Vegan Cake Batter Ice Cream

This month has been full of birthday parties and barbecues. It definitely feels like summer has begun! Friday and Saturday night we went to a barbecue to celebrate a friends birthday. Both we’re incredibly fun and filled with delicious food and great conversations. Since both were potlucks, I brought these chocolate chip cookies on Friday night and made Beans Hawaiian for Saturday. Both we’re huge hits!

I also tried something new this weekend. I finally gave in and tried the frozen banana ice cream trick. Now I’m wondering why I waited so long! I wanted to bring a batch of this cake batter ice cream to one of the potlucks, but I didn’t want to share thought it would melt before arriving at the party.

If you’ve never tried this frozen banana trick, run to the kitchen now! You don’t need an ice cream maker or a lot of time on your hands, just a few frozen bananas and a food processor. It tastes just like soft serve ice cream, but it’s healthy, vegan and incredibly easy to whip up. The first batch I made was based on a chocolate peanut butter cup. I mixed some peanut butter, cocoa powder, and agave with the bananas and added a bit of protein powder since I had just returned from the gym. It was delicious and exactly what I needed to cool down after a long run.

Greg is not a fan of chocolate, so I wanted to make a vanilla based flavor he would enjoy. With all the birthday celebrations this month, funfetti cake batter was the first flavor that came to mind. Many cake batter ice cream recipes call for a box of cake mix. I find this a little strange, so I didn’t want to go that route. I also wanted to keep it vegan and gluten free so more people could enjoy this summer treat.

After blending the bananas to a smooth and creamy consistency, I began experimenting with extracts. I started with vanilla and slowly added some maple and almond extract. The flavor was close, but not quite right. It still lacked that baked good taste. I added some butter extract (which is vegan oddly enough) and it made all the difference. It began to really taste like cake batter, but it was still missing that slight kick of raw batter. I experimented with a few additions and decided that a small amount of baking soda was what it needed.

When Greg arrived home he immediately came into the kitchen and excitedly asked me if I was baking a cake. That’s how I knew it was a success. Before he even saw or tasted my ice cream, he could smell cake batter! Greg was in disbelief how accurate the flavor was and how the texture was identical to soft serve ice cream. We devoured the first batch in a matter of minutes! I made a second batch to keep in the freezer for a hot Texas day.

I also made a few vegan ice cream sandwiches by adding a scoop of this cake batter ice cream between two vegan chocolate chip cookies. They were phenomenal! I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever buy ice cream again, now that I can make such a delicious and healthy option at home so easily. I can’t wait to experiment with more flavors! The possibilities are endless.

Have you tried the frozen banana ice cream trick before? What’s your favorite flavor combination?

Vegan Cake Batter Ice Cream

• 5 frozen bananas
• 2 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. butter extract
• ¼ tsp. almond extract
• ¼ tsp. maple extract (optional)
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• 2 tbsp. agave or maple syrup
• 2 tbsp. sprinkles

In a food processor, process frozen bananas until smooth.

Add extracts, baking soda, and agave and pulse until combined. Add sprinkles and pulse once or twice just to combine.

Serve immediately or store in the freezer.

If eaten immediately the consistency is of soft serve ice cream. If frozen, the consistency will be more similar to store bought ice cream.

Try making a vegan ice cream sandwich by putting one scoop of ice cream between two vegan chocolate chip cookies.

Serves 3-4

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Tagged as: cake, cake batter, dessert, easy, frozen, gluten free, healthy, ice cream, low fat, snack, summer, vegan, vegetarian