Food Babe Family - Header

Not your Baskin Robbin’s Pumpkin Ice Cream Cake…

The theme song for the Baskin Robbin’s commercial has been running through my head ever since I made this pumpkin ice cream cake last night. (Here it is, if you don’t know what I am talking about…)

That song is so catchy isn’t it?  You gotta love the marketing that goes behind Baskin Robbins cakes. There is a lot of other things too, lurking behind the fun, care-free appearance of their cakes – lots of preservatives, food coloring, growth hormones and antibiotic filled dairy, pesticides, GMOs, corn syrup, trans fat and other man made toxic chemicals!

Check out the list of ingredients in a typical mint chocolate chip cream cake…

Ingredients: mint chocolate chip ice cream: cream, nonfat milk, sugar, corn syrup, chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, chocolate liquor processed with alkali, milkfat, cocoa butter, soy lecithin an emulsifier), whey powder, emulsifier/stabilizer blend (mono and diglycerides, cellulose gum, guar gum, carrageenan), natural flavoring, artificial color (blue 1, yellow 5). ganache cake coating: sugar, coconut oil, cocoa (processed with alkali), peanut oil, whey, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), salt, natural flavor. chocolate cake: sugar, bleached wheat flour, water, egg whites, soybean oil, cocoa (processed with alkali), buttermilk, contains less than 2%: leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, monocalcium phosphate), natural and artificial mocha and vanilla flavors, salt, artificial color (red 40, blue 1, yellow 6), modified corn starch, monoglycerides, propylene glycol monoesters, stearoyl lactylic acid, corn starch, cellulose gum, preservatives (ascorbic acid, citric acid, potassium sorbate).green drizzle: coconut oil, sugar, nonfat milk powder, whey, soybean oil, partially hydrogenated coconut oil, soy lecithin an emulsifier, titanium dioxide (for color), vanillin (an artificial flavor), artificial colors (blue 1, yellow 5).

Can you believe this cake has so many detrimental ingredients to your health all in one slice?

Once you understand what is in Baskin Robbins, and other conventional ice cream brands, I hope you think twice about your support of these establishments, even “once and a while.” I don’t call going to Baskin Robbins or anywhere else that uses these types of ingredients “a treat.” Why would I want to treat myself with carcinogenic toxins (propylene glycol, growth hormones), increase risk of heart disease (partially hydrogenated coconut oil) and other potential ailments…(corn syrup, blue 1, yellow 5)?

This is why I find it so hard to understand people when they say they just eat <Insert Dead Toxic BIG FOOD company product here> “once in a while” to “treat” themselves.  There are so many good sweet delicious desserts that won’t put your life and health at risk. Remember voting with your dollars is the only way we are going to stop the production of toxic chemicals into our food supply. Support local bakeries that make good ingredient decisions, buy your cakes from natural food stores, and eat out at restaurants where they make their own desserts from scratch….And do the unheard of!  Make your own freakin’ ice cream cake!

Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream Cake – Voila!

IMG 2452

This recipe is easy and the outcome is REWARDING (in big caps – because everyone will think you are genius cook after making this….).  I just had a piece of this incredible cake today and let me tell you: IT WILL IMPRESS, DELIGHT and EVERYONE WILL WANT SECONDS (I certainly did!).  The best part? You don’t just have to “treat” yourself “once in a while” with this cake, you can have it more often than that because it is vegan, free of refined sugar and contains ZERO harmful chemicals! Amazing, I know.

I made two cakes last night, one for me and my husband and one for Thanksgiving on Thursday… The one for us is already half gone and if I don’t take the other one to my Mom’s house tomorrow to store in her big freezer, it might not make it until Thursday! Wish me luck!

Food Babe's Pumpkin Ice Cream Cake
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • Pumpkin Cake:
  • 3 cups of flour – A mix of 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour and 1 cup oat flour works well
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ⅔ cups coconut flakes
  • ⅔ cups coconut milk
  • 1 cup coconut oil melted
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 6 dates chopped
  • 6 prunes chopped
  • 2 ripe bananas chopped
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • For Ice Cream Cake Assembly:
  • 2 pints of store bought organic vanilla ice-cream or 2 batches of homemade coconut ice cream
  • 2 cups dried cranberries
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease large baking dish (9×13)
  2. Sit containers of ice cream out on counter to soften/melt
  3. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, salt, and spices)
  4. In blender combine all sweeteners & liquid ingredients (pumpkin puree, coconut oil, coconut milk, dates, prunes, bananas, maple syrup and vanilla) – Blend until smooth
  5. Slowly stir and incorporate liquid mixture into dry ingredients – fold in dried coconut until moistened
  6. Pour batter into large greased baking dish
  7. Bake for 30-45mins – check doneness with a tooth pick (it will come out clean)
  8. Allow cake to cool before starting assembly with ice cream
  9. In a 8×4 baking dish – layer bottom with soft or melted ice cream and sprinkle top with some cranberries
  10. Slice cake pieces to about ½ inch thick and layer on top
  11. Repeat layer of ice-cream, cranberries, and cake one more time until you end with ice cream on top, finish with cranberries and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
  12. Freeze assembled cake for at least 4 hours
  13. Take cake out of the freezer for 5-10 mins before serving and slice into thin pieces
Notes
Recipe makes enough cake for 2 ice cream cakes (Two 8×4 baking dishes). This is a perfect dish that can be made ahead a week or two before a holiday gathering! ***Please buy all organic ingredients if possible***

 

IMG 2430

IMG 2431

IMG 2432

IMG 2433

IMG 2450

IMG 2451

IMG 2447
IMG 2455

I wish I could see and hear you taste it. I am imagining a big Ooooo and a big Ahhhhhh when you do…

Love y’all so much!

Now Do the Icecream & Cake!

Food Babe

Food Babe Family - Book
Food Babe Grocery Guide

Sign Up For Updates

And Get A FREE Healthy Grocery Guide Sent To You Now!

Find out what to buy and where at the top grocery stores near you

Posts may contain affiliate, sponsorship and/or partnership links for products Food Babe has approved and researched herself. If you purchase a product through an affiliate, sponsorship or partnership link, your cost will be the same (or at a discount if a special code is offered) and Food Babe will benefit from the purchase. Your support is crucial because it helps fund this blog and helps us continue to spread the word. Thank you.

27 responses to “Not your Baskin Robbin’s Pumpkin Ice Cream Cake…

  1. I am definitely going to try this – LOVE Coconut Bliss and looking for recipes without refined sugar. Thanks for posting and Happy Thanksgiving down there.

    Vicki in Canada

    1. Thank you Vicki! You will love it – Every time I have a bite, I can’t believe how good this recipe is. The cranberries are incredible with the pumpkin and coconut flavors!

      Thank you again for stopping by!

  2. coconut and pumpkin are two of my favorite flavors of all time. DEFINITELY will be trying this 🙂

  3. ps: yours looks a million times better than that baskin robbins cake, too. I don’t know how people get so excited about all those neon colors that just taste like plain refined sugar. Bring on the FLAVA.

    1. Thank you Mary Beth! I HATE unnatural colors on food and LOVE your comment – this cake totally brings on the FLAVA! 🙂 Let me know when you try it – Would love to hear your reaction.

  4. I am wondering if you could use GL free flour or even Pamela’s baking mix w/ the baking soda added??? I want to make this for my son since he cannot have any dairy or gluten. I typically have better luck with Pamelas’s mix over GL free flour when baking anyway…was wondering if anyone has made this way. Thank you this looks amazing!

  5. Of course! Any flour or baking mix will do – you just need cake to layer between the ice-cream layers! Hope you enjoy the recipe – it’s amazing!

    1. Thank you for sharing. As Dr. Mercola states in his article – There are some organic versions and companies that use a quality form of agave – that don’t use a high ratio of fructose. Coconut Bliss is one of them, fortunately and this is why I like their product!

      “There are a few companies who commit to and actually achieve these criteria and actually:

      Work with the indigenous people,

      Use organic agave as the raw material, free of pesticides

      Process it at low temperatures to preserve all the natural enzymes

      Produce a final agave product that is closer to 50% fructose instead of over 90%

      Fructose is bonded or conjugated to other sugars and not floating around as “free” fructose, like HFCS, which is far more damaging.”

  6. You are certainly right there!
    But there seem to be more to it than that.

    – However you will still need to exert caution in using it.
    Just like fruit it is quantity issue. Fructose only becomes a metabolic poison when you consume it in quantities greater than 25 grams a day. If you consume one of the typical agave preparations that is one tablespoon, assuming you consume ZERO additional fructose in your diet, which is VERY unlikely since the average person consumes 70 grams per day.

    It’s important for you and your family’s health to remember that agave syrup is neither healthy nor natural.

    As reported by Dr. Ingrid Kohlstadt, a fellow of the American College of Nutrition and an associate faculty member at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health:

    “Agave is almost all fructose, a highly processed sugar with great marketing.”

    Agave syrup is not low calorie — it has about 16 calories per teaspoon, the same as sucrose (table sugar). The glycemic index is immaterial, once you understand the full extent of the risk this product poses to your health.

    Seems I might as well use regular organic table sugar.

  7. The meaning of the phrase “ice cream” varies from one country to another. Phrases such as “frozen custard”, “frozen yogurt”, “sorbet”, “gelato” and others are used to distinguish different varieties and styles. In some countries, such as the United States, the phrase “ice cream” applies only to a specific variety, and most governments regulate the commercial use of the various terms according to the relative quantities of the main ingredients.

  8. Searching “pumpkin” on all my favorite blogs today and this recipe sounds great! Is the cake good enough to eat on its own? I was thinking about making it into pumpkin cupcakes!

  9. The coconut milk you use for this cake… is it the stuff in a can? or a carton? or homemade??

    Thanks!

  10. I am so thankful you posted this! Although I consider myself pretty healthy, I am so addicted to Baskin Robbins and have been most of my adult life. I know ts the sugar, but seeing the ingredients list and all the other crap in it, I will no longer give in to my temptation. GROSS! cant wait to try your new recipe. I also love how easy you make it to print.

    Appreciate all you’re doing food babe!

  11. I would be careful recommending “organic” ice cream as a safe pass. I had a family member, with good intentions, bring this to my husband’s birthday party. It was loaded with nastiness. Haagen Daz actually had fewer, more straight forward ingredients. Yes, the milk is not organic but I’d take that over all the other crazy stuff listed on the “organic” ice cream.

  12. Food Babe,
    What other flour could I use to make this GF? The oat flour will work, but that whole wheat one will not. How about coconut flour? I use that in my banana bread and it works so great! Think it would substitute here as well?
    Thanks so much!
    Made my first smoothie today in my new Vitamix! Going to have fun with that and making a pumpkin smoothie tomorrow!
    Martie

  13. Is the coconut milk the dairy alternative or the coconut milk in a can? Any particular brand? Sounds delish!

  14. Dear Food Babe:

    Thanks for all you do!

    I have a question for you:
    What is your choice (or recipe) for the ultimate vegetarian, GMO-free turkey?

    Happy Holidays, Food Babe

  15. Food Babe,

    When I show your site to people, they claim that your recipes are extremely expensive. Several people have said that based on your ingredients list, this pumpkin treat would be over $100.

    Can you start including pricing on your ingredients list to show people that eating healthy is also affordable?

    Thanks!!

  16. What is your opinion about grains? Using whole wheat flour is not a healthy choice in my opinion. I understand that gluten has ill effects on everyone, not just celiacs, but it’s more insidious.

  17. Looks great but not with flour & oats when almond meal & coconut flour could be used your recipes are awesome but not GF friendly which I think is a must these days if your going to be whole food healthy… Nice work anyway

  18. Is there a strong coconut flavour in this treat? I have some family members who don’t like coconut and I don’t want to make it, if there is a flavoring that they don’t like.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

food babe with grocery cart - footer image