Melted Ice Cream Cake
“Does anyone remember when melted ice cream cake was all the rage on social media? When people would mix a pint of melted ice cream with self-rising flour and call it cake?” asks Pooja Bavishi in her book, Malai: Frozen Desserts Inspired by South Asian Flavors. The owner of the Brooklyn-based artisanal ice cream shop Malai tried the trend but then made her own version. “I added a little fat for moisture, more sugar, and even a glaze to pump up the flavor of the ice cream.” The result is an impressive cake that’s fairly light and airy and not overly sweet at all. I opted for vanilla ice cream to test the cake but Bavishi says you can use any type of ice cream, even a pint that’s past its prime. “When I make this cake, I often use pints of ice cream that have developed an iciness after sitting in the freezer too long. That icy flavor melts away in the cake, so I know it will go unnoticed,” she says.
- Cooking spray
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/8 ounces)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, melted
- 1 pint ice cream, melted, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (about 2 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground warm spices (such as cinnamon or chai masala)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Whipped cream and chocolate shavings, for garnish