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You may remember that when I posted the Hawaiian Pulled Pork for my SRC post on Monday I mentioned that I had a slew of recipes bookmarked from Melissa’s site. Well, one of them that just couldn’t wait was for cake batter ice cream that she had adapted from another site.
I was intrigued because I am definitely a beater and bowl licker. I love eating cake batter, but try to refrain from sneaking too many spoonfuls of cake batter in front of the kids. This seemed like a great way to get a few licks in without eating the raw egg (and having the boys ask for a taste… or two)!
The original recipe calls for the addition of dry, boxed yellow cake mix. Since I never use mixes and didn’t intend to go buy one just for this purpose, I decided to take this idea as my jumping off point to create a completely homemade version that would use ingredients I usually have on hand anyway. I wasn’t entirely sure it would work, but honestly I was stunned at how much like cake batter this tasted and how creamy, unctuous and thick it turned out. It truly tastes like smooth, cold, buttery cake batter with sprinkles!
I know that the snobbery of my ‘I don’t use cake mix’ should be addressed. I’m not getting on a high horse here, but here is my take on the issue. (1) I don’t like to buy mixes for anything I can make from raw ingredients that I can make stretch further and that I can use more often and (2) I’m really just not a fan of cake mixes anymore. After 5 years of only making cake from scratch, eating a mix tastes like eating nothing to me. If I’m going to take on those calories, they are going to be from the best ingredients I can get my hands on. My feeling on it is pretty much live and let live, so if you want to make the version with some cake mix you have on hand and you love it, more power to you my friend!
Incidentally, if you want to make your own homemade yellow cake mix, Melanie has a great recipe on her site!
My boys loved this ice cream! In fact, the direct quote from Aidan was a big sigh and an, “oh yeah.” Cole’s response was more of his usual, “that’s what I’m talkin’ about baby!” yell. Seriously, the kid is a total ham!
Thankfully a little of this ice cream goes a long way since it is so rich. That is a good thing in my book since giving them desserts that satisfy in smaller amounts is always nice. This has me thinking now too about all the other things I love to eat from the mixing bowl. Of course there is cookie dough, but now I can’t get the idea of a homemade brownie batter ice cream out of my head, or chocolate cake batter with a cream cheese swirl.
It’s always fun to think outside the *cake mix* box!
Homemade Cake Batter Ice Cream with Sprinkles
Makes about 1 quart
3 cups cold heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 large egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons dry milk powder
1 cup cane sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4-1/3 cup assorted colored sprinkles and chocolate jimmies (use as little or as much as you want – I used about 3 tablespoons rainbow nonpareils and 2 tablespoons chocolate jimmies)
In a large saucepan, heat the whipping cream and butter until hot and almost simmering and the butter is completely melted, over medium-low heat.
While the cream is heating, beat together the egg yolks, sea salt, flour, dry milk and sugar in a heatproof, medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth.
Slowly pour about 1 cup of the heated cream and butter mixture, whisking constantly, into the egg mixture. Whisk until very smooth. Add the remaining cream mixture to the egg mixture in the bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine and make as smooth as possible. Pour the entire ice cream base mixture back into the saucepan and return it to the stovetop over medium low heat, whisking gently, but constantly until it starts to thicken and coats the back of a spoon. DO NOT STOP STIRRING – either with a whisk or use a rubber spatula to keep the mixture moving and scraping the bottom (this took me about 5 minutes on a gas stovetop). The flour in the mixture will thicken and try to clump up, so if needed, once it has thickened enough to coat a spoon, you can strain it into a heatproof bowl or large glass measuring cup through a fine mesh sieve before adding the vanilla and whisking to combine.
Cover the mixture with plastic wrap, placing the layer of plastic right on top of the custard to make a seal. Place the custard in the refrigerator to chill completely before churning, preferably overnight or at least 6 hours so that the flour and mixture can mingle and rest.
When you are ready to churn your ice cream, churn it according to your ice cream machine’s directions. At the very last, add your sprinkles and let them mix into the batter. Try to add them at the very last so that the colors don’t run too much if using nonpareils (as shown). Scrape the mixed ice cream into a freezer safe container. I used a loaf pan that had been lined with a plastic wrap sling. Smooth the ice cream into the container and cover with a layer of plastic wrap. Freeze the churned ice cream until ready to scoop – at least 3 hours is best, longer is better, but the scoop texture depends on your personal preference.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh My!!! The cream in my fridge is just begging to be made into this ice cream, it looks wonderful!
my husband would be all over this! looks pretty tasty.
I had a little trouble with the recipe, but in the end it is the best cake batter ice cream I’ve ever made. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Michelle,
Sorry for the delayed response! I’m glad you loved it. What trouble did you have with the recipe? I’d love to know if there is something I need to fix. It is a bit of a weird one making the custard cooked with flour so if you have some feedback I’d love to know. Thanks!
Holly