Birthday Cake Ice Cream

Keith and I are both summer babies, so birthdays at our house are a big deal. We like to go out for a special meal, a day at the ballpark, and maybe a special homemade dessert worth celebrating. If you're looking for the full spread, our Vanilla Birthday Cake pairs perfectly with a generous scoop of this ice cream.

One summer Keith took his professional gelato technique and loaded it with funfetti flavor to create this birthday cake ice cream. The result barely lasted a day in our freezer. We ate it in cups, on cones, and straight from the bowl. If you're an ice cream lover, you'll also want to check out his Peanut Butter Gelato and Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream and both are just as dangerous to keep in the freezer.

Ingredients

This birthday cake ice cream comes together with just a few simple ingredients, and each one plays a specific role in the final texture and flavor.

• Whole milk forms the base of the ice cream. Whole milk gives you the fat content needed for a creamy result.
• Heavy cream adds richness and body to the base.
• Sugar sweetens the ice cream and helps control the texture during the freeze and blend cycle.
• Powdered milk is Keith's professional secret weapon. It boosts the milk solids in the base, which is what gives this ice cream its dense, gelato-style creaminess.
• Funfetti cake mix is what delivers that unmistakable birthday cake flavor in every scoop.
• Rainbow sprinkles go in at the very end to keep the colors bright and festive.

👉 See recipe card below for exact quantities.

how to make it

1. Build the base. Combine the milk, sugar, and heavy cream in a large metal mixing bowl and blend with an immersion blender until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add the powdered milk and Funfetti cake mix and blend until frothy and slightly thickened.
2. The freeze and blend cycle. Transfer to the freezer for two hours, then blend again for five minutes. Repeat this cycle three more times for a total of four rounds. Each round breaks up the ice crystals, giving the ice cream its smooth, gelato-style texture.
3. The final freeze. After the fourth blend, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream and freeze overnight.
4. Add the sprinkles. Fold in the rainbow sprinkles just before serving so the colors stay bright and don't bleed into the base.

make ahead and storage

• Make ahead: this ice cream is a great make ahead dessert. The full process takes about eight hours plus an overnight freeze, so plan to start the day before you need it.
• Airtight container: transfer the finished ice cream to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to two weeks.
• Prevent ice crystals: press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface before sealing the container.
• Serving: remove from the freezer five to ten minutes before serving to allow it to soften slightly for easy scooping.