Vegan ice cream cake

Ice cream cake really takes me back. It’s ice cream, it’s cake, it’s my birthday and I don’t want to share it with my brother… Yada yada. Then there’s that whole argument you have with yourself about wether a fork or a spoon is the wiser choice for your ice cream eatery. Either way when you’re a kid it ends up somehow in your nose, on your arms and a little bit in your hair.

Have you ever heard of Carvel? I feel as though everyone just automatically should know what I’m referring to when I bring up a Carvel ice cream cake but I was surprised to find out they are not as popular as I assumed. Carvel is a dessert company and they have been the go-to in my family for ice cream cakes for as long as I can remember. They have this chocolate cookie crust, ice cream filling, and are covered in some sort of icing that’s been frozen just like the rest of the cake. The only downside is they are so far from vegan they’re practically Outback Steakhouse (zing!).

My husband and I were having a nice little chat regarding what sort of cake he would like me to make for his birthday. I dished out some awesome ideas. Coconut cake, German chocolate, red velvet. What does he request? Ice cream cake! Years ago when he left for basic training I bought him a carvel cake for his going away party. Now that I’ve gone vegan and dragged him along with me, there will be no more Carvel. But that doesn’t mean no ice cream cake. I decided to just wing it, I stepped into the kitchen and created what ended up being a birthday masterpiece. You might want to use an ice cream maker for this. I’m not sure how the ice cream part will turn out without the ice cream maker being used. But if you don’t have one, oh well! Just do your best, either way it will taste delicious.

Ingredients
Crust– 1 box of Oreos, just the cookies, not the cream (set aside five cookies from the box if you want to use them inside your ice cream)
3/4 cup unmelted coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 dates, pitted

Ice cream– 1 can of full fat coconut milk
5 Oreos
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sugar (I used raw cane sugar, you can use whatever)

Whipped cream topping–
1 can of full fat coconut milk, set in the fridge overnight
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup

Instructions
Remove the cream from inside of the cookies. Put all of the crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse together until it’s like sticky Oreo sand (I honestly can’t think of a better description, I am so sorry). Use the mi to form a crust around your 9×9 pie dish, then stick in the freezer.

Blend together all of your ice cream ingredients using a hand mixer or just a whisk, then put in your ice cream maker and process using the manufacturers ingredients. When it’s ready, pour it on top of the cookie crust. Place the dish back in the freezer for 2 hours, or until firm.

Open the can of coconut milk carefully. Take the top creamy part, leave out the watery part at the bottom (you can use it in a smoothie later, it’s delicious). Blend together all of the whipped cream ingredients using a hand mixer or stand mixer until it peaks, this will take maybe 7-10 minutes. Smear the whipped cream on top of the ice cream cake, and freeze for about an hour.

Voila! You’ve successfully created ice cream cake. Congratulations on being awesome. I hope you like it as much as my husband and I did, because we fought over the final piece. Enjoy!