Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Ice Cream

I hope you’re not too sick of sweets after the holiday weekend… I’ve got a good one for you today! I have to sneak it in before the New Year, because I’m pretty sure it won’t help you with any of your resolutions (unless, of course, your resolution is to try some fabulous new flavors of ice cream… I didn’t think so).

Earlier this year, I made red velvet cake ice cream for my hubby. It quickly became his new favorite flavor.  I’m not much of a red velvet fan, though, so I decided to use the cake and ice cream theme to come up with a flavor that was more my style. When it comes to dessert, cake usually isn’t at the top of my list.  I do, however, love chocolate cake with peanut butter icing.  Mostly, I just like the icing, but I’d hate to hear what people would say if I skipped the cake entirely and just ate spoonfuls of frosting. I don’t do that. Really, I don’t.

So, a few weeks ago, after decorating some Christmas cakes, I had quite a bit of chocolate cake left over. I knew the hubby and I wouldn’t eat it all (and shouldn’t eat it all), so I preserved it in ice cream form.  Inspired by peanut butter frosting, I made a peanut butter flavored ice cream base and stirred in some crumbled chocolate cake.  Call me crazy, but I think it’s better than the red velvet cake ice cream. Especially if you love peanut butter frosting… It really does taste like peanut butter frosting, with just a bit of cake mixed in.  That’s the way it’s supposed to be, right?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Ice Cream
(Makes approximately 1/2 gallon)

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 – 5 cups crumbled chocolate cake

Combine the heavy cream and milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Bring just to a simmer.

Meanwhile, beat together the egg yolks and granulated sugar until the mixture is thick and smooth and light in color, falling off of the beaters in ribbons.  Gradually ladle about 1 cup of the hot liquid into the egg mixture, beating constantly. This will temper the eggs and bring up the temperature gradually.

Pour the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan, stirring constantly. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.  Remove from the heat, and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract.

Cover the ice cream base with plastic wrap, pushing the wrap against the surface of the custard.  Refrigerate until cold (at least 2 hours). Once the custard has chilled, freeze in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Take the ice cream out of the ice cream maker, and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Quickly, fold in the crumbled cake. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container, and freeze for a few additional hours for hard, scoopable ice cream.

If the ice cream is too hard to scoop, let it sit at room tempreature for 5 – 10 minutes prior to serving.