Neapolitan Banana Ice Cream Recipe

It's just been brought to my attention that today is National Ice Cream Day, and by chance I finished trialing a fun healthy ice-cream project just yesterday, so I thought today would be a good day to share it.  This recipe is for Neapolitan banana ice cream, although as it is completely dairy free it should probably go by its proper name of 'nice cream' (not ice cream!).  This ice cream is made almost entirely from fruit, which means that it's a yummy desert that counts towards your 5 a day, brilliant!

You may remember that I shared a two ingredient banana ice cream recipe here last month, well I took that idea, added a couple more ingredients and came up with something extra special in the form of this Neopolitan ice cream cake! It takes a bit longer to make than the simple version, but it's still very easy to make and well worth the little bit of extra effort.

Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients

• 7 bananas
• 150g strawberries
• 1 heaped tbs cocoa powder
• maple syrup or honey (optional)

Method

Start by lining a couple of a baking trays with baking paper or tinfoil. This will make the fruit easier to remove once frozen. Make sure they both fit into your freezer!

Peel your bananas, then slice into bite-size pieces.  As you're cutting them up, split them into 3 piles of pieces from 3, 2 ½ and 1 ½ bananas.  Lay them out in a single layer on the baking sheets, keeping the three different piles of bananas seperate from each other. This will save you from having to weigh or measure them out later.

Wash and hull the strawberries.  Cut them all in half, and pop them on one of the baking sheets too.

Place the baking sheets in the freezer and freeze overnight or until the fruit is all frozen solid.  If you’re not going to make the ice-cream immediately, you can pop the fruit pieces into a air-tight bags once frozen and return to the freezer until ready to use.

Once you’re ready to make the ice cream, line  a loaf tin or small cake tin with baking paper or cling film, making sure there is some overhang of paper to help you remove the ice cream when it's time to serve it.

Remove 2 ½ bananas worth of frozen banana slices from the freezer and throw them into a blender or food processor, with the cocoa powder and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey to taste (if wanted).  Whizz up immediately.  You might find that the banana first breaks up into a crumbly texture and you need to scrape down the sides several times, but be patient and continue to blend it until it goes smooth and creamy.

Once it has a smooth ice-cream like texture, pour it immediately into the loaf tin, and spread it out into an even layer, taking care not to get the ice-cream up the sides of the tin.  Bang the tin on your worktop a couple of times to remove any air bubbles and pop the tin in the freezer for an hour or so to set, and clean your blender/food processor ready for the next batch.

Once the chocolate layer has set, remove  3 bananas worth of frozen banana slices from the freezer and throw them into your blender or food processor. Whizz up immediately as before, blending it until it goes smooth and creamy.

Pour on top of the chocolate layer in the loaf tin, spreading it out into an even layer as before.  Return to the freezer to set for another hour or so.

Once the banana layer has set, it's time to complete the Neapolitan effect with a pink layer.  To make this layer, whizz up the rest of the frozen banana slices (1 ½ bananas worth) with the frozen strawberries as before, blending until smooth and creamy.  I found this layer took a little longer to come together, but keep at it and it will eventually!

Pour the strawberry banana mixture into the loaf tin on top of the banana layer, and return to the freezer for a couple of hours or overnight until completely set.

When ready to serve, take the tin out of the freezer and tip out onto a plate or board.  Peel the baking paper away from the ice-cream and cut into slices to serve.  Be sure to serve immediately and return any uneaten ice cream to the freezer straight away as it melts very quickly, especially on a warm day!

I was really pleased with how this recipe came out and everyone really enjoyed it, so much so that I already need to make some more!

A very happy National Ice Cream Day to you all!

Grace

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake

A yummy frozen ice cream cake recipe made from fruit! Naturally dairy free - free from refined sugar - vegan - fun summertime dessert idea.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time0 minutes mins

Freezing6 hours hrs

Total Time6 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British, Vegetarian

Servings: 4 people

Author: Grace Hall

Ingredients

• 7 bananas
• 150 g strawberries
• 1 heaped tbs cocoa powder
• maple syrup or honey (optional)

Instructions

• Start by lining a couple of a baking trays with baking paper or tinfoil. This will make the fruit easier to remove once frozen. Make sure they both fit into your freezer!
• Peel your bananas, then slice into bite-size pieces.  As you're cutting them up, split them into 3 piles of pieces from 3, 2 ½ and 1 ½ bananas.  Lay them out in a single layer on the baking sheets, keeping the three different piles of bananas seperate from each other. This will save you from having to weigh or measure them out later.
• Wash and hull the strawberries.  Cut them all in half, and pop them on one of the baking sheets too.
• Place the baking sheets in the freezer and freeze overnight or until the fruit is all frozen solid.  If you’re not going to make the ice-cream immediately, you can pop the fruit pieces into a air-tight bags once frozen and return to the freezer until ready to use.
• Once you’re ready to make the ice cream, line  a loaf tin or small cake tin with baking paper or cling film, making sure there is some overhang of paper to help you remove the ice cream when it's time to serve it.
• Remove 2 ½ bananas worth of frozen banana slices from the freezer and throw them into a blender or food processor, with the cocoa powder and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey to taste (if wanted).  Whizz up immediately.  You might find that the banana first breaks up into a crumbly texture and you need to scrape down the sides several times, but be patient and continue to blend it until it goes smooth and creamy.
• Once it has a smooth ice-cream like texture, pour it immediately into the loaf tin, and spread it out into an even layer, taking care not to get the ice-cream up the sides of the tin.  Bang the tin on your worktop a couple of times to remove any air bubbles and pop the tin in the freezer for an hour or so to set, and clean your blender/food processor ready for the next batch.
• Once the chocolate layer has set, remove  3 bananas worth of frozen banana slices from the freezer and throw them into your blender or food processor. Whizz up immediately as before, blending it until it goes smooth and creamy.
• Pour on top of the chocolate layer in the loaf tin, spreading it out into an even layer as before.  Return to the freezer to set for another hour or so.
• Once the banana layer has set, it's time to complete the Neapolitan effect with a pink layer.  To make this layer, whizz up the rest of the frozen banana slices (1 ½ bananas worth) with the frozen strawberries as before, blending until smooth and creamy.  I found this layer took a little longer to come together, but keep at it and it will eventually!
• Pour the strawberry banana mixture into the loaf tin on top of the banana layer, and return to the freezer for a couple of hours or overnight until completely set.
• When ready to serve, take the tin out of the freezer and tip out onto a plate or board.  Peel the baking paper away from the ice-cream and cut into slices to serve.  Be sure to serve immediately and return any uneaten ice cream to the freezer straight away.