Recipe for vegan and gluten-free Coconut Matcha Ice Cream Cakes. They are easy to make and such an awesome treat & kid-friendly.
Ever since I've made the Chocolate Lovers Cake, I knew the combo of cake basis, ice cream in the middle and chocolate on top (which transformed into a chocolate hard shell) just worked. These vegan & gluten-free Coconut Matcha Ice Cream Cakes are like a mini version of regular ice cream cakes - but way healthier!
Since I've received my Coco Jack and have been opening young Thai coconuts like 24/7, I've had an enormous amount of young coconut meat. One can only make that much coconut milk, so I was looking for more ways to use the delicious coconut meat in recipes. And these ice cream cakes are the perfect treat.
Actually, these ice cream mini cakes are super easy to make when you have a food processor (for the base) and a high-speed blender (for the ice cream layer). The hardest part is to keep them in the freezer for about 5 hours and not eat them before that :) The chocolate topping comes on the ice cream layer shortly before serving. It will transform into a chocolate hard shell in a few seconds.
Vegan Coconut Matcha Ice Cream Cakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Ingredients for the base
- ⅓ cup almonds preferably blanched but I used unblanched and it worked too
- ¼ cup shredded coconut unsweetened
- 2 teaspoons rice syrup
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil + a bit more for coating the forms
Ingredients for the filling & top
- 1 cup young coconut meat
- 5 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons rice syrup
- ¼ teaspoon matcha
- ¼ cup shredded coconut unsweetened
- ⅓ cup vegan dark chocolate chips or baking chocolate
Instructions
- Coat the ramekin forms* lightly with coconut oil.
- Put all the ingredients for the base in a kitchen processor and blend until the mixture starts to form little clumps. Put the crust mixture in the forms and press it down with a spoon.
- Fill the coconut meat, water, organic rice syrup, shredded coconut and matcha in a blender and blend for about 1-2 minutes until completely smooth. Fill the mixture into the ramekins. Place them in the freezer for about 5 hours or overnight.
- Once the coconut matcha layer is frozen, heat the chocolate chips or baking chocolate in a double boiler until melted. While the chocolate melts, carefully go around the edges with a knife and let the ice cream cake slide out of the ramekin. Top the ice cream cakes with the melted chocolate and flatten it a bit with the spoon. Let it thaw for about 10 minutes and then dig in :)
Natalie says
These are elegant and adorable all at once, they immediately caught my eye! I see what you mean about the having to wait while they freeze struggle, I think I might have to save some of that matcha filling to eat with a spoon while I wait :)
Bianca says
Thank you so much, Natalie! Great idea - double batch it is :D These mini ice cream cakes would make such cute birthday cakes - I think a candle on top would be super sweet :D
Strength and Sunshine says
Mini Ice Cream Cakes!? Omg! Yes!! I haven't had ice cream cake in years and years and years!! So fun!
Bianca says
Me too, it was way too long! These are the perfect healthy, vegan alternative :)
Jenn S. says
These are so incredibly cute and I'm drooling on my keyboard. Yum!!! Love these!
Bianca says
Thank you so much, Jenn! They are amazing, I can't wait to make them again :)
Rahul @ samosastreet says
it is so healthy and delicious looking ice cream
Bianca says
Thanks, Rahul! It really is a much healthier alternative to usual ice cream cakes :) and so yummy!
Kyra says
Wow Bianca! These look so tasty :D they remind me of the strawberry cheesecakes I made last month, purely because they both follow the same crust-icecream-chocolate formula, haha. These are a great way to use the coconut meat too!
genevieve y says
Bianca, not only do these little ice cream cakes sound delicious but they are also way too cute! I could eat matcha desserts all day every day, hehe. Pinned and can't wait to make! Saving these for a special occasion ;)
Luxe Calendar says
it is so healthy and delicious looking ice cream
AvocadoPesto says
Aaah I first saw the coco jack on shark tank and recently have been seeing it all over the web - I want one!!!! I bought a few thai coconuts the other day and had to use a drill to pierce them and get the water out, but the young coconut meat was trapped in there! This dessert looks incredible LOVE IT!
Bianca says
aaah... all that precious coconut meat! hihi. You'd definitely love the coco jack! It's so much easier to open the coconuts that way and also safer (I nearly whacked off a finger more than once with the old-fashioned knife-whacking-method).
AvocadoPesto says
haha yes have also nearly injured myself trying to use an axe to cut off the top of the coconut! Not a good idea!! Def need the coco jack : ))
Daniela says
Hi I really would like to do this for a friend whom loves matcha.,but he is not a fan or can eat the nuts. Is any other suggestions for that? :)
Bianca says
you could do a cookie layer at the bottom instead - like I made this oreo cookie layer for a cheesecake. Of course you could you any vegan cookies you can find e.g. lotus cookies are great for that too.
Peita says
Hi, these look delicious. How long will they last in the freezer?
Bianca says
Hi Peita, they should be fine for about a month! :)