Hops and Nuts Ice Cream #ICTScoopAdventures #Giveaway

This ice cream that is a love poem to one of the four ingredients to beer: hops. Using citra hops I decided to add some citrus peel to bring out the citrus of the hops and honey to compliment it. This is one decadent treat  for the craft beer lover.

Tuesday is not my normal posting day, but once again I have a treat for you, quite literally! I am participating in another special #IceCreamTuesday, this week we are celebrating the release of Scoop Adventures, The Best Ice Cream of the 50 States. As soon as I got this book and looked over Lindsay's blog I was immediately inspired by the Boozy Scoops and then I saw the one I loved the most. It was meant to be- my eyes locked on the Hops & Nuts Ice Cream and there was no going back!

Citrus IPA Poundcake #beermonth

What is an IPA you may say? (That is what my mom said to me anyways) IPA stands for India Pale Ale. IPA's belong under the larger umbrella style of Pale Ales, meaning that they use pale colored malts. The IPA is known to be a hoppy beer so you really taste the hops more than the malt. Digging deeper than that, the type of hops you use can bring out certain characteristic flavors and aromas. Many hops can bring out citrusy flavors naturally, so that is where the idea for this recipe came in...

IPA's are a hot style right now, with Double IPA's (also known as an Imperial IPA) and Triple IPA's trending I thought I would need to experiment with this style. To bring out the citrusy notes in the IPA I have wanted to make this pound cake for a WHILE now, to experiment and make something memorable with it.

It's good to have friends that brew craft beer! My friend Matt from Outer Lands Brewing Company asked me to try their Good Mojo IPA. It was the day after a beer festival, I didn't wanna look at beer or even drink it, but I took a taste. It's nicely balanced, not bitter at all with great citrus notes. Exactly what I needed for this recipe! For a non IPA drinker or someone that does not like a bitter IPA this craft  is for YOU.

Shock Top Belgian White Citrus Cupcakes

Why is this a Foodgasm?

For Beer Month so far I have done a whole lotta Guinness recipes, I knew it was time for something different. On a recent shopping trip I picked up some of these Shock Top Belgian White beers and I really like this type of beer. This is a Belgian style wheat ale with real orange, lemon and lime peel and spiced with coriander. I love a little twist on a classic and a good fruity beer. I knew I had to try a cupcake with this one, it screams dessert!

So to make this EASY I used a cake mix. To reduce the fat I used egg whites for the cupcakes and used a 50/50 blend of butter and smart balance for the frosting.

Imagine- just imagine...cupcakes made with this beer and then infused with orange and lemon zest, whip on some lemon frosting and then sprinkle with some orange zest. This is sweet, creamy, with the nice acidity of the lemon and the creaminess of the icing with the occasional zing from orange zest in the cake and sprinkled on top.

So not only does this baby have beer, it is reduced fat, creamy and easy to make- YUP this is a definite foodgasm!