On the way back from my bimonthly out of town business trip, I made my usual stop at Publix to grab another one of their limited edition premium ice cream flavors. After loving Lemon Sugar Cookie last time, I cashed in on a reader recommendation and went with their Pineapple Upside Down Cake: pineapple upside down cake ice cream with swirls of brown sugar pineapple ribbon and upside down cake pieces throughout. Almost every time I drop in, all of their half-gallon cartons have been on sale at 2 cartons for $7.00 and this time was no exception. I even received the $3.50 each sale price even though I only wanted one. This would only be the second time I’d be tasting this particular concept used in ice cream, but the track record of flavors from Publix Premium and reviews I’ve received from readers kept me optimistic.
After pulling off the top and removing the plastic seal from this 170 calorie per serving premium ice cream, the first layer is pale yellow in color and shows off the golden swirls of brown sugar pineapple sauce and upside down cake pieces poking through the top. My initial reaction from the pineapple upside down cake base is that much like their Lemon Sugar Cookie, they utilize only the sweetness from the pineapple. The ice cream starts sweet and subtle, but incorporates a slight bit of cake flavoring on the backend. Even without the tartness, I really enjoyed this. Perhaps my favorite aspect of these new, limited edition flavors from Publix is how they directly include the cake or cookie inspiration right into the base. It’s working well for them and I hope they continue this trend.
It wasn’t long after wrapping my head around the base ice cream that I started to run into the golden swirls of brown sugar pineapple ribbon. This liquid sauce was packed with brown sugar flavor, finishes with the familiar taste of pineapple and really lets the consumer know the inspiration behind this flavor. Coupled with the base, this could have been a pretty capable combination all on its own. Fortunately for us, Publix Premium completes their Pineapple Upside Down Cake Ice Cream with small squares of upside down cake pieces. The chunks are dense, chewy and bring another element of authenticity to the equation. It’s rare that I give a generic carton of ice cream an A, but Publix Premium has been leaving me no choice as of late.
Where I Found It: Publix
Grade: A
