Carrot Cake Ice Cream

This is a 2 part recipe.  Below is the recipe for the carrot cake.  I had mainly made it with only the intentions of using it in this ice cream, but the thing was so moist and wonderfully delicious, I just have to share the recipe for that too!  So this will be the ice cream recipe followed by the cake.

Now, lets talk about this ice cream, which has been now referred to as the best I've ever made by my #1 taste tester.  The actual ice cream base is more like a cheese cake flavor, very rich with that sour tangy flavor that you get from cream cheese.  Combined with chunks of extra moist cake that is somewhat mixed into the the ice cream with large chunks throughout.  It was so decadent, and rich and wonderful.  My mom made the request for carrot cake for Mother's Day, so I decided to take it one step further.  Success!

What you'll need:
Carrot Cake (recipe here)
1 box cream cheese softened (I used the 1/3 fat, I don't think it made a difference)
3/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
Zest from 1/2 a lemon
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons vodka (I used whipped vodka, because I had it.  New kicker to my ice cream.  I read that it makes it not freeze as hard so you can scoop it.  Makes sense, I love little tips that that! And it worked!)

Combine all ingredients and mix with a hand mixer (or what ever your favorite mixer is) until no more lumps.  Place in air tight container over night.  Give a quick stir before freezing in your ice cream maker.  This is by far the easiest ice cream base yet, no eggs!

Take about 4 cups (doesn't have to be exact) or 1/3 of your cake and break into large bite sized pieces, try and keep them as big of chunks as you can.  Or your can freeze a large piece and break up after frozen, I did a combination of both.  Freeze for about 5 hours.

Once ice cream is the consistency of soft serve, pour into your your favorite ice cream container.  Take 1 more cup of the room temperature cake and mix into ice cream, don't worry about breaking it up, mix until it is evenly combined through out.  Now add your frozen cake chunks and gently fold in until the are mixed from top to bottom.  Place in freezer and let harden.

What is that line from Eat, Pray, Love?  "I'm having a relationship with this pizza."  I think I had a moment of that while eating my little bowl of this heavenly treat.  Don't neglect yourself, make this now!  Enjoy!