A sweet potato split and filled with creamy banana ice cream and all the toppings, this is one healthy, funky, uniquely delicious recipe you’ve gotta try!
So wait…the concept of a stuffed sweet potato doesn’t usually involve ice cream? No caramel sauce either? Vegetables and beans and stuff, really? Are you sure!? Huh.
Because when I started brainstorming on a stuffed sweet potato recipe, ice cream was the first thing that came into my head. It was as obvious and nonnegotiable as frosting on a cupcake. The only real question was what flavor. And when faced with ice cream flavor indecision, the best course of action is usually to make them all. So I did.
An oblong edible vessel. Three flavors of ice cream. Extra caramel sauce in a jar in the fridge. The Sweet Potato Split was practically begging to be created!
Right now you are either thinking “Yum, yes, bring on this crazy concoction!” Or you are thinking “Um…this sounds very weird.” Or possibly even “Why must you bring nicecream into everything you crazy lady!?”
If it’s the first one, go pop your sweet potato in the oven now and come right back so you will already be on your way to making this funky fruit-filled feast by the time you finish reading.
If it’s either of the others, then hear me out. Sweet potato brownies with ice cream on top–delicious! Sweet potato actually made into ice cream–a creamy treat! Sweet potatoes with marshmallows–a classic! Other warm, slightly-sweet carby things with ice cream (like oatmeal)–so yum! Ice cream is pretty much just a less sticky marshmallow. A sweet potato is pretty much just a less chocolatey sweet potato brownie. So by that logic, the Sweet Potato Split really was meant to be.
I love the texture contrast between dense starchy sweet potato and creamy light banana ice cream. And even moreso I love the temperature contrast between warm sweet potato and chilly fast-melting ice cream! Or you can chill your sweet potato first if you want to slow down the nicecream melting rate and give yourself more time to savor each deliciously temperature and texture diverse bite.
This recipe could of course be a tasty template for all kinds of flavor combinations, but I must say the ones in this particular split mingled very well. Cinnamon, blueberry, and chocolate ice creams + caramel sauce + blueberry compote + blueberries and mulberries on top = totally delicious! The addition of a few chocolate chips wouldn’t have been a bad idea either.
The caramel sauce is my favorite Silky Sweet Date Caramel Sauce recipe from last week. I’m kinda putting it on everything if you hadn’t noticed. The blueberry compote is a recipe by my friend Tiina from My Berry Forest that I make often as a topping because I absolutely love the flavor and simplicity of it. I think it is the addition of star anise–with the berries it is heavenly!
Other topping ideas…
– These roasted balsamic strawberries would be amazing (and kinda classy I think!)
– My top topping choice for just about everything. Or the grain-free version. Oooh or the lemon version even!
– Sprinkles obvs.
– To make you feel 8 again…magic shell!
– With some seasonally flavored ice cream scoops, this sauce would be insanely good!
– These little chewy chocolate guys.
– I think there might still be room for some cookie crumbles.
– And of course fruit of all kinds!
This particular Sweet Potato Split happened around 2:30 p.m. because gotta get that early afternoon photo lighting! But if your snacking schedule isn’t dictated by the angle of the sun, then I think it would make for a killer breakfast. Or lunch. Or dinner. Oh heck, there are no mealtime rules with this melty mash-up.
Try it. For me. And your tummy. You’re welcome.
This Sweet Potato Nice Cream Split is a healthy, funky, uniquely delicious snack you gotta try!Click To Tweet
Prep Time:
Yield:
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PinIngredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes
Cinnamon Nicecream
- 2–3 frozen bananas
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Blueberry Nicecream
- 2–3 frozen bananas
- 1/2–1 cup frozen blueberries
Chocolate Nicecream
- 2–3 frozen bananas
- 2 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Poke your sweet potatoes. Place on a pan and bake for approximately 45 mins to 1 hour or until squeezable.
- Remove from the oven. Slice in half lengthwise. Let them cool for at least 30 mins or even chill overnight.
- Blend each flavor of nicecream separately.
- Transfer each to a shallow container. Freeze for 1-2 hours.
- When you are ready to eat, place one large scoop of each flavor of nicecream inside each sweet potato. Top with caramel sauce and toppings. Enjoy!
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So whatcha thinking–crazy cool or crazy crazy?
What delicious flavor trio are you imagining scooped inside a Sweet Potato Split?
Also, nicecream or nice (space) cream? I think I’ve been doing it wrong….
This looks so awesome! What a cool combination of textures and flavors.
It was a little out there of an idea, but yes the textural/flavor contrast is my favorite part!
This is incredibly creative, wow! I can see this becoming a thing but don’t worry, I’ll always remember where the trend started 😉 This will be such a game changer for those on a grain-free, sugar-free diet and even for who just want something simple and healthy for a treat. And yet it looks so incredibly indulgent! Just gorgeous.
When it blows up the internet I’m glad I can count on you to vouch for me lol? The original sweet potato split, right here right now. Thanks girl!
WOW! What a creative treat. This is just so yummy!
Thanks Ash! Throwing lots of favorite things together into one bowl sometimes works out 😀
Damn, girl! You are so stinkin’ creative! I love it! I mean, of course, why wouldn’t ice cream and sweet potatoes go together? They do! Totally! And this is totally how I’m going to get my kids to eat gobs and gobs of sweet potatoes!! So, thank you!
Persuading children into eating sweet potatoes–that’s why I did it haha! Nah not really, but if it works then that’s definitely an added bonus? Although I have a feeling your kids are already completely convinced as to just how tasty sweet potatoes can be 🙂 Thanks Jenn!
This is FOR SURE so much better than a regular banana split! Love the combo of hot potato with cool, creamy banana ice cream. BRILLIANT!!!
I’m not sure about “better”, you know I love my nanas, but this one is all about that contrast! So yum. Thanks girl 🙂
Well, I put sweet potatoes IN my ice cream recipes, so why not put ice cream on top of it?! Hahaha! I have to admit, I totally love sweet potatoes with savory foods like beans and veggies and prefer them that way, unless they are hidden in a dessert. I love the taste contrast of a sweet potato with spicy mexican food or chili on top, so I’m trying to imagine how this would taste. But I think it’s a beautiful idea and can totally see how so many people would love this! Sweet potatoes are one of those magical ingredients that go so well IN stuff, ON stuff and UNDER stuff too, hahaa! All of it together is very beautiful! Love all those shiny, glistening shots girlfriend!
Someone on YT was just asking what they could use instead of the bananas for this one and before I even had time to reply someone else replied pointing them to your sweet potato ice cream! Sweet potato ice cream in a sweet potato…too much? NAH! They are awesome and so very versatile. I think I have like 4 recipes in the works with them right now lol. One of these days I need to try a savory stuffed one too, that sounds delicious!
Aww, no way, that is so cool!! Well, since the sweet potato in my ice cream recipes (all 3!) don’t taste at all like sweet potatoes, then it totally would not be too much!! I just put them in there for body, not taste. I have a sweet potato recipe coming soon too. I think I could just live off of them, so good!
Oh you crack me up Natalie! Leave it to you to put nicecream into sweet potatoes! I have to be honest…i was all three at the beginning…thinking it sounds crazy good (because i mean common…those photographs!!), also thinking you’re crazy to incorporate nicecream into everything…although if someone’s going to make it work, it’s definitely YOU! I LOVE sweet potato turned into ice cream, and yes you’re absolutely right. When baked it’s so sweet and delicious! So i can imagine this combination would taste amazing!! This would totally work for dinner…my kids would probably call me crazy because they’re not fans of sweet potatoes, but my son may cave because he sneaks bananas like they’re candy (yes…i really had to scold him once for it ha!). Love this recipe natalie!
They are all totally valid things to think–it is delicious, I do overuse nicecream, and I am a bit crazy haha! Sweet potato turned into ice cream is so good, I should’ve included that in my very confusing reasoning paragraph. Altogether it really just tastes like exactly what it is, sweet potato + nicecream, but personally I really loved it! And I love your make-it-dinner idea, now we’re talking 😀 Thanks Anjali!
Natalie, I just want to say that I MUST dive into that first photo. Like, just dive right into it. Totally cool since the shoot is over, riiiiight? Oh my gosh, all of that texture, between the nice cream, the blueberries, dat drizzle (yep, I had to spell it dat way) and that cozy sweet potato nest. ? Only you could make veggies, beans “and stuff” lol look THIS good! UM, I love that you incorporate nice cream into a good amount of recipes. Honestly, if you want to put it in more, I wouldn’t disagree… 😉 “Less chocolatey sweet potato brownies” <–Now my hunger levels are just embararssing. Come on over and bring me two or three of these? After all, I'm just eating fruits and veggies. Ahem. 😉 I'll take one of these splits with your rawnola, magic shell and TONS of your sprinkles on top, please. 🙂 Nice cream! Or nicecream… maybe I've been doing it wrong. Lolol. Hugs! xo
A “sweet potato nest” <- that is the perfect description! Evokes all the cozy comfy vibes, ya know. I was thinking sweet potato cradle, but nice cream isn't a baby after all...didn't want to insult it's maturity? You are always so good with the words. Oh dive away my dear! Just don't bump your head on the bottom of the bowl or anything, I need you around to help me name more stuff and alert me to all CDN matters! Magic shell + rawnola--you are a genius! That would be an unstoppable topping duo. Actually just straight up magic shell covered frozen rawnola sounds pretty amazing...I may have to try that sans nicecream? Love ya and your condoning of my excessive nicecream usage?
This looks insane. I love the combo of sweet potato and bananas. It sounds delicious. I really want to try this, and that video is killer. <3
Thanks Casey! Pretty much every recipe I make involves one of those two foods it seems, why not altogether!? 😀
This is genius. Definitely crazy COOL!!! I can’t stop looking at these delicious photos and wishing I didn’t just run out of sweet potatoes (major panic)! Haha!! I LOVE all of these ingredients, but never would have thought to turn an ordinary sweet potato into a vessel for nicecream and fruity toppings! I wish I had just an ounce of your creativity! <3 Willow is going through a phase where she will only eat white sweet potatoes, but I'm thinking that a couple scoops of ice cream and a generous drizzle of caramel sauce would change her mind 😉 I love how colorful this is! And how you can eat it at any time of the day and not feel guilty! Nicely done, my friend! I'm making your caramel sauce later this week and I can't wait!!! xoxo
I am getting dangerously low on sweet potatoes too, I swear I’ve been putting them in just about every recipe lately. The white sweet potatoes <3 Perhaps it's a Willow phase, or perhaps she just has very high sweet potato standards lol! Those things are so much better, they really do spoil me for the orange ones. I went orange here just because it's the classic sweet potato look, but I imagine this would be even better with the white ones? Although they are harder to find, so hopefully the ice cream + caramel trick works for ya! Oooh yay, can't wait to hear your thoughts. I've been craving more of your donuts all week, so as soon as I have time another batch is happening for sure 🙂 Thanks lovely! xoxo
Ok, I totally dig this ? What I was thinking throughout reading the intro though is what must this actually taste like with all those delicious topping close-ups. I think sweet potato splits must totally become a thing now ?
Yes the toppings do sort of steal the photography show don’t they 🙂 Someone commented about using a Japanese sweet potato since those “taste like cake” which is kind of true and makes the whole thing make a lot more sense. So it’s practically cake and ice cream haha!