Recently I've been exploring local offerings outside of the super-premium realm and discovered a gem in Umpqua Birthday Cake Ice Cream (for those unfamiliar: Umpqua is an Oregon dairy with products available throughout the Northwest). While not much is to gleaned from the outside packaging, Umpqua's description was enough to entice my purchase: "Thick fudge frosting and candy sprinkles top this delicious yellow cake flavored ice cream."
Upon opening the carton, I was pleasantly surprised by the abundant chocolate fudge mix-ins, along with an appealing yellow fluorescence unlike any of the other cake flavored ice creams I have tried in the past. As I shoveled a few heaping spoonfuls into my bowl, my level of excitement remained elevated--the ice cream remained frozen and resisted the instantaneous melting indicative of lower quality products.
The taste was true to its name, delivering a distinct and accurate approximation of yellow birthday cake with chocolate frosting. The fudge frosting mix-ins were in solid form, yet still had enough chew to provide the sensation of gooey chocolate frosting mixed with cake. The sprinkles added an enjoyable visual aspect, but were otherwise lost in the mix. Last, at 170 calories per serving, Umpqua's Birthday Cake offers a nice lower calorie option as opposed to its super-premium counterparts. All in all, I would definitely recommend giving this one a shot if it's available in your area.
Where Frank Found It: WinCo Foods
Grade: B
