There’s nothing like enjoying a double scoop of your favorite ice cream flavor, plopped onto a fresh waffle cone, while strolling along the boardwalk and soaking up summer in all its glory. Ice cream is America’s most popular summertime treat, and with summer in full swing, I decided it was the perfect time to work on the ice cream sandwich section of my upcoming book. For my ice cream sandwiches, I prefer to use cake-like cookies as they stay soft even when frozen –I call them “cakies”!
I wanted to steer away from the traditional vanilla ice cream sandwich, so I went through my kitchen and started thinking. Two ingredients popped out at me from my pantry– a bunch of ripe bananas and a jar of imported instant espresso– and I knew that these two flavors would be a match in heaven! And so, the Banana Ice Cream and Espresso “Cakie” Sandwiches were born in my kitchen.
The recipe below makes 8 rectangular sandwiches so you can save some in your freezer for your weekend beach picnic.
Beach Town Baking’s Banana Ice Cream and Espresso “Cakie” Sandwiches
Makes 8 sandwiches
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, soft
½ cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon Medaglia D’oro instant espresso
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ quarts store-bought vanilla ice cream
2 large bananas, very ripe and mashed
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 13”x18” rimmed baking sheet and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, espresso and salt. Mix until incorporated, about one minute more. Make sure to scrape the bowl to ensure ingredients are fully combined.
Using a mini offset spatula, spread the batter in the prepared pan. Make sure to smooth the top. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
After cake has completely cooled, gently remove it from the pan and place it on a cutting board. Cut the cake in half and place it on a large piece of foil.
Remove the ice cream from the freezer and transfer it to a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Start at low speed and continue mixing until it reaches the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. Add the bananas and mix until blended. Spread the ice cream over one of the cake pieces. Top it with the remaining cake and press down gently. Wrap the foil up and around the assembled dessert. Place in the freezer for at least 3 hours or overnight.
When ice cream is fully set, remove the dessert from the freezer. Trim the edges with a sharp knife and cut into 8 pieces. Individually wrap each ice cream sandwich with parchment paper, wax paper or aluminum foil and tape to seal. Store the sandwiches in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a week.