Baked Alaska
Ice cream and raspberry jam on a sponge base, wrapped in toasted meringue, hot outside and frozen inside.
Made with Victoria sponge base. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min plus freezing
- LevelHard
- Costabout £1.07 a head
- Oven230°C (210°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Make your Victoria sponge first (see the base recipe) and let it cool. Line a 1 litre pudding basin with cling film, leaving some overhanging.
- 2
Soften the ice cream for 10 minutes, then fold in the raspberries. Pack it firmly into the basin, cover and freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
360 min - 3
Trim the sponge into a disc 3 cm wider all round than the top of the basin. Put it on a baking tray lined with baking paper and spread with the jam. Chill.
- 4
Heat the oven to 230°C (210°C fan). Put the egg whites, sugar and lemon juice in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Whisk by hand until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot to touch, about 70 C.
4 min - 5
Remove from the heat and whisk with an electric whisk for 5 minutes until stiff, glossy and cool.
5 min - 6
Turn the ice cream out onto the sponge and peel off the cling film. Working quickly, cover completely with the meringue, right down to the tray, swirling it into peaks.
- 7
Bake for 4 to 5 minutes until the meringue is golden brown. Serve straight away.
4 min 30 s
Tips
- The meringue must meet the tray all the way round, as the seal is what keeps the ice cream frozen in the hot oven.
- Use the sponge cold or even frozen for 30 minutes, as it holds its shape and keeps the ice cream cold.
- Check the ice cream label if nut free matters, as many brands carry may contain warnings.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight after baking. Do not refreeze after baking. The frozen unbaked ice cream and sponge can be made up to 7 days ahead and the meringue added on the day.
Questions
Why does the ice cream not melt in the hot oven?
Meringue is full of air and an excellent insulator, and the oven time is very short. The sponge base also keeps heat from the tray away from the ice cream.
Can I use a blowtorch instead of the oven?
Yes. Cover the cake with meringue as above, then toast it with a kitchen blowtorch until golden. This is a handy way to finish it at the table.
Can I use shop bought sponge flans?
Yes, but this recipe is built on the homemade sponge. A sponge flan or a cooled slab of the base sponge cut to size both work.
More made with victoria sponge base
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
