Date Caramel & Mocha Vegan Ice-Cream Cake

This deliciously indulgent dairy-free ice-cream cake gets its creaminess from coconut milk and its sweetness from dates, so it's actually relatively healthy! 

The recipe also works perfectly without an ice-cream maker, and the dates are a magic ingredient to stop it from icing up and freezing solid.

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You can use this recipe to make vegan Baked Alaska (aka ice-cream cake covered in aquafaba meringue) for a special occasion dessert. Or have it as is, perhaps served with some fresh fruit.

It even tastes great added to hot chocolate (which we like to make with cacao, cinnamon, hot water & plant-milk. [You can add sugar/maple syrup/rice syrup etc to the drink too if you prefer it sweeter]).

The caramel layer is densely creamy (thanks to coconut cream) and contrasts with the lighter, almost sorbet-like consistency of the chocolate-espresso layer (thanks to plant milk). 

Doesn't a slice of it look pretty, with its contrasting colours?

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Date Caramel & Mocha
Ice-Cream Cake

Vegan | Dairy free | Refined sugar free

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Date Caramel Ice Cream Layer

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cashews

1 cup dates

1 cup plant milk (we used almond)

1 1/2 cups full-fat coconut cream

1/2 teaspoon ground vanilla bean

OPTIONAL : 1-2 tablespoon maple syrup if you like it sweeter

Method

Cover cashews with cold water & soak for 1 hour.

Drain water, and re-cover cashews with hot water. Soak for 1 hour. (This double soak method makes the cashews super creamy.)

Meanwhile, cover dates with boiling water & soak for 1 hour.

Drain dates & transfer to a high speed blender or food processor. Add plant milk, & blend until creamy, add drained cashews & whiz again until very smooth.

Add all other ingredients & blend until smooth.

Line a small loaf tin with baking paper (to make it easier to retrieve the slice when frozen) and pour caramel mixture into tin. Place in freezer to set while you make the Mocha Ice Cream layer.

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MOCHA ICE CREAM LAYER

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup dates

1/2 cup cacao powder

2 cups plant milk (we used Bonsoy soy milk)

1/4 cup espresso coffee, chilled

OPTIONAL : 2 tablespoons maple syrup if you like it sweeter

method

Cover dates with boiling water & soak for 1 hour.

Drain & place in high speed blender with remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. Taste & add maple syrup if you like it sweeter.

Pour the mixture into a large zip-lock plastic bag, and place flat in freezer for about 2 hours or until just firm.

Working quickly, bend the now-frozen slab into chunks while still in the plastic bag & place the chunks in food processor in small batches. (We did 3 batches.) Blend till creamy-smooth, and using a spatula, layer on top of frozen Date Caramel Ice Cream.

Return the whole tin to the freezer for a couple of hours to set. To serve, remove the tin from freezer a few moments before you want it. Pull the paper to release the ice cream slice and invert onto a large plate. Slice to serve.

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While we'd love an ice cream machine, it really isn't necessary for these recipes as the result is smooth and creamy.

Of course, if you have a machine, it may be even better, but in our kitchen, it's fair to say that this dessert really doesn't last once word gets out there's freshly made ice cream in the freezer!!

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