Seasonal selections are always welcomed on this blog, and after trying Southern Recipe Banana Cream Pie a few months back, coupled with my infatuation with carrot cake, the decision to try Private Selection's latest limited edition was an easy one. Nearly all of their offerings revolving around cake, such as German Chocolate Cake and Southern Red Velvet Cake, were able to secure high scores using the simple concept of taking a capable premium base ice cream and combining it with a succulent swirl and real cake pieces. Only sticking around Kroger's freezers for a few months, their newest Carrot Cake flavor takes a decadent carrot cake ice cream with swirls of sweet cream cheese blended with pieces of carrot cake and pecans. I've missed out on the Ben & Jerry's Carrot Cake creation of the past and Blue Bunny's 24 Karat Carrot Cake wasn't quite up to my standards, so I'm looking to see how Private Selection's entry stacks up.
The 210 calories per serving comes as a bit of a surprise seeing as how this isn't inside a pint-sized portion, but Private Selection always manages to pack in the denseness despite being in a bigger container. Pulling back the lid revealed a pastel orange base riddled with pieces of pecan, while effectively hiding the chunks of cake and swirls of cream cheese beneath. Transferring the ice cream from the carton to a bowl allowed me to feel the balance of the dense, yet fluffy ice cream that makes up this base, something that all of Private Selection's flavors seem to have. After taking my first bite, my first impression comes from the sweet spiciness inside. Almost similar to the spices that comprise a pumpkin-inspired flavor, the original taste is finally replaced by the familiar taste of carrot cake on the back end.
Much like they were used in Pumpkin Pecan Spice from Blue Bell, Private Selection has also used the nut to include inside their carrot cake base. The influx of pecans add a crunchy texture, that breaks down into a soft, chewy feel, all the while releasing a complimentary flavor to the spiced ice cream. As is the case with nearly every cake-inspired selection, the actual hunks of carrot cake would be the most important factor of this flavor. The pieces included in this carton were some of the most impressive I've found. These managed to remain soft and chewy, avoiding the soggy feel you'd expect after sitting inside ice cream. The taste of authentic carrot cake added to the artificially flavored base and bits of pecan create an incredible combination.
The finishing touch of this flavor comes from the swirls of cream cheese frosting that makes its way through the other ingredients. Although not overly thick, the sweet taste of icing adds the perfect parting gift to this phenomenal flavor. Because of the large amount of ingredients involved, there weren't many bites that didn't have nearly every component involved. Private Selection's Carrot Cake ended up being the best flavor I've found from them to date, slightly ahead of Southern Red Velvet Cake. I would advise tracking down a carton before the holidays are gone.
Where I Found It: Kroger
Grade: A
