Baked Alaska is one of those desserts that quiets a dinner table. A tender cake, a layer of tart cherries, and a dome of vanilla ice cream sit under a cloud of meringue, and the whole thing comes out of a hot oven with golden peaks and a center that is still cold. It looks dramatic, but the method is more forgiving than it appears once you understand what each layer is doing.
This version pairs a vanilla bean cake with a glossy cherry compote brightened by lemon. It makes a fine finish after a weeknight dinner of baked chicken or a ground beef skillet, especially when everyone wants something a little special without a lot of fuss. Read the sections below before you start, because the order of steps and the freezer time matter more here than in most desserts.
Choosing and Cooking the Cherries
Sweet cherries give the compote its natural flavor, and fresh or frozen fruit both work. If you use frozen cherries, thaw them and drain them well before they go into the saucepan. Extra liquid will thin the sauce, and a loose compote will not hold a clean layer over the ice cream. Cook the fruit gently until it softens and releases its juices, then stir in the cornstarch mixture so the sauce turns thick and glossy.
The lemon zest and juice keep the fruit tasting bright beside the sweet vanilla. Let the compote cool before you spread it, because a warm layer will soften the ice cream beneath it.
Building a Dome That Holds Its Shape
The ice cream dome is what makes this dessert work. Press the first layer of ice cream firmly into the lined bowl so it forms a solid base, then spread the cherry layer evenly rather than piling it in the center. Pack the top layer down with no air pockets, and smooth the surface so the meringue has an even canvas to cover. Plastic wrap lets you lift the bowl away cleanly once the dome is frozen.
Freeze the dome until it is firm all the way through, and do not shorten that step. A soft center can slump before the meringue ever browns. Keep the dome in the freezer until the moment it goes into the oven, because baked Alaska softens quickly at room temperature.
Meringue, Browning, and Serving
Let the cake cool completely before you assemble anything. A warm cake will soften the ice cream from the bottom. Set the cooled cake on a parchment-lined sheet, then invert the frozen dome over it and center it carefully.
Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy, then add sugar gradually until the peaks are stiff and glossy, and beat in the vanilla powder. Work quickly once the meringue is ready, spreading it over the frozen dome and down to the cake so no ice cream shows. Swirl the surface into peaks, and watch the oven closely near the end, since the tips brown fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen cherries for this baked Alaska?
Yes, frozen cherries work well as long as you thaw them first and drain away the extra liquid. Excess juice will thin the compote and make it harder to spread over the ice cream. Pat the fruit dry if it looks wet before it goes into the saucepan.
Why does the ice cream need to be frozen solid before the meringue goes on?
A firm dome holds its shape in the hot oven. The meringue browns only the outside, so the center needs to be frozen solid throughout. Soft ice cream can slump under the meringue and blur the layers. Keep the dome in the freezer until the moment it goes into the oven.
Why must the cake be completely cool before assembly?
A warm cake softens the ice cream from the bottom, which can make the dome lose its shape before it reaches the oven. Let the cake cool in the pan, then on a wire rack, until it feels cool all the way through.
Vanilla Cherry Baked Alaska with Toasted Meringue
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium10
servings45
minutes40
minutes470
kcal5
hours47
minutesA 9-inch vanilla bean cake is topped with a layer of cherry compote and vanilla ice cream, then covered in meringue and browned in a hot oven. The ice cream stays frozen inside the meringue shell and is served as soon as the peaks are toasted.
Ingredients
- For the cake
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine salt
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- For the cherry layer
2 cups pitted sweet cherries, fresh or frozen and thawed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp cold water
- For the ice cream
1 1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream, store-bought
- For the meringue
5 large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
Directions
- Bake the cake
- Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment, and set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
- Beat the softened butter, sugar and vanilla bean seeds with a stand or hand mixer on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition.
- On low speed, add half the flour mixture, then the milk, then the remaining flour, mixing just until no dry streaks remain.
- Spread the batter evenly in the pan and bake for 28 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and cool for 20 more minutes, until completely cool to the touch.
- Make the cherry layer
- While the cake bakes, combine the cherries, 1/4 cup sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, until the cherries soften and release their juices.
- Stir the cornstarch into the cold water until smooth, then stir it into the cherries. Simmer for 3 minutes, until thickened and glossy. Transfer to a bowl and cool for about 30 minutes.
- Assemble and freeze
- Line a 2-quart freezer-safe bowl, about 8 inches wide, with plastic wrap, leaving a generous overhang.
- Press half of the vanilla ice cream into the bottom of the bowl. Spread the cooled cherry mixture over it, then pack the remaining ice cream on top and smooth the surface.
- Cover the bowl and freeze for 4 hours, until the ice cream is firm all the way through.
- Set the cooled cake on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Invert the bowl over the cake, lift the bowl away and peel off the plastic wrap. Center the dome on the cake.
- Toasted meringue
- Heat the oven to 500°F with a rack in the upper third.
- In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Increase to high and add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla powder.
- Working quickly, spread the meringue over the frozen dome and down to the cake, sealing the meringue to the cake edge so no ice cream shows. Swirl the surface with a spatula to form peaks.
- Bake for 4 minutes, watching closely after 2 minutes, until the peaks are golden brown.
- Slice with a knife dipped in hot water and serve right away.
Notes
- Freeze the dome until the ice cream is firm before adding the meringue, since the brief 500°F bake only browns the outside and the frozen center holds its shape.
- Let the cake cool completely before assembly. A warm cake would soften the ice cream from the bottom.
- Drain thawed frozen cherries well before cooking so the compote thickens properly with the cornstarch.
- Seal the meringue down to the cake edge so the ice cream is fully covered and the meringue can brown evenly.
- Baked Alaska melts quickly at room temperature, so keep it frozen until the moment it goes into the oven.
