Mini Heart Ice Cream Cakes

These Mini Heart Ice Cream Cakes are a simple and fun way to celebrate Valentine's Day! Vegan, gluten free and naturally sweetened.

With sugary treats in abundance around Valentine's Day, we wanted to have something a bit healthier for the little ones to enjoy. So we came up with these Mini Heart Ice Cream Cakes.

This recipe was inspired by these ice bites on my site. They're also great for Valentine's Day!

ingredients

Frozen bananas can be blended to create a smooth and creamy treat very similar to soft serve ice cream, but without all the added sugar or any additives. And to have more variety nearly any fruit or extract can be combined with the bananas to create lots of delicious flavors!

• dates
• oats
• frozen ripe bananas
• non dairy milk
• strawberries
• mango
• vanilla

See recipe card below for quantities.

instructions

You'll have to plan a head a little to make these cakes because you will need to have some ripe, spotty bananas to make the ice cream. You're looking for the bananas to be spotty, but not quite as ripe as you would want for making bread, in other words not soft and mushy.

Once you have your bananas, it's super easy from there. Just slice them, spread out on a baking sheet, and pop into the freezer for several hours until completely frozen.

While the bananas were freezing, make a simple crust by blending dates into a paste and adding oats until a slightly sticky dough formed. This makes a nice bottom layer to the cakes, but isn't completely necessary.

To make the ice cream, simply blend the ingredients for the desired flavor in a food processor or high speed blender until smooth and creamy.

Since I don't have a nifty heart shaped pan, I use a cookie cutter to create the heart shape. To do this, simply line three small square dishes with parchment paper enough to come up the sides. Press some of the dough for the crust, if using, into the dish to cover the bottom in an even layer. Then spread one flavor of ice cream evenly over the crust and place in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up. Continue this process if making additional flavors. To cut simply, lift the ice cream from the container using the parchment paper and press the cookie cutter through. I used a two inch cutter and was able to cut 4 hearts from each flavor.

Of course, if you have a heart pan, just press the crust into each heart shaped well, spoon the ice cream over the top, and freeze until firm.

Hint: A drizzle of melted chocolate is a nice finishing touch, but also optional. They taste yummy with or without!

variations

• fruit - any fruit can be used. Try raspberries, blueberries even melon such as cantaloupe or honeydew.
• chocolate and peanut butter - add 1-2 tablespoon of cocoa powder and peanut butter to the bananas instead of additional fruit.

equipment

A food processor is needed for making the crust, if using. A good blender is needed for making the ice cream base. Optionally, a heart shaped silicone pan or a heart shaped cookie cutter may be used.

storage

These ice cream cakes will need to be stored in and air tight container or bag in the freezer. Remove from freezer 5-10 minutes before serving for the best texture.

If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below or snap a pic and tag it @weelittlevegans on Instagram so I’ll be sure to see it!

Print

Mini Ice Cream Heart Cakes

Prep Time

20 mins

Freeze Time

2 hrs

Total Time

2 hrs 20 mins

 

These Mini Heart Ice Cream Cakes are a simple and fun way to celebrate Valentine's Day! Vegan, gluten free and naturally sweetened.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten free, no refined sugar, non-dairy, vegan

Servings: 12 cakes

Author: Melissa

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 1 cup dates, pitted
• 1 cup oats

For the Pink Ice Cream:

• 1 cup frozen very ripe banana slices
• ½ cup frozen strawberries
• 1-2 tablespoon non dairy milk

For the Yellow Ice Cream:

• ¾ cup frozen very ripe banana slices
• ¾ cup frozen mango pieces
• 1-2 tablespoon non dairy milk

For the White Ice Cream:

• 1 ½ cup frozen very ripe banana slices
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• 1-2 tbsp non dairy milk

Instructions

For the Crust:

1. Soak dates in hot water for 20 minutes to soften. Drain and transfer to food processor.

2. Blend until dates break down and form a paste. You can add a little water if needed. Scoop paste into a bowl and set aside. 

3. Place oats in food processor and pulse a few times until oats are in small pieces. 

4. Transfer date paste to food processor with oats and blend to combine. Mixture should hold shape when pressed between fingers and be slightly tacky.

5. Line 3 small square dishes with a piece of parchment paper. Be sure paper comes up the sides for easy removable later. 

6. Divide dough into 3 pieces and press each piece in an even layer covering the bottom of each square dish. Set aside. 

For the Ice Cream:

1. Clean food processor and combine ingredients for one flavor of ice cream. Blend until smooth and creamy. 

2. Spread ice cream in an even layer over the crust in one of the square dishes. Place in freezer. 

3. Continue this process until all three flavors of ice cream have been made. 

4. Freeze for 2-3 hours or until very firm. 

5. Working with one flavor at a time lift the ice cream from dish using the parchment paper. 

6. Use a heart shape cookie cutter to cut heart shapes out of ice cream. Return to freezer and cut hearts from remaining colors. Alternatively, use a heart shaped pan and simply fill and freeze. 

7. Drizzle hearts with melted chocolate if desired. Store in a freezer safe container until ready to serve. Allow to thaw for a few minutes for best texture.