Carrot Cake Ice Cream

By
Brett Moore
Brett Moore
Brett Moore
Before becoming a food writer, Brett Moore earned a culinary degree and worked as a professional chef.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/4/22
Tested by Mary Jo Romano
Vegetable gelato. Vegan carrot ice cream with organic baby carrots, old rustic wooden background.

Rimma_Bondarenko / Getty Images

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 105 mins
Freeze Time: 6 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 20 servings
Yield: 2 1/2 quart

It's ice cream that tastes like carrot cake, only better! We use all the ingredients of traditional carrot cake—cream cheese, cinnamon, brown sugar, carrots, golden raisins, walnuts, and rum (you can leave out the walnuts and rum if you like)—and mix it into a creamy, luscious vanilla ice cream. 

“The batch size was too large for my 1 1/2 quart ice cream maker, so I processed in two individual batches after re-freezing the ice cream canister overnight again. I went all in and added the walnuts and dark rum. It is so perfect and flavorful…..Is it an ice cream or a carrot cake?” — Mary Jo Romano

Carrot Cake Ice Cream/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 4 cups whole milk

  • 2 cups heavy cream

  • 5 large egg yolks

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 (8-ounce) package room temperature cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed

  • 1/4 cup (2 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 1 1/2 cups grated carrot

  • 1/2 cup golden raisins

  • 1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped, optional

  • 1 tablespoon dark rum, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the milk and cream to a simmer, stirring frequently. Set aside.

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk on medium speed until the mixture thickens and becomes pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Alternatively, use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer.

  4. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour 1/2 cup of the hot milk-cream mixture into the egg-sugar mixture.

    Continue to whisk, slowly adding the milk-cream mixture until all of it is combined with the sugared eggs. Don't add the hot liquid too fast or the eggs will cook and lumps will form in the mixture.

  5. Add the custard mixture back to the original saucepan (reserve the stand mixer bowl, you'll use it again). Heat the mixture on low, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat.

  6. Cool quickly, preferably using an ice bath.

    Transfer the custard to a large bowl, preferably stainless steel. Fill a larger bowl or your kitchen sink with some ice and cold water. Immerse the bottom of the custard bowl in the ice bath, continuing to stir the mixture until it cools to room temperature. Stir in the vanilla and cinnamon.

  7. Return the custard to the reserved stand mixer. Add the cream cheese and whisk on medium speed until well combined. It's okay if a few small pieces of cream cheese remain. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

  8. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, combine the brown sugar and butter. Stir continuously until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved.

  9. Stir in the carrots and raisins. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until the syrup thickens, and the carrots and raisins are coated, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

  10. As the mixture cools, stir occasionally to break up and distribute all the bits evenly. Stir in the rum and walnuts, if using.

  11. Churn in a large capacity ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. 

  12. Freezer for an additional 2 hours, or up to overnight before serving.

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs poses a risk of foodborne illness.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
280 Calories
18g Fat
27g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories 280
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 11g 53%
Cholesterol 105mg 35%
Sodium 90mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 25g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 103mg 8%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 189mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)