingers get added to the top after the layers of ice cream (I use store bought ladyfingers). So, first one cream layer, freeze it, then the second on top and freeze it. Then add the third layer - and you push the ladyfingers on top and freeze again. Then out of the freezer you invert the cake, the ladyfingers end up on the bottom becoming the base (as you can see in the photo). Meringue will go on top of the inverted cake.

This is built in a rectangular pan. How does it get the round, dome shape in this photo?

I'm pretty sure the photo is a cross section. The loaf pan is rectangular and then the meringue is piled along the sides in a dome shape, making the top look round.

Hi - I experimented after seeing so many comments about this. Here is what I did, and it worked really well. Make sure the meringue peaks are VERY stiff, cool it completely, then put it in the freezer for about 45 minutes before applying it to the cake. It means modifying the timeline a bit to make sure the meringue has time to chill, but it is worth it.

My mom made this every year for Christmas. She used a round bowl to mold the ice cream and used brownies as the base layer. And of course it was put in a hot over to brown before serving.

I witnessed my Aunt Rosemary making Baked Alaska many a summer. She popped hers into the oven. I distinctly remember it looking like an igloo. Also, I clearly recall her telling us kids as we mounded the meringue that it was absolutely necessary to seal the entire cake (including the lady fingers) with the meringue to ensure the ice cream wouldn't melt. Nevertheless, thanks for reminding me of this yummy dessert and the recipe.

To save time and effort, instead of beating up and bashing your ice cream, move it from freezer to the refrigerator. Give it about 1/2 hour to soften (depending on your ice cream) and it is soft enough to spread easily and smoothly.

She says in the accompanying article that grinding freeze dried blueberries (which I see at both Whole Foods and Target), then adding them to vanilla is an option too.

I'm with Jay on oven-browning the meringue. I grew up with "Ice cream pie" - graham cracker crust, loads of ice cream, pillowy marshmallow meringue - always browned on the wooden board in the oven. Still my favorite dessert.

You don't actually "make a cake". It's an assembly job of layers of ice cream with packaged ladyfingers on top, which become the bottom when it's turned out of the mold.

I have never written a note before but I’m truly confounded. We’ve now tried to make Baked Alaska twice with the same result - the meringue “slips” down the sides while it’s in the freezer and won’t stay in place - exposing the ice cream. I have tried smooshing it back into place but it within a few minutes in the freezer it just slips down again. Is there an extra step needed to keep the meringue from ending up in a sticky puddle at the base of the cake?

I was seduced by the retro glamour of this recipe and the promise of a spectacular reveal at the table. What I ended up with was a rock-hard block of ice cream that didn’t want to come out of the mold and lots of gloopy, gloppy, disgustingly sweet meringue sliding down the sides. Despite two attempts, it never set up properly. Just don’t do it. The real payoff is in that flaming, gorgeous meringue top, and it’s such a disappointment that the recipe is a fail on that front.

Love this recipe/story, but I'm flummoxed by step 8. Is it saying we are to whisk the egg whites and sugar by hand, in the standing mixer bowl, over--not in?--simmering water? How the hell-damn does THAT work? I've made baked Alaska quite a few times, and meringue a million times, but never like this.I'm guessing heating to 160 degrees is for egg-safety reasons but I'm still confused.

Thanks to those who posted about the meringue sliding off! I was able to take precautions to prevent that. I took the suggestion to put the meringue in the freezer for a bit to cool which worked well but not perfectly - mine lost its sheen and smooth appearance. But it stayed put! Made it in a bowl for a bombe shape and used spumoni flavors. Used the kirsch as directed. It was beautiful, fun, festive, and delicious.

Absolutely delicious and a fun project with my daughter for her 15th birthday. We all loved it, but thought some other cookie base would have been even yummier. A true showstopper celebration dessert. Will make again and experiment with other flavors/sorbets/cookies. Thanks so much for the inspiration, Dorie!

I've made this 4 times now and am surprised to read about people having trouble with meringue slumping. I've cooked this according to directions although cutting the egg whites back to 6 and using 1 1/2 cups sugar as I found the full recipe too much topping and never had it slump but I do beat the whites to stiff peaks. This is truly a FUN celebration cake.

This was a hit at my daughter's 1-year birthday. I didn't soften the ice cream . I took it out of the container and cut it into slabs and pushed those slabs into my pan. I put the fruit in a layer between the ice creams. (I used kiwifruit because it was in season). I didn't freeze for an hour between layers. I put a sprinkle of cocoa powder between the ice cream and lady fingers. My meringue wouldn't set, so I added cream of tartar. I froze it for 45 minutes before putting on the cake.

Use a propane torch at the end to give that "Baked" look to the meringue..

Beautiful and dramatic dessert. I made an Italian meringue and waited until it was completely cool to cover the ice cream. Worked out perfectly!

I always make these as individual desserts using custard dishes lined with cling film. They freeze fast, I blow torch the meringue and they soften quickly enough to enjoy easily, no cement ice cream necessary.

For those who had trouble with the meringue melting the ice cream: whisk egg whites and sugar over simmering water until temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from heat and whip with hand held electric beaters (or standing mixer) until stiff peaks form. If bowl is very hot you can place the bowl in a second bowl of ice, or wrap bowl in a wet, cold towel. Also, store bought ice cream doesn’t melt as easily as homemade.

Any suggestions for using up 8 egg yolks?

My daughter made this classic with a twist for my birthday: she made it with Melissa’s rhubarb ice cream and the flavor profile-Cointreau and Campari reduction from last summer’s rhubarb trifle for the cake. Beautiful of course and Yummy.

To save time and effort, instead of beating up and bashing your ice cream, move it from freezer to the refrigerator. Give it about 1/2 hour to soften (depending on your ice cream) and it is soft enough to spread easily and smoothly.

I was seduced by the retro glamour of this recipe and the promise of a spectacular reveal at the table. What I ended up with was a rock-hard block of ice cream that didn’t want to come out of the mold and lots of gloopy, gloppy, disgustingly sweet meringue sliding down the sides. Despite two attempts, it never set up properly. Just don’t do it. The real payoff is in that flaming, gorgeous meringue top, and it’s such a disappointment that the recipe is a fail on that front.

Yuck, yuck, yuck. Made this tonight and it did NOT turn out even though I followed the recipe closely. I thought I whipped the swiss meringue long enough, but all of it just slid off the cake in a big glump - even with my freezer turned up as high as possible. And unless it's just me, the ladyfingers did not taste good - would've been better with just regular cake. Valiant effort but not worth the time, trouble, and ingredients.

I have never written a note before but I’m truly confounded. We’ve now tried to make Baked Alaska twice with the same result - the meringue “slips” down the sides while it’s in the freezer and won’t stay in place - exposing the ice cream. I have tried smooshing it back into place but it within a few minutes in the freezer it just slips down again. Is there an extra step needed to keep the meringue from ending up in a sticky puddle at the base of the cake?

Would somebody kindly advise the advantage of the Swiss meringue in this recipe over a French meringue (which requires no heat)?