When CK and I were first dating he lived in Westborough which was just a short jaunt to the Cold Stone Creamery on route 9. When you’re thin and in brand new love it’s easy to forget that one day four years later all of those trips to Cold Stone Creamery for the romantic act of sharing a decadent treat covered in peanut butter cups and brownie chunks actually will add up. But since this is decidedly not a diet blog we wont dwell. Instead I’ll just ruminate fondly on my love of cake batter ice cream.
Of course traditional vanilla cake batter ice cream is all well and good, but my favorite cake happens to be “pink cake” or in more formal terms not coined by “little Erin” circa 1984 this would also be known as strawberry cake mix.
During my birthday in June this year I had a momentary panic attack when CK and I were unable to find a box of this coveted cake for him to make for me. Until I moved away from home this was the type of birthday cake I requested almost every year of my life. My grandmother would bake the mix into pretty layers covered in white icing and decorated with pink roses edged with mint green leaves. Then in the center, in her picture perfect writing (how she manages to do this even in frosting is beyond me) would be a pink “Happy Birthday Erin!” Thankfully though CK and I were able to scrounge up a box at a grocery store in Newburyport so all was again right with the birthday continuum.
This creamy ice cream is even better than traditional cake batter varieties because well…it’s pink and it’s strawberry. The pretty color looks absolutely festive, especially when topped with a dusting of pastel jumbo sprinkles. As for that whole weight gain thing I’m doing my best to only eat a little each night for dessert.
Strawberry Cake Batter Ice Cream
Makes 1 quart
1 cup strawberry cake mix such as Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Strawberry Cake Mix
2 eggs (Erin’s Note: if you’re worried about using raw eggs you can always substitute pasteurized eggs or egg product. You can also adapt this recipe to be used with a cooked custard base).
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 drops of red food coloring just to make sure you get the brightest possible pink color.
Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue to whisk until completely blended, about 1 minute more. Pour in the cream, vanilla, cake mix, food coloring, and milk and whisk to blend. At this point I like to chill the batter in the refridgerator for two hours and then freeze according to my ice cream maker’s manufacturer instructions, but if you are pressed for time feel free to skip this step.
