Neapolitan Ice Cream Bread
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A fun summer recipe to make with the kids, this Neapolitan Ice Cream Bread is made with just 2 ingredients (plus the optional vanilla glaze and sprinkle topping) for a soft and sweet loaf cake with an adorable presentation.
Ice Cream Bread Recipe
A couple weeks ago, we were heading home from the grocery store and got stuck in almost two hours of traffic! Between construction, trains and summertime crowds, by the time we got home our vanilla ice cream had completely melted.
We all know that melted ice cream doesn’t re-freeze back to it’s original state, so I quickly Googled what to do with melted ice cream and found this hack from the 1970s to combine it with self-rising flour to make a loaf cake. It worked fabulously – talk about turning lemons into lemonade! (Or, more accurately, melted ice cream into ice cream bread.)
So, naturally, we had to try it again – on purpose this time – and take it up a notch with a tri-flavored ice cream bread inspired by Neapolitan ice cream.
Our Neapolitan Ice Cream Bread is soft and tender, with layers of strawberry, vanilla and chocolate cake, topped off with a simple 3-ingredient vanilla glaze and plenty of rainbow sprinkles. It’s incredibly easy to make and makes the perfect addition to your summer – whether you just enjoy it as a family dessert or serve it up at a party.
Neapolitan ice cream bread is a simple two-ingredient loaf made with melted ice cream and self-rising flour, layered in distinct chocolate, vanilla and strawberry layers for a soft, colorful slice. This easy ice cream bread recipe is perfect for parties or a quick dessert with a customizable flavor base.
Why You’ll Love This Ice Cream Bread Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Ice Cream Bread Recipe- Only 2 ingredients makes this an easy and quick recipe for kids to make!
- Nostalgic trio of kid-friendly ice cream flavors in one pretty, layered dessert.
- Flexible base that works with many ice cream flavors.
Snackable History Fact: Neapolitan ice cream gets its name from Naples, Italy, but the modern tri-color version is generally thought to have been popularized in the 19th century, especially through Italian immigrants and European ice cream makers. The chocolate, vanilla and strawberry combination became popular in North America because it was visually striking and easy to portion.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but you will need to add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt for each 1 cup of flour. (So a total of 6 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt for the 3 3/4 cups flour called for in the recipe.)
Layer each flavor into your loaf pan one at a time; they will remain mostly distinct if each batter is thick and spread gently. Avoid over-swirling.
Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Yes, you can wrap the whole loaf or slice, wrap individually, and freeze up to 2 months in a ziptop freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Ice Cream Bread Ingredients
Ice Cream Bread Ingredients- Ice Cream (1 cup each: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry)
- Self-rising Flour
Optional Vanilla Glaze Ingredients:
- Powdered Icing Sugar
- Milk, as needed
- Vanilla Extract
- Sprinkles, as desired
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowl
- Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
- 9″ x 5″ Loaf Pan
- Whisk or Spoon
How to Make Neapolitan Ice Cream Bread
How to Make Neapolitan Ice Cream BreadPlace each flavor of ice cream in a separate bowl and allow to melt completely.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease a loaf pan and set aside.
Stir 1 1/4 cup self-rising flour into each ice cream flavor until just combined.
Pour the chocolate ice cream mixture into the bottom of the loaf pan and use a spatula to smooth into an even layer.
Pour the vanilla mixture over top and smooth into an even layer and then repeat with final strawberry layer.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean with just a few crumbs and the top of the loaf springs back when lightly pressed.
Allow bread to cool completely before preparing optional glaze. Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack set over a baking pan (to catch drips from the glaze).
Whisk all glaze ingredients together in a small bowl until no lumps of sugar remain.
Pour the glaze over the cooled bread and sprinkle liberally with rainbow sprinkles.
Allow glaze to set for 1 hour before slicing or storing.
Makes 10-12 servings.
Ice Cream Bread Recipe Variations:
- Swap out the ice cream flavors for your personal favorites.
- Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Bread: Use cookies and cream ice cream for the middle layer and press crushed sandwich cookies between layers before baking.
- Skip the optional vanilla glaze and finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar or a thin chocolate drizzle.
- Stir your favorite ice cream toppings into the batter, like chocolate chips, maraschino cherries, nuts, sprinkles, etc.
Tips for the Perfect Ice Cream Bread
- Use full-fat ice cream. Lower-fat options can bake up drier and less flavorful.
- Let ice cream melt naturally. Microwaving can create hot spots that affect the batter.
- Stir each batter just until combined. Overmixing can make the loaf dense and gummy.
- Check your self-rising flour freshness. Older flour can lose leavening strength and affect rise. The vinegar test is a great method to test self-rising flour: put 1/2 teaspoon of the flour in a small bowl and add 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar. If the flour bubbles or fizzes, the baking powder is still active and the self-rising flour is good to use.
- Line the loaf pan with parchment for clean release and sharper layer definition.
More Ice Cream Recipes
Pin this Easy Layered Ice Cream Loaf Recipe:
Pin this Easy Layered Ice Cream Loaf Recipe:
Printable Recipe Card:
Printable Recipe Card:Grab your free printable recipe card for our Neapolitan Ice Cream Bread recipe.
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Neapolitan Ice Cream Bread
Neapolitan Ice Cream Bread is soft and tender, with layers of strawberry, vanilla and chocolate cake, topped off with a simple 3-ingredient vanilla glaze and plenty of rainbow sprinkles. It's incredibly easy to make and makes the perfect addition to your summer - whether you just enjoy it as a family dessert or serve it up at a party.
Ingredients
- 3 cups Ice Cream (1 cup each: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry)
- 3 3/4 cups Self-rising Flour
Optional Vanilla Glaze Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Powdered Icing Sugar
- 1 Tablespoons Milk, as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Sprinkles, as desired
Instructions
- lace each flavor of ice cream in a separate bowl and allow to melt completely.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Grease a loaf pan and set aside.
- Stir 1 1/4 cup self-rising flour into each ice cream flavor until just combined.
- Pour the chocolate ice cream mixture into the bottom of the loaf pan and use a spatula to smooth into an even layer.
- Pour the vanilla mixture over top and smooth into an even layer and then repeat with final strawberry layer.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean with just a few crumbs and the top of the loaf springs back when lightly pressed.
- Allow bread to cool completely before preparing optional glaze. Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack set over a baking pan (to catch drips from the glaze).
- Whisk all glaze ingredients together in a small bowl until no lumps of sugar remain.
- Pour the glaze over the cooled bread and sprinkle liberally with rainbow sprinkles.
- Allow glaze to set for 1 hour before slicing or storing.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 545Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 61mgCarbohydrates: 102gFiber: 3gSugar: 29gProtein: 12g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
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