Maybe I shouldn't admit this, but I actually ate this pint back in August of last year. On occasion reviews just get sidetracked. I will either take photos and not write up the review, or I'll write the review and never work on the photos. Sometimes it's both. See, I just couldn't get in to this flavor. I had been nibbling at it over several weeks but it just couldn't hook me.
Van Leeuwen Raspberry Layer Cake Ice Cream
vanilla ice cream with yellow cake and raspberry swirls
The swirl looks fun enough...
And there doesn't appear to be any shortage of cake...
This cake feels like all of their other cakes, a bit too dry and solid for my liking. Sure, I should give them some credit for keeping the cake solid, and them some more credit for their being plenty of cake, but it just hasn't won me over. Granted, all of the pints that I've tried have come from the same Walmart, so maybe there is a bit of shipping mismanagement going on here, but I just can't get in to these.
Wait, let me preference that last paragraph by saying that a problem with abundant, solid, somewhat dry cake bits is that it makes it all the more hard to eat the ice cream. I don't want to fight my ice cream, I want to enjoy it.
On Second Scoop: Ok, this will be my 4th and final go at this one, so I decided to let it temper on this last serving, let's see if it helps >>> Man, still solid after 10-15 minutes, and the pint is only a third full. There's also lots of bright raspberry swirl down here. Hmmmm, maybe this pint is just freezerburned? I feel like all of my Van Leeuwan pints have had a similar texture, it's just more amplified here. Overall I do like the flavor and what they were going for, though I don't think it reminds me of cake really. OK, smooshing up these last few bites. That helped for sure and gave me the flavor profile I've wanted since the beginning, but those cakes bites are still too solid!
Verdict? iunno...
Buy Again? iunno...
Buy Again? iunno...
VanLeeuwan and Tillamook are the most disappointing yet somehow spreading brands.
ReplyDeleteVLW seemed better (could be placebo) when I had it preWalMart and crazy flavor fame from Sprouts. There it was creamy, not really mixing, but it at least got creamy and flavor right. Now I just have no reason to buy it aside from there constantly super rotating flavors but that makes me avoid them more.
Happens. I don't know a company that hasn't changed to at least some degree. Corners/Costs must be cut somewhere. Still, it's frustrating to deal with.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Tillamook is amazing, but compared to other mainstream brands, they are one of the few still making ice cream and not frozen dairy dessert.