Remember the thrill of secretly licking cake batter straight from the bowl as a child? This Homemade Cake Batter Ice Cream recaptures that magical, indulgent flavor, but this time, you have full permission to savor every creamy spoonful! Forget the worries of raw eggs; this recipe delivers a rich, safe, and utterly delicious experience that will transport you back to those cherished kitchen memories.
Inspired by the iconic Cold Stone Creamery Cake Batter Ice Cream, this copycat recipe has been perfected to bring that same vibrant, nostalgic taste right to your home. It’s an instant family favorite, guaranteed to be requested again and again for birthdays, celebrations, or simply to brighten any ordinary day.
Why You Must Make This Irresistible Cake Batter Ice Cream
Once you try homemade cake batter ice cream, you’ll wonder where this delightful creation has been all your life. It’s more than just a dessert; it’s an experience that awakens fond childhood memories and creates new ones with every bite. Here’s why this recipe is an absolute must-try:
- A Nostalgic Flavor Journey: This ice cream perfectly captures the sweet, comforting taste of unbaked cake batter. It’s rich, buttery, and unmistakably “cakey,” offering a safe and hygienic way to enjoy that classic, forbidden flavor without any risk.
- Unanimously Loved: When polled, my own children crowned cake batter as their favorite ice cream flavor. The excitement and enjoyment this recipe brought to our home were unparalleled. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for all ages!
- Luxuriously Rich and Creamy: Unlike many simpler recipes, ours features a decadent custard base made with egg yolks. This extra step ensures an incredibly smooth, dense, and rich mouthfeel that elevates it far above standard ice creams, making it truly exceptional.
- Perfect for Any Celebration: With its fun, vibrant color and the option to add sprinkles, this cake batter ice cream is the ultimate celebratory treat. Serve it in sprinkle-dipped cones for birthdays, holidays, or any special occasion that calls for a joyful dessert.
The Secret to Perfectly Creamy Cake Batter Ice Cream: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating this copycat Cold Stone Cake Batter Ice Cream involves a few key steps, but the result is a supremely rich and creamy dessert that is well worth the effort. The secret lies in a luxurious custard base and the right choice of cake mix.
Crafting the Rich Custard Base
- Many online ice cream recipes omit egg yolks, but for a truly luxurious and rich texture that melts slowly and smoothly in your mouth, a custard base is essential. The egg yolks contribute significantly to the creaminess and density, preventing ice crystals from forming and giving the ice cream that desirable “mouthfeel.”
- You’ll need to temper your egg yolks, which is a crucial culinary technique. This involves slowly whisking a small amount of hot cream mixture into the egg yolks to gradually raise their temperature before adding them back to the main pot. This gentle process prevents the eggs from scrambling, ensuring a silky-smooth custard.
- After cooking the custard, it’s important to pour it through a fine-mesh sieve. This step catches any minuscule bits of cooked egg that might have formed, guaranteeing a perfectly smooth base for your ice cream.
- The custard then needs to be refrigerated, ideally overnight. This extended chilling period is vital for two reasons: it ensures the mixture is thoroughly cold before churning, which helps it freeze faster and more evenly, resulting in a creamier texture. It also allows the flavors to meld and deepen.
Choosing Your Cake Mix for Authentic Flavor
- The distinctive “cake batter” flavor comes directly from incorporating dry cake mix into the base. While you might be tempted to use any cake mix, the type you choose makes a significant difference.
- For the most authentic and delicious copycat Cold Stone flavor, a butter cake mix is highly recommended. I find that standard yellow cake mixes can sometimes taste a bit artificial or overly sweet. Butter cake mix, however, provides a deeper, richer, and more natural “cake” essence that truly makes this ice cream shine.
- Feel free to experiment with other favorite cake mix flavors once you master the basic recipe, but for your first attempt at this classic, stick with a high-quality butter cake mix.
The Finishing Touches and Serving Suggestions
- To elevate this ice cream into a truly festive treat, consider decorating your cones. Dipping sugar or waffle cones in melted white chocolate and then dusting them with colorful sprinkles adds a wonderful crunch and a touch of celebratory flair. You can vary the sprinkle colors to match any occasion – rainbow for birthdays, red and green for holidays, or pastel shades for spring.
- Once churned and frozen to your desired firmness, this ice cream is ready to be shared. I once brought a cone to my friend Candy for her birthday, and she was absolutely delighted. The joy of sharing this special treat with loved ones makes the effort even more rewarding!
Essential Recipe Notes for Ice Cream Perfection
To ensure your homemade cake batter ice cream turns out perfectly creamy and delicious every time, keep these key tips in mind:
- Tempering Eggs Explained: As mentioned, tempering prevents the egg yolks from scrambling when introduced to hot liquid. Always whisk the egg yolks constantly while slowly drizzling in the hot cream mixture. This gradual process ensures the eggs cook gently and evenly.
- The Importance of Straining: Don’t skip straining the custard through a fine-mesh sieve. Even with careful tempering, tiny bits of cooked egg can sometimes form, and straining guarantees an exceptionally smooth, professional-quality ice cream base.
- The Best Cake Mix: For that authentic Cold Stone Creamery flavor profile, a butter-flavored cake mix is your best choice. It delivers a rich, true cake batter taste that a plain yellow cake mix might miss.
- Patience is Key: This recipe requires significant chilling time – at least overnight for the custard base, and then several hours for the churned ice cream to firm up in the freezer. Plan ahead, starting the day before you intend to serve, to allow ample time for each stage. Rushing the chilling process will result in a less creamy, icier final product.
- Equipment Matters: A good ice cream maker is crucial. Whether you have a compressor model or one with a freezer bowl, ensure it’s pre-chilled or ready according to the manufacturer’s instructions for optimal churning.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cake Batter Ice Cream
Cake Batter Ice Cream is a popular frozen dessert, famously popularized by Cold Stone Creamery. It’s typically a rich vanilla or butter-flavored custard ice cream base infused with the distinct taste of cake batter. This unique flavor is achieved by incorporating a small amount of dry cake mix directly into the ice cream base, or by using a cake batter extract. The result is a sweet, slightly buttery, and nostalgic flavor that tastes just like licking the spoon after mixing up a cake!
The quintessential “cake batter” flavor is a delightful blend of rich vanilla and sweet butter. It aims to mimic the taste of a classic yellow or vanilla cake batter before baking. There’s often a subtle undertone of sugar and flour that contributes to its unique and comforting profile.
Decorating ice cream cones adds a festive touch to any serving of cake batter ice cream! To do so, melt some white chocolate (or dark chocolate, if preferred) in a bowl. Dip the rim of each cone into the melted chocolate, allowing any excess to drip off. Immediately after dipping, rotate the chocolate-coated rim through a bowl of your favorite sprinkles. Let them dry completely on parchment paper before serving. You can customize the sprinkle colors and shapes to match any theme or holiday, such as vibrant rainbow sprinkles for birthdays, red, white, and blue for patriotic events, or elegant gold sprinkles for a sophisticated touch.
While this recipe is designed for an ice cream maker to achieve its ultimate creamy texture, you can try a “no-churn” method with the prepared base. After chilling the custard overnight, whip 2 cups of heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the chilled cake batter custard into the whipped cream. Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for at least 6-8 hours, or until solid. While it won’t be identical to the churned version, it will still deliver fantastic flavor.
When stored properly in an airtight, freezer-safe container, homemade cake batter ice cream can last for up to two weeks in the freezer. To prevent freezer burn and maintain optimal flavor and texture, press a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container with a lid. This minimizes air exposure, which is key to preserving its quality.
You May Also Love These Dessert Recipes:
- Decadent Chocolate Ice Cream from Love from the Oven
- Creamy Cheesecake Ice Cream Sundaes
- Dreamy White Chocolate Ice Cream with Raspberry Swirl
- Irresistible Cookie Dough Ice Cream
- Fudge-Topped Chocolate Ice Cream Pie
- Rich and Aromatic Mocha Ice Cream
- Plus, explore my comprehensive Ultimate Ice Cream Recipe Roundup for more frozen delights!
- Discover even more delightful Best Dessert Recipes for every occasion.
Stay connected with us through social media! Find me @ Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Don’t forget to tag me when you whip up one of my recipes! If you adore the results, please consider leaving a 5-star rating and a review in the recipe card below – your feedback helps other home bakers discover these delicious treats!
Homemade Cake Batter Ice Cream Recipe
20 minutes
5 minutes
25 minutes (plus overnight chilling and final freezing)
8 servings
A rich and creamy vanilla ice cream, perfectly flavored with dry cake mix to create an unforgettable celebratory treat that tastes just like cake batter!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars based on 32 reviews.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup butter-flavored cake mix (or yellow cake mix)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, milk, and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar completely dissolves and the mixture just begins to bubble gently around the edges. Do not bring to a rolling boil.
- While the cream mixture heats, whisk the egg yolks vigorously in a large heat-safe measuring cup or bowl until light yellow and slightly thickened.
- To temper the eggs, slowly drizzle about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the whisked egg yolks, whisking constantly and vigorously. Continue whisking as you slowly add more of the hot cream mixture until about half of the cream is incorporated.
- Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream. Continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.
- Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. This step is crucial to remove any potential bits of cooked egg, ensuring a silky-smooth ice cream base.
- Whisk in the vanilla extract and the dry cake mix until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours, until thoroughly chilled. This chilling time is essential for the best texture.
- Once chilled, pour the custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The ice cream should be the consistency of soft-serve.
- Transfer the freshly churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container with a tight-fitting lid. Freeze for an additional 4-6 hours, or until it reaches your desired firmness.
- Serve cold with your favorite toppings, such as extra sprinkles or whipped cream!
Notes
Total time for this recipe, including essential chilling and freezing stages, is approximately 9 hours (mostly passive time).
For the most authentic and delicious cake batter flavor, I highly recommend using a butter-flavored cake mix over a standard yellow cake mix.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Egg Separator
- Ice Cream Scoop
- Ice Cream Maker
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8 servings
Serving Size:
1 serving
Amount Per Serving (estimated):
Calories: 357
Total Fat: 25g
Saturated Fat: 15g
Trans Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 162mg
Sodium: 110mg
Carbohydrates: 31g
Fiber: 0g
Sugar: 25g
Protein: 4g
HOW MUCH DID YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE?
Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest and tag us!