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Photography by Heather Ellicott
Mary Anne here. As a little girl growing up in Levittown, Long island, one of the highlights of summer was the arrival of the ice cream man. Our neighborhood was always teeming with kids out on the street playing War, Kick the Can or, of course, baseball! We were truly the 1950’s manifestation of The American Dream.
And what could possibly be more American than ice cream? I remember as clear as day the sound of Bungalow Bar’s tinkling bell as the ice cream truck rounded the corner – those bells promising that we’d be devouring a sweet treat in a matter of minutes. We’d call an abrupt “time out” and we’d go scrambling helter-skelter in the direction of our respective homes; I, a little street urchin, pleading with Mom for nothing more than a nickel to buy a creamsicle. “Pull-ease,” I’d beg, not even asking for a frozen “Éclair” or ”Strawberry Shortcake” at the outrageous price of a dime.
No, I pleaded only for a creamsicle with its fruity (usually orange) jacket enveloping the soft, velvety vanilla ice cream hiding beneath. I could nurse one of those babies for at least 15 minutes. No biting – no way! This frozen delight had to last so that I could savor every lick.
Well, I haven’t heard the bells of an ice cream truck in a very long time, but I did figure out how to make my own “dreamsicle.” And really, this is such a snap to prepare with or without the fancy Blueberry topping. Bonus – my version is red, white, and blue – a patriotic salute to my glorious days in the town of tiny, ticky-tacky houses (a la Pete Seeger’s verse). Wouldn’t trade those days for all the expensive ice cream cones in the world!
PS, the image above was shot by my talented sister (and professional photographer) Heather Ellicott. Check out her portfolio online!
Print This Recipe
Raspberry Creamsicle Cake with Blueberry Sauce
Serves 6
Note: You will need a 1½-quart loaf pan, lined with plastic wrap. Run one piece of plastic wrap length-wise, leaving 2 or 3 inches of over hang. Take a second piece of plastic and line the pan width-wise, again leaving an overhang along the sides. These will be your “handles” when it is time to transfer the cake to a serving platter. See photo below.
Ingredients for the Ice Cream Cake:
¾ cup ground graham cracker crumbs – $4.00
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted – stock
1 ¼ Tablespoons light corn syrup – stock
1-pint raspberry sorbet or sherbet, slightly softened – $2.99
1-pint vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, slightly softened – $2.50
For the Blueberry Sauce:
1 pint fresh blueberries, washed and picked over for stems – $2.50
½ Tablespoon fresh lemon juice – $0.40
¼ cup granulated sugar – stock
½ Tablespoon corn starch – stock
1/3 cup water
zest of 1 lemon, divided in half – included above
Grand Total Assuming Well-Stocked Pantry: $12.39
Total Per Serving: $2.06
Total Per Serving without Blueberry Sauce: $1.58
Directions:
1. Line the loaf pan as directed above. In a small mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and corn syrup, stirring well to combine. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
2. Spread the sorbet or sherbet evenly over the graham cracker “crust”. Place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes until sorbet is set.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the blueberry sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine the blueberries with the sugar, water, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Set over low to moderate flame and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
4. Increase the flame to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. The sauce will begin to thicken.
5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Once cool, store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
6. Remove the Sorbet from the freezer and spread the softened vanilla ice cream over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and return to the freezer for several hours before serving.
7. To remove the cake from the pan, simply lift the cake out of the pan, using the saran “handles”. Cut into the cake into 6 slices, drizzle with the blueberry sauce and serve immediately.
Yummy, yummy, yummy! What a super recipe. Sadly we don’t get graham crackers here in Mauritius or back home in South Africa so I am sure substituting with tennis biscuits or digestive biscuits won’t be a problem.
🙂 Mandy
I think just about any cookie will do. Vanilla wafers might be good or maybe those thick biscuits babies gnaw on when they’re teething. Let us know what works for you in place of the graham crackers. And thanks for writing! We love hearing from you. Best, M&M
Looks delicious! A great Summer treat!
AH- A SUMMER “MOOD FOOD DELIGHT ” !THIS IS THE PERFECT RECIPE TO HEIP US GET RELIEF FROM THE 90+ DEGREE WEATHER WE HAVE BEEN HAVING. ADDING THE BLUEBERRY SAUCE DOES GIVE IT A “BONUS”XXOOXXLOVE MRS. A P.S. I ENJOYED YOUR INTRO .
Hi there, Mrs. A.! You should make this when you’re in Wildwood. Your kids and grandkids will definitely love it! xoxo