Vegan Layered Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake

If you haven’t heard of banana soft serve, you’re missing out.  It’s basically just a banana thrown into the food processor or a blender(even a magic bullet will work) with a tablespoon or two of milk to get it going and blend.  And what comes out is an amazing creamy, ice cream-like treat.  You can add cocoa powder, vanilla, other fruit, even peanut butter and other nut butters.  I even add a tiny bit more milk to make an amazing milkshake.  This ice cream cake is just a variation of banana soft serve.  You can make a flavor separately if you don’t want to make a cake.  I would suggest cutting the recipe down to one banana per one serving.  The ice cream also stores well in the freezer although it doesn’t maintain its soft serve consistency but it does stay soft enough to scoop and eat immediately out of the freezer.

I know this recipe contains a lot of bananas.  We usually try to buy many more bananas than we need for the week and then freeze whatever is left over on the following grocery day.  You can also search the discount produce bin for spotty or brown bananas, although I find that very brown bananas have a very strong banana flavor when frozen which I don’t really like so I choose to use less ripe bananas that are usually just a little spotted.  I peel them and throw them into a Ziploc bag in the freezer.  When ready to blend up my ice cream I chop the frozen banana using a large knife into smaller, easier to blend pieces.

[print_this]Vegan Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake

Strawberry Layer

• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 1/2 large frozen over ripe bananas
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 C almond or other non dairy milk, plus more if needed

Vanilla Layer

• 2 large frozen over ripe bananas
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 C almond or other non dairy milk

Chocolate Layer

• 2 large frozen over ripe bananas
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 C cocoa powder, or more to taste
• 1/2 C almond or other non dairy milk

Line a loaf pan with saran wrap and set aside.  To assemble, blend each flavor separately adding the frozen bananas first and blending until crumbly and no large pieces remain. In the strawberry flavor blend the strawberries with the bananas.  Add the vanilla and milk and blend until smooth adding the cocoa powder in the chocolate layer at this point.  Pour the first layer in the bottom and spread out till flat and smooth out as best you can.  Put in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.  Prepare the next layer and pour over top, spreading evenly again.  Repeat for the final layer.

To remove from the pan you may need to put an inch or two of hot water in your sink and place the pan in the sink for 5-10 seconds before inverting on a plate.  Then, slice with a large sharp knife.  I find that my serrated bread knife works best.  Store covered in the freezer up to 2 weeks.[/print_this]

Have a great weekend!