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Watch the video below to make this easy Pumpkin Ice Cream Cake!
This easy pumpkin ice cream cake is your new favorite fall dessert.
Fall is here and that means pumpkin everything on the menu! Pumpkin bread or cake is super easy to make when you use a mix. We love our pumpkin cake with homemade cream cheese frosting.
Here’s a delicious pumpkin cake variation made with stuffed pumpkin ice cream! Double the pumpkin flavor is a win in our book.
I was inspired to make this pumpkin ice cream cake from this amazing unicorn ice cream cake. But since it’s fall, we had to double down on the pumpkin flavor.
Can you use a pumpkin mix to make this cake?
Yes you can and we did! We actually used Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread Mix but instead of the 1 cup of water it called for substituted 1 cup of canned pumpkin puree. You will get a richer, denser and more flavorful pumpkin bread this way.
Is this pumpkin dessert a cake or bread?
It’s both! We did use a “pumpkin bread” mix but it called for oil and eggs, which is what you’d find in a typical cake. And there’s ice cream AND cream cheese frosting which is typically found in cakes. So we’re calling it “cake” even though we used a pumpkin bread mix.
Can I use any type of cake or bread mix?
Yes you can! You virtually can try any flavor variations with this stuffed ice cream cake recipe. How about a chocolate cake with mint chip ice cream? Yum. I think that might be our next recipe 🙂
What type of ice cream did you use?
We used Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Ice cream because we love pumpkin this time of year. If you don’t LOVE pumpkin but like the taste, you can try vanilla ice cream so the spice will come just from the cake.
Do I need to add nuts on top?
We added chopped pecans on top of the cream cheese frosting to give it some texture, crunch and extra flavor. But of course nuts are completely optional! If you’re a super fan of nuts, you can sprinkle a liberal handful or two in your batter before baking and not just on top of the frosting.
How do I store this pumpkin ice cream cake?
Because of the ice cream inside the cake, you’ll want to store the loaf in the freezer, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or inside an airtight container. When serving you’ll want to take it out for several minutes to allow to thaw before cutting and eating. Use a knife dipped in hot water to slice.
Pumpkin Ice Cream Cake – Ingredients:
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Pumpkin cake or bread mix (we used Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread Mix but substituted 1 cup of water for 1 cup of canned pumpkin puree)
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Pumpkin ice cream
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Cream cheese frosting
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Cream cheese
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Unsalted butter
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Milk
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Vanilla Extract
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Chopped pecans (optional)
Easy Pumpkin Ice Cream Cake
Ingredients
- 1 Pumpkin Bread or Cake Mix We used Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread Mix but substituted 1 Cup water for 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
- Chopped Pecans Optional
- 1 Quart Pumpkin Ice cream We used Trader Joe's brand.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz Cream cheese softened
- 6 TBSP Unsalted butter softened
- 1 TBSP Milk
- 1 TSP Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare your pumpkin bread or cake mix according to the package instructions. You can always make your own from scratch too. Bake in a 9" x 5" loaf pan.
- Freeze your pumpkin loaf for a couple of hours or until hard so it's easier to cut without falling apart.
- Remove from freezer and cut a rectangle out from the top. Scoop out excess cake from the inside and also from underneath the top you just cut out. Save those to eat as a snack.
- Spread your pumpkin ice cream inside the opening, smooth with a spatula.
- Put top back on and freeze loaf for a couple of hours.
- Prepare your cream cheese frosting. Add your cream cheese, butter, milk, and vanilla extrat in a large mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed for a few minutes until frosting is soft and fluffy.
- Take your pumpkin loaf out of the freezer, spread frosting on top. You'll have extra frosting leftover. Reserve for another use.
- Sprinkle top with chopped pecans (optional).
- Store your pumpkin ice cream cake in the freezer in an air tight container.
Video
Easy Pumpkin Ice Cream Cake from Agnes Hsu on Vimeo.
Agnes Hsu is a mom of three and has been inspiring parents and kids to get creative with easy activities and family friendly recipes for over 10 years. She shares her love for creative play and kids food to her 2MM+ followers online. Agnes' commitment to playful learning and kindness has not only raised funds for charity but also earned features in prestigious nationwide publications.