Alright, guys, you are about to fall in love with me for sharing this recipe with you all! I made this for the husband and myself recently, and Er.Mer.Gerd – it’s insanely good. Nate kept saying, “Is this is really healthy?” And that’s coming from a picky eater when it comes to healthy foods! Thus, I’d say this is a huge win.
This ice cream cake is TOTALLY good for you! Yeah, you read that right…ice cream cake that is good for you! It’s gluten free and dairy free, and there are no added sugars. It’s made with all natural foods, and it’s even vegan if that’s your thing! Seriously, it is so good for you that I would have no qualms what-so-ever having this for breakfast, which – full disclosure – is exactly what I did with the left overs! You have to try this stuff! You will not regret it!
My husband has never been a dessert kind of guy (yeah, I don’t get it either), but he devoured this stuff. If you’ve got kids with a sweet tooth or two, this is an excellent alternative to all those sugary snacks out there. Just take my word for it…try it! Oh, and another good thing – it’s SUPER simple to put together. A spring form pan, a food processor, and a freezer do most of the work for you. Okay, let’s get to it!
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake Crust
- 10 baby carrots
- 1 cup roasted almonds (unsalted)
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 9 Medjool Dates
- 1/2 tsp. alcohol free vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. shredded ginger
For the Banana Ice Cream
- 5 frozen bananas
- 3 Tbsp. Coconut Milk
- 1 Tbsp. alcohol free vanilla extract
Lemon Cashew Cream Layer
- 2 cups raw cashews (soaked for 2 hours minimum)
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp. alcohol free vanilla
- 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
Topping
- 1/2 chopped almonds
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
Directions
1.) Place 2 cups of cashews in a small bowl, and cover completely with water. Allow to soak for 2 hours minimum.
2.) While the cashews are soaking, start with your carrot cake crust. Place the baby carrots in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the rest of the carrot cake crust ingredients to the food processor and pulse until a dough forms.
3.) Transfer the dough to 9 inch spring form cake pan. Use your hands to press down the dough to cover the entire bottom of the pan.
4.) Now, you’re ready to start with the banana ice cream layer. Clean out your food processor, and then place all of the banana ice cream layer ingredients into the processor. Process on high and pulsing until a smooth creamy ice cream forms. There should be no lumps left. Once the ice cream is completely smooth, pour it over the top of the carrot cake crust in the spring form pan. Use a spoon to spread out evenly. Place the pan in the freezer while you work on the next step.
5.) Once your cashews have soaked for a minimum of 2 hours, clean out your food processor once again. Place the cashews in the food processor along with the rest of the lemon cashew cream layer ingredients. Process on high until smooth. There should be no chunks of cashew or anything.
6.) Take the spring form pan out of the freezer. Spread the lemon cashew cream evenly over the top of the banana ice cream layer. Top with the 1/2 cup chopped almonds, 1/2 cup coconut shreds, and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Place back in the freezer and freeze overnight until completely frozen.
7.) Once the cake is completely frozen, take out of the freezer and let sit for 3-5 minutes. Unlatch the spring form and remove. Ta-da! You’ve got a beautiful ice cream cake that’s great for you!
8.) Let thaw enough so that you can cut into slices. This shouldn’t take too long. Maybe 5 minutes maximum. Use a knife to cut the cake into slices and serve.
Told you you would fall in love with me for sharing this recipe! Did we just become best friends? 🙂
Loving and Laughing 