What exactly is “birthday cake flavor”? Given that a birthday cake is any cake you’ve graciously invited to the party, this abstract flavoring has less to do with the reality and diversity of celebratory desserts, and more to do with a collective American nostalgia surrounding them.

For my real birthday cake, I’d love something with matcha and pistachio; taro and praline; tonka bean and yuzu; anything but plain vanilla. And yet, if we’re talking about birthday cake flavor, or cake batter flavor, for that matter, that’s exactly what I’d crave.

Typically, birthday cake flavor is a nostalgic mix of:

• Vanilla, being the classic and popular base flavor that most birthday cakes use
• Buttery richness, often from a combination of moist, buttery baked layers and whipped buttercream frosting
• Sweetness, found in ample supply throughout, in varying degrees of sugar-coma inducing saccharinity
• Sprinkles, for a pop of color that looks like edible confetti, becoming a veritable pinata full of candy in every bite

So, for my 36 birthday, I’d like to share some cake with you, that brings together these elements that transcend actual cake, but invoke an overall feeling of joy, fun, and the festivity for the occasion. This recipe for Birthday Cake Ice Cream is straight out of my cookbook, Vegan à la Mode, which is still a reliable reference to this day.

As I pitched it then, ten years ago: No longer do you have to struggle with deciding between cake and ice cream; have them both in one frozen dessert! If it is simply too hot to turn on the oven, you can cheat a bit and purchase 6 vegan cupcakes instead of baking your own. Just scrape off the frosting before blending them up to make your frozen creation.

For a single serving twist, instead of moving the finished ice cream into a container to be served up in scoops, pack the soft ice cream into sturdy cupcake cups and let freeze solid. Right before eating or presenting them, pipe or spoon a dollop of frosting on top. Voila, a genuine ice cream cupcake!

Please join me in commemorating my latest milestone with the idea of birthday cake, with all the indulgence and festivity tied to the act of celebrating. I’ll scoop to that.

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Yield: Makes About 1 1/2 Pints (Six 1/2-Cup Servings)

Birthday Cake Ice Cream

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No longer do you have to struggle with deciding between cake and ice cream; have them both in one frozen dessert! If it is simply too hot to turn on the oven, you can cheat a bit and purchase 6 vegan cupcakes instead of baking your own. Just scrape off the frosting before blending them up to make your frozen creation.

From Vegan à la Mode by Hannah Kaminsky

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 5 hours

Total Time 5 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1/2 Cup Plain Non-Dairy Milk
• 1/2 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3/4 Cup All Purpose Flour or All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Blend
• 1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Ice Cream Base:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 1/2 Cups Plain Non-Dairy Milk
• 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Rainbow Sprinkles

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease 6 muffin tins*. Set aside.
   
2. Combine the non-dairy milk, vinegar, vanilla, and oil in a small bowl, whisk thoroughly, and let sit for 5 minutes.
   
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to distribute all of the dry goods evenly, then pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry. Stir just enough to bring the batter together; a few errant lumps are fine.
   
4. Distribute the batter equally between your prepared muffins tins, and bake for 18 – 22 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before proceeding.
   
5. Toss the cooled cupcakes into your food processor or blender, along with the non-dairy milk and sugar to make the ice cream base. Puree thoroughly, until completely smooth. Chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before churning in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In the last 5 minutes of churning, add in your sprinkles.
   
6. Transfer the soft ice cream into an air-tight container and let rest in the freezer for at least 3 hours before serving, until solid enough to scoop.

Notes

*Don’t touch those cupcake papers! Not only would it be wasteful since they would immediately be discarded, but giving the batter more contact with the pan ensures better browning, which means more caramelization, which ultimately means more flavor!

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

• 
  Simply Organic, Pure Madagascar Vanilla, 4 fl oz (118 ml)
• 
  ColorKitchen, Rainbow Sprinkles, 2 oz (56.70 g)
• 
  Vegan a la Mode: More Than 100 Frozen Treats for Every Day of the Year

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 382Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 221mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 1gSugar: 36gProtein: 6g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.