Let’s build this amazing Strawberry Ice Cream Cake layer by delicious layer! Remember that freezing time between steps is key. First, prepare your pan and crust.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides to use as handles later. Lightly grease the parchment and any exposed sides of the pan, if desired, though the crust is buttery.

Finely crush 24 Golden Oreo cookies (a food processor works great for this). In a small bowl, combine the fine cookie crumbs with the 4 tablespoons of melted butter; mix well. Press this crumb mixture firmly and evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it appears firm and set. Place the pan on a wire rack and let the crust cool completely. Don’t proceed until the crust is totally cool!

Once the crust is cool, take your vanilla ice cream out of the freezer to soften slightly (about 10-15 minutes at room temp). Spread the 3 cups of softened vanilla ice cream evenly over the cooled cookie crust. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Freeze until the vanilla ice cream layer is firm, at least 1-2 hours.

Next, take your strawberry ice cream out to soften slightly. Once the vanilla layer is firm, spread the 5 cups of softened strawberry ice cream evenly over it. Cover again and freeze until the strawberry ice cream layer is firm, another 1-2 hours.

Once the strawberry layer is firm, spread the thawed frozen whipped topping evenly over it. Cover and freeze again until the whipped topping layer is firm, at least 1 hour.

While the whipped topping layer freezes, prepare the final crumble. Coarsely crush the remaining 12 Golden Oreo cookies. Coarsely crush the freeze-dried strawberries (you can do this easily by hand or in their bag). In a small bowl, combine these coarse cookie crumbs and crushed freeze-dried strawberries.

Sprinkle this cookie-strawberry crumble mixture evenly over the firm whipped topping layer. Press down very gently if needed to help it adhere slightly.

Cover the cake tightly one last time. Freeze until the entire cake is very firm, preferably for at least 8 hours or overnight. This ensures it’s solid enough to lift out and slice cleanly.

When ready to serve, remove the cake from the freezer. Using the parchment paper handles, carefully lift the entire frozen cake out of the pan onto a cutting board or serving platter. Gently peel away the parchment paper from the sides and bottom.

Let the ice cream cake stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes before slicing. This makes cutting easier. If desired, garnish the top with fresh strawberries before slicing into squares. Serve immediately!