23 March, 2015
Healthy Ice Cream Cake: Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Banana, Oh My!
Next week is my birthday! I was born on April Fool’s Day, of all days. When people find out when my birthday is they often ask me if I have practical jokes played on me every year. I guess my family and friends try to be extra nice to me on my special day so, no, nobody has tried that yet. Instead, my dad used to always tell me the story of how I was born. My mom called my dad at work to tell her that she was going into labor and, being April Fool’s Day, my dad didn’t really believe her. He thought he was being fooled. It took some convincing, but he finally believed she was telling the truth and he needed to get home right away. It was a good thing, too, because I was born shortly after my dad got home and he took my mom to the hospital.
So here I am and it is once again my birthday. In honor of this special day, I wanted to make a dessert that reflects me and what I love. I have never been a huge fan of traditional cake. Maybe it’s because I have never found the perfect recipe, but I usually find cake to be too dry and the frosting to be too dense and sweet. I do, however, have a LOVE affair with ice cream cake! Every year on my birthday I would request a Dairy Queen ice cream cake. I enjoyed every single delicious layer. But now I prefer clean, real food, and healthier versions of the processed foods I once enjoyed. So why not make a healthy ice cream cake with real food ingredients? The great thing about making my own is that now I can create any flavors that I want in order to personalize my ice cream cake. It is easier than you may think!
By far, my favorite flavor combination in the world is chocolate, peanut butter, and banana. I know that I am not alone on this one, so I hope that you all will enjoy this combination as much as I do. A chocolate-y brownie crust, peanut butter date caramel, banana ice cream, topped off with chocolate ganache. I can’t think of a better dessert for my birthday than this cake and let me tell you…I enjoyed every bite.
Healthy Ice Cream Cake: Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Banana, Oh My!
Ingredients
- Brownie Layer:
- 1 cup raw nuts I used walnuts and almonds
- 8 pitted dates
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- water as needed
- Peanut Butter Caramel Layer:
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 2 Tablespoons peanut butter look for versions with just peanuts and salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- water as needed
- Banana Ice Cream Layer:
- 2 large peeled frozen bananas
- Chocolate Ganache: Layer:
- 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
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In a food processor add all of the ingredients for the brownie layer and mix until a dough forms, adding in splashes of water as needed to combined. It should be moist but not overly wet.
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In a 8x8 baking pan lined with parchment paper, press the raw brownie mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan.
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In the same food processor (washed if you wanted or not) add in the ingredients for the peanut butter caramel layer and process until smooth. Adding splashes of water until caramel consistency.
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Top the brownie layer with the peanut butter caramel and using the back of a spoon spread out evenly over the brownie.
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In the same food processor (washed or not), add in the frozen bananas and process until thick and smooth. It will become more solid in the freezer.
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Spread the banana ice cream layer over the caramel.
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Put in the freezer to set while making the chocolate ganache.
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In a double boiler (a bowl over a pan of hot water) melt the chocolate chips, almond milk, and coconut oil until smooth and combined.
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Pour the chocolate over the banana ice cream and gently spread it out evenly over the top.
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Put the cake in the freezer to set fully, about 2 hours.
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Cut into squares.
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Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Notes
Choose organic ingredients when possible.
8 Comments
OK – how did you know that I love love me an ice cream cake but I’m done with the fake blue icing and processed crap that are in most of them? I got a peanut butter chocolate cake from an amazing local bakery but longed for my ice cream cake so I cannot wait to try this 🙂
I don’t think I can wait for my birthday in July to devour this!!
Um….you just made my day! And it’s vegan! This is crazy good!
Im so glad I did that!
You totally shouldn’t wait!
Oh, this was good. Lick your napkin, good, in fact!
You made it? Im so glad you liked it!
These look delicious Sara!! I love layered desserts… get a little flavor of each in one bite 😉 YUM!