The Perfect Summer Dessert

If you're a lover of nostalgic summer treats, this nicecream cake is for you! It exemplifies everything we love about summer. It's cold and refreshing, loaded with juicy summer berries, nestled onto a cookie crust, and decorated with just the right amount of flair to feel celebration-worthy.

But although this cake sounds complicated, it comes together in just several easy steps with surprisingly few ingredients. Because ice cream cakes are inherently make-ahead since they need to set in the freezer, this is a perfect dessert for a summer party since all the work happens in advance. Sounds like an excellent plan for a July 4th party to me!

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Good for the Body

Unlike most nostalgic ice cream desserts, this one is actually good for the body. The cookies, which you'll use in the crust, in the ice cream, and as garnishes, are made from oat flour (more on that below!) and get most of their fat from nut butter. The ice cream is actually a "nicecream", made from bananas with no added sweetener. The cake is exploding with fresh and nourishing summer berries, both in the nicecream and on top.

Because of all these tweaks, this is a summer dessert you can feel good about enjoying. It's free of refined grains, much lower in sugar than other similar recipes, and loaded with fruit. Win win win!

I even admit to having a slice for lunch after I photographed this recipe!

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Cookie Love!

I'm excited to be bringing you this recipe in collaboration with Meli's Cookies. I'm such a huge fan of their cookie mixes and just can't seem to get enough of them. This is actually our third recipe together! Make sure to also check out this summery Chocolate Avocado Mousse Cookie Tart and these cozy Pumpkin Chocolate Cookie Trifles. This recipe uses their Rainbow Chip mix, which just seems so perfect for a nostalgic summer dessert.

Because I'm confident you'll love these cookies as much as I do, you'll actually use them in three different ways in this recipe! You'll make the dough as directed, then bake a few mini cookies to decorate the top of the cake. You'll also bake normal-sized cookies which you'll use to make the crust (it's just cookie crumbs and peanut butter!) and to crush up inside the nicecream. When it comes to cookies, more is more is more, right??

Meli's Cookies are made with whole foods like oat flour and oats, so they're a much more nourishing way to indulge in a sweet treat. Their cookie mixes are certified gluten free, kosher, and preservative free, and the resulting cookies are surprisingly protein-rich since you'll add some nut butter into the dough. You can find these awesome mixes at lots of retailers nationwide, but you can also get them online.

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Let's Talk Ingredients

Here's what you'll need for this recipe, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.

• Meli's Rainbow Chip cookie mix
• Peanut butter. You'll use nut butter both in the cookie dough itself and to bind together the crust. I prefer peanut butter since it goes so well with fruit, but feel free to use whatever nut or seed butter you love most.
• Butter. For making the cookie dough.
• Egg. For making the cookie dough. (However, note that I almost never have eggs on-hand and make this dough all the time using a flax egg; it works great if that's more your speed.)
• ‍Bananans. These will be for your nicecream base, so make sure to use ripe bananas (they're sweeter!) and freeze them ahead of time.‍
• Full-fat coconut milk. The kind in the can, not the coconut milk beverage. This will provide some fat and creaminess to your nicecream.
• Assorted frozen berries. For blending into your nicecream. This cake will be most delicious if you can get fresh summer berries at their peak (or even better, pick your own!) and then freeze them. That said, any frozen berries will work fine. The photos here show nicecream made with frozen raspberries, cherries, and blackberries, which creates a deep pink color.‍
• Assorted fresh berries. For decorating the top of your cake. Choose a few different types for a super-summery vibe.

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Closing Thoughts

This nicecream cake is everything I've ever wanted in a summer dessert! It's nostalgic and refreshing, colorful and summery. Yet it's also filled with nourishing ingredients and loaded with summer berries. It comes together quickly and actually mandates being made ahead of time, so it's a great option for entertaining since all the work can be done a day or two in advance.

This cake is sure to put a smile on everyone's face. Happy summer!

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Share It!

It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.

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Suggested Pairings

Blackberry Limoncello Gin Smash

Grilled Corn, Strawberry, and Avocado Salad

Watermelon, Snap Pea, and Mint Salad

Lemon Blueberry Thyme Pasta Salad

Summer Picnic Chick Pea Salad

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Disclosure: This recipe has been developed through a paid partnership with Meli's Cookies. However, all opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Rogue Brussel Sprout running.