How to Grow Ice Cream Cake
Ice Cream Cake is a famous, award-winning feminized hybrid that crosses Gelato 33 with Wedding Cake. A Spannabis and multiple Emerald Cup winner, it is a 70/30 indica-leaning plant with a high 22-25% THC, a sweet, creamy flavor with citrus and pine notes, and a happy, euphoric and relaxed effect. Compact, frosty and seriously flavourful, it is a modern classic that grows well and finishes heavy.
This is a feminized photoperiod hybrid of around 1.2 m that flowers in 8 to 10 weeks once you switch it to bloom. Every seed grows into a flowering female, so there is no need to identify the sex or remove males, which keeps the grow simple from start to finish. Its Gelato 33 and Wedding Cake roots give it a compact, resinous structure, a sweet, creamy profile and dense, trichome-coated buds.
Recommended Strains
Ice Cream Cake
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THC | 22% - 25% (High) |
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Type | Feminized |
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Yield | Medium |
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Phenotype | 70% Indica / 30% Sativa |
Ice Cream x SFV OG
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THC | 20% - 24% (High) |
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Type | Feminized |
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Yield | Medium |
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Phenotype | 50% Indica / 50% Sativa |
Sweet, frosty and genuinely strong, Ice Cream Cake is a rewarding way to grow an award-winning, high-THC indica hybrid. You can see the full genetics and buy Ice Cream Cake seeds on the strain page, and browse the rest of our high-THC seeds alongside it.
Strain Profile at a Glance
| THC | High (22-25%) |
|---|---|
| Lineage | Gelato 33 x Wedding Cake |
| Awards | Spannabis 2009, Emerald Cup 2019, 2021 & 2022 |
| Type | Feminized (photoperiod) |
| Genetics | 70% Indica / 30% Sativa |
| Climate | Tropical, warm |
| Flowering time | 8-10 weeks |
| Harvest (outdoor) | October |
| Height | 3.94 ft / 1.2 m |
| Yield indoor | 1.47 oz/ft² (450 g/m²) |
| Yield outdoor | 21.16-31.75 oz/plant (600-900 g/plant) |
| Grow difficulty | Easy, beginner-friendly |
| Flavors | Sweet, Citrus, Pine |
| Effects | Happy, Euphoric, Relaxed |
Promos & Deals
Growing a Feminized Photoperiod Strain
Ice Cream Cake is a photoperiod strain, so it flowers in response to the light cycle rather than on age. You grow it under a long day of around 18 hours of light while it builds size and structure, then switch to a 12/12 light schedule to trigger flowering, which runs 8 to 10 weeks from the flip to harvest. Because the seeds are feminized, every plant comes up female and goes on to flower, so you never have to check the sex or cull males.
That control over the light cycle is one reason it suits first-time growers. You decide how long to veg the plant and therefore how big it gets before you flip it, which lets you match it to your space. As a compact 70% indica of about 1.2 m it stays short and bushy, so give it an open canopy and a little low-stress training to spread the light evenly and build up the lower, resinous flowers.
Climate and Where to Grow It
Ice Cream Cake does well in a warm, tropical or Mediterranean-style climate with plenty of sun, steady warmth and good airflow. Its Gelato 33 and Wedding Cake heritage makes it a vigorous, resinous plant, and outdoors it suits a season that lets its dense, sticky buds ripen fully and finish by around October.
It performs well indoors and out. Indoors it returns a solid 450 g/m² in a well-managed tent, while outdoors a healthy plant with room and sun gives a very large 600-900 g. As a compact indica of about 1.2 m it stays short and manageable, so the main job is supporting the heavy buds and keeping the canopy open so light and air reach the lower flowers.
Keep humidity under control through flowering to protect the dense, frosty colas: around 55-60% in early bloom, nearer 40-45% as the buds fill out, and lower toward harvest. Dense, resin-coated buds can trap moisture inside, so steady airflow and sensible humidity are what keep the finish clean. Aim for daytime temperatures around 72-82°F (22-28°C), which this warm-climate plant enjoys.
Feeding Schedule (EC Guide)
Ice Cream Cake is a hungry, productive plant, but it still pays to build nutrients up gradually and let the plant set the pace. Feed it steadily through veg and bloom, then taper off for the final flush so the sweet, creamy flavor comes through clean and the smoke finishes smooth. The ranges below are a starting guide; adjust to your water and medium.
| Stage | EC (mS/cm) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Seedling | 0.4-0.6 | Very light feed while roots establish |
| Vegetative growth | 0.8-1.2 | Raise nitrogen as the plant builds size |
| Early flower | 1.2-1.4 | Shift toward bloom nutrients (P and K) |
| Full flower | 1.4-1.6 | Peak bloom feed while the buds swell |
| Flush | 0.0-0.4 | Plain water for the final 1-2 weeks |
Flowering and Harvest
Once you switch Ice Cream Cake to a 12/12 light schedule it flowers in 8 to 10 weeks, rewarding patience with dense, frosty, resin-coated buds. As a mostly indica plant it fills out with solid, chunky colas up a compact frame rather than stretching tall. Grown outdoors in a warm climate it is typically ready to harvest around October, once the trichomes have turned mostly cloudy.
Yields are solid indoors at around 450 g/m², and very large outdoors at 600-900 g per plant with full sun and space. Support the heavy buds, give it a little training so the lower flowers get light, and harvest when most of the trichomes have turned cloudy for the fullest sweet, creamy flavor and the strongest effect from its high THC.
Drying and Curing
Dry whole plants or branches in a dark room at around 60°F (15-18°C) and 55-60% humidity for 7-14 days, until the thin stems snap rather than bend. A slow, even dry is especially important on a dense-budded strain like this, because big, resin-coated buds can stay damp in the middle while the outside dries, and a gentle dry protects both the aroma and the trichomes.
Then cure the trimmed buds in sealed jars, burping them daily for the first week and letting them settle for three to four weeks. A proper cure is what brings out the sweet, creamy, citrus-and-pine notes and smooths the smoke, which matters on a Gelato and Wedding Cake cross where that rich, creamy-sweet character is the main attraction.
What to Do With Your Trim
Don’t bin the sugar leaves you remove while manicuring. Ice Cream Cake is an extremely resinous, trichome-heavy plant, so its trim works especially well for dry sift, bubble hash or rosin. Given its high THC and heavy resin, that trim makes for a strong, sweet-and-creamy concentrate run from material most growers would otherwise throw away.
Flavor and Terpenes
Ice Cream Cake is built around a sweet, creamy character from its Gelato and Wedding Cake parents, lifted by a bright citrus note and a fresh, piney edge. It is a rich, smooth flavor rather than a gassy one, and a good cure really brings that creamy-sweet character forward in the jar and on the inhale.
Its terpene profile shapes that character. Myrcene lays down a ripe, sweet, creamy base that carries the body, while caryophyllene adds a warm, peppery spice. Alpha-pinene and beta-pinene bring the fresh, piney edge, and terpinolene adds a bright lift that carries the citrus side. Together they frame the sweet, citrus and pine character Ice Cream Cake is known for.
Effects and Best Use
With its high 22-25% THC and mostly 70% indica make-up, Ice Cream Cake delivers a strong, body-forward experience with a cheerful lift. It is reported as happy, euphoric and relaxed, settling into an easy, relaxed body while keeping you upbeat, so it leans toward the later part of the day. Because the THC runs high, it is worth starting with a moderate amount, especially if you have a lower tolerance.
That happy, relaxed profile makes it a good evening and wind-down strain, well suited to unwinding with its rich, sweet flavor. The combination of an easy, award-winning grow, a strong yield and a creamy-sweet flavor, all with a high-THC kick, is exactly why it stands out.
Common Problems and Pro Tips
The most common issue with a dense-budded, resinous indica like Ice Cream Cake is moisture getting trapped inside the chunky, frosty colas late in flower. Keep the air moving around and through the canopy, hold humidity down as the buds fill out, and don’t let the plant sit in still, damp air. Defoliating a few of the largest fan leaves in mid-bloom helps light and air reach the lower buds.
Because it packs on dense weight on a compact frame, support it well. A little low-stress training or a light topping in veg opens the canopy and turns one dominant cola into several even ones, which suits its short, bushy structure, while stakes or a net keep the heavy branches steady toward the end of flower.
As a pro tip, protect the creamy-sweet flavor with a clean plain-water flush at the end and a full three to four week cure, which brings that rich character to its best. It is a forgiving, beginner-friendly plant, so lean on simple habits (steady feeding, good airflow and support for the heavy buds) rather than anything advanced.
FAQ
Is Ice Cream Cake a feminized strain?
Yes. Ice Cream Cake is a feminized photoperiod strain, so every seed grows into a flowering female and you never have to identify the sex or remove males. You grow it under long days, then switch to a 12/12 light schedule to start flowering. That keeps the whole crop productive and makes the grow more straightforward, which is part of why it suits first-time growers so well.
How much THC does Ice Cream Cake have?
Ice Cream Cake is a high-THC strain, testing at around 22-25%. Combined with its mostly 70% indica genetics, the result is a strong, relaxed body effect with a happy, euphoric lift rather than a purely heavy one. Because the THC runs high, it is worth starting with a moderate amount if your tolerance is lower, then adjusting to suit you.
How long does Ice Cream Cake take to flower?
Ice Cream Cake flowers in about 8 to 10 weeks once you switch it to a 12/12 light schedule, rewarding patience with dense, frosty buds. As a photoperiod strain you also control how long it vegetates beforehand, so you can size it to your space. Outdoors in a warm climate it is usually ready to harvest around October.
What does Ice Cream Cake taste like?
Ice Cream Cake has a rich, creamy-sweet flavor from its Gelato and Wedding Cake parents, lifted by a bright citrus note and a fresh, piney edge. Myrcene carries the sweet, creamy body, caryophyllene a peppery spice, the pinenes the fresh pine, and terpinolene a bright lift. A proper three to four week cure really brings that creamy-sweet character forward.
How much does Ice Cream Cake yield?
Ice Cream Cake gives a solid 450 g/m² indoors and a very large 600-900 g per plant outdoors with full sun and space. Results depend on light, pot size and canopy health, so keep the plant well fed through bloom, train it for an even canopy, and support those heavy, dense colas as they develop toward harvest.
Is Ice Cream Cake good for beginners?
Yes. Ice Cream Cake is a beginner-friendly strain: it is compact at around 1.2 m, feminized so there is no sexing, and forgiving as long as you keep the air moving and support the heavy buds. Its award-winning pedigree and strong, flavourful harvest make it a confidence-building choice for a first grow.
