KANSAS CITY — Restaurants are translating the flavors of classic baked and fried foods like funnel cakes, cheesecake and cake into new formats, including beverages and ice cream treats.
Funnel cake turns Frappuccino in Starbucks’ new Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino, a blended beverage made with Frappuccino Roast coffee, milk and ice blended with funnel cake flavored syrup and layered with strawberry puree and whipped cream. The beverage is topped with crunchy funnel cake pieces dusted with powdered sugar.
“We wanted to capture the joy of this time of year, and we thought about those simple pleasures that really encapsulate summer,” said Sara Bennett, senior product developer for Starbucks’ R&D team. “That led us to state fairs and funnel cake – just wanting to channel that sense of carefree fun.
“I always love strawberries because they’re so summery. You get the juicy taste of strawberry, the decadent whipped cream, the sweet and slightly savory dough, and then the powdered sugar. I feel that’s a quintessential funnel cake.
“I really hope that you feel like you’re just drinking a little sip of summer with this beverage. I really hope it brings a bright spot to your day.”
Sonic is serving two new Blast desserts that feature the flavors of cheesecake. The Cheesecake Blast swirls cheesecake and graham cracker pieces into vanilla ice cream topped with cheesecake and graham cracker pieces, while the Strawberry Cheesecake Blast adds strawberries to the mix.
“From the rich, velvety flavor to the craveable crunch of the graham cracker, Sonic magically perfects the unmistakable experience of indulging in decadent cheesecake, with no fork or plate necessary,” said Scott Uehlein, vice president of product innovation and development for Sonic.. “With high-quality ingredients from start to finish, our guests can delight in the classic, or Strawberry Cheesecake Blast, to truly capture the delectable flavors of summertime.”
Cold Stone Creamery has reinvented its classic cake batter ice cream with new Strawberry Cake Batter Ice Cream and Marbled Cake Batter Ice Cream, both of which star in two new Creations.
The Strawberry Batter Batter Creation features Strawberry Cake Batter Ice Cream, red velvet cake, graham cracker pie crust and whipped topping, while the Marble-ous Cake Batter Creation features Marbled Cake Batter Ice Cream, yellow cake, brownie and caramel.
“Cake Batter Ice Cream is quintessentially Cold Stone Creamery,” said Sara Schmillen, vice president of marketing at Kahala Brands, parent company of Cold Stone Creamery. “We wanted to pay homage to our top selling flavor and reimagine it with delicious new combinations, leading us to create two additional cake batter-themed flavors everyone is sure to enjoy.”
