I am not a baker. Baking requires precision, patience and a talent that I definitely do not pride myself in. So when my mom requested a vegan cake for her birthday, the anxiety set in. I have enough trouble with baking in general without having to scour the internet for the best vegan cake recipes. So what’s a girl to do?

My inspiration came from years of scooping ice cream and making awesome ice cream pies. They were an easy crowd pleaser every time. My mom loves chocolate and coffee, so that was an easy combination to make. You could get really creative and add any flavors you like with the coconut milk, sugar and vanilla base.

I chose to use coconut milk for my ice cream base because it’s fat content is the closest to dairy ice cream. I have used almond milk in the past and it was not as creamy as I would have liked, but you could use a blend of milks or even yogurt to cut back on the fat.

I happened to have an ice cream maker at home, but you don’t need one. If you blended the mixture really well and incorporate enough air before pouring it into the mold, the result would be just a bit more dense (but just as delicious) as a churned ice cream.

The crumbly chocolate and peanut butter crust brought me right back to my favorite Carvel ice cream cakes I enjoyed as a kid. It was a little time consuming but SO worth it in the end!

What are your favorite store bought desserts that you want to see made at home? Let me know!