Best Baked Alaska

This 1960s retro recipe for Baked Alaska will have you reminiscing about Beatles songs and go-go boots! It combines buttery rich pound cake, creamy ice cream, and fluffy meringue for a dessert that is not only delicious but also makes an impressive ending to any dinner.

This is a real oldie, but goodie. My delicious retro recipe for Baked Alaska.

I remember my mama making this as a treat for us when we were children and to serve at dinner parties. I thought it was the most elegant dessert I’d ever seen and my mama was so elegant because she knew how to make it.

Actually, it is pretty cool to take a dessert with a nice warm meringue out of the oven, slice into it and find that cold ice cream in the middle. I still love it.

The Baked Alaskas pictured in this post are the perfect size for two people to share. They can also be made as individual servings – just use a smaller cutter for the cake and a smaller scoop of ice cream. Simple as that!

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Baked Alaska is simply cake topped with ice cream, covered with meringue, and cooked just long enough to brown the meringue without melting the ice cream. It can be made with many flavor combinations but the classic is pound cake with vanilla ice cream.

According to online sources, Baked Alaska was created by chef Antoine Alciatore at the famed Antoine’s Restaurant in New Orleans in 1867 to mark the acquisition of the territory of Alaska by the United States.

Other sources suggest that it was chef Charles Ranhofer of Delmonico’s who created the dish in 1894 and originally called it Alaska-Florida referring to its contrast between cold and hot.

The recipe is also known to some as an omelette à la norvégienne, “Norwegian Omelette.” I can’t say which title or originator is correct and neither can anyone else apparently. But I can tell you that this is a really simple dessert which makes a nice ending for a special dinner. Or just because it’s Tuesday.

Even if you don’t cook very much, you can do this. I promise.

• It’s simple to make.
• Baked Alaska makes a beautiful centerpiece for a dessert table.
• It’s a delicious combination of flavors yet not too sweet or heavy.
• You’ll only need 4 ingredients!

• Ice Cream – For the traditional recipe, use a quality brand of vanilla such as Haagen-Dazs.
• Pound Cake – Either homemade pound cake or purchased (Sara Lee is great!) works fine.
• Eggs – For making the meringue.
• Sugar – For sweetening the meringue.

Prepare the Cake and Ice Cream Layers

2. Place the cake rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Top each cake round with a large scoop of ice cream. Place these in the freezer while you prepare the meringue.

Make the Meringue

4. Beat the room temperature egg whites with an electric mixer at high speed until they form a stiff, but not dry, meringue. Add the sugar near the end of the beating time.
5. Remove the prepared cake and ice cream layers from the freezer and cover each with meringue, making sure to seal the meringue all the way down to the parchment.

Bake Until Golden Brown

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 6-8 minutes or until the meringue is golden brown.

👉 PRO TIP: At about the 5-minute mark, start watching carefully and if you begin to see a little melted ice cream starting to flow out, take them out immediately.

7. Remove from the pan with a spatula and serve immediately.

Put your own unique spin on this classic dessert. Try new combinations like chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream (looks like the earth and grass with clouds above as you cut into it) or a white cake with peach ice cream and meringue. For Valentine’s Day, I like to use chocolate cake with strawberry ice cream!

This is the perfect dessert to end a celebratory dinner with ribeye steaks, potatoes au gratin, a tossed salad with homemade ranch dressing, and my cheesy herb bread.

• Banana Split Icebox Cake
• Strawberry S’mores Ice Cream
• Homemade Peach Ice Cream
• Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

📖 Recipe

— This post was originally published on March 13, 2009. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.