Yep — there’s a lot to learn from a walk through Epcot…
1. Ice Cream Can Look A Lot Like Butter.
So, I was wandering through Epcot when I caught sight of this.
Some guy (who turned out to be very nice) was holding this as he waited in line at the turkey leg stand in the America Pavilion. I thought it was a funnel cake with a huge slab of butter on it. No kidding. I was so intrigued that I walked up to him and asked, out of the blue, “what IS that?”
Clearly the funnel cake had been getting him some stares and questions, because he laughingly told me that it was, indeed, ice cream and not butter or cream cheese (speaking of, Disney, will you please start putting cream cheese frosting on your funnel cakes?).
I was shocked. Why would you put a slab of ice cream on a funnel cake that way? Why not a scoop? I had to head over to the funnel cake stand and find out…
2. Pumpkin Spice Funnel Cakes Smell Amazing.
As I was approaching the funnel cake stand to figure out what’s what, my head was quickly turned by the delicious pumpkin smell surrounding the place. I’m pretty sure this isn’t “fake smell” like the waffle cone scent pumped out of the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor or the cookie scent pumped out of the Main Street Bakery — this was real, live pumpkin spice (at least I think it was)!
I didn’t get the chance to try one (you’ll see why later), but this seasonal treat looks delicious — has anyone had one yet?
Pumpkin Spice Funnel Cake
3. Fried Ice Cream Lives Again.
When I got up to the window, I asked the CM about the butter/ice cream. “Yep!” he said, “because the other stand scoops their hard ice cream, we have to cut it and put it on as a ‘topping.'” Must have something to do with the costs — maybe they’d have to charge more if it were scooped? Funnel cake die-hards, help me out here — have you ever ordered a funnel cake with ice cream and had that slab-o-vanilla happen to you?
Anyway, since I was at the funnel cake stand, I figured I’d take advantage and do something I’d been wanting to do for a very long time: buy the fried ice cream. I haven’t had fried ice cream since I was a teenager at Chi-Chi’s, so I was very excited about my spur-of-the-moment purchase.
Fried Ice Cream
Sure enough, the fried ice cream came out of the fryer all ooey-goey and melty, and when the CM poured the chocolate syrup on top, I was in heaven. Warm from the fryer, this tasted absolutely incredible. According to the CM, the coating is a mixture of honey and crushed cornflakes. The ice cream ball goes from the freezer to the fryer for just a few seconds, creating a satisfying hot/cold/sweet/crunchy treat.
Fried Ice Cream Coating Close Up
Yes, fried ice cream lives again. And it’s become yet another must-have snack for me in Disney World.
UPDATE 1/12 — No more fried ice cream at the funnel cake stand 🙁 You can find it at the funnel cake kiosk on the Boardwalk just a short walk from Epcot’s International Gateway!
Have you tried any of the snacks from the funnel cake stand? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
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I should not read things like this before breakfast. Now I want fried dough or friend ice cream. Neither is good for my hips! 😉
I always walk right past the Funnel Cake stand since it is way too much to munch. Going to pay closer attention and look for the pumpkin spice cake. And the fried ice cream??? That one is a definite must try. Thanks AJ, I think!
That is hilarious! A few years ago my husband got that funnel cake with the ice cream and walked over to me and told me it was butter. I was freaking out. We laugh about it every time we pass the stand. That would be a lot of butter! lol
Oh man, my “must try” list is getting longer every day. By the time we leave WDW, I may not fit into any of the clothes I’ve packed!!
The ice cream on top of the funnel cake looks like a travesty. They can’t give an effort to make it look appetizing? Thumbs down on that one. However, the pumpkin funnel cake looks awesome!! And that fried ice cream looks bad, but in an oh so good way 🙂
I don’t know how I missed the pumpkin spice funnel cake and now I’m going to have to try the fried ice cream too. Both are now on my list for Saturday. Thanks. I’m blaming you when I gain 5 pounds this weekend. 🙂
We always get the ice cream slab, and it actually works pretty well as a topping for funnel cake, melting evenly all over it, not just in the one spot where a scoop of ice cream would be. We group it with plastic cheese – Looks disgusting, but awesome. 🙂
You know, it might not be a crazy idea to try cream cheese (not the icing although that would be better than powdered sugar) on a funnel cake. It might be an interesting mix of flavors – tart with sweet. There is a trend today in cooking to match opposing flavors in a single dish.
Dana — It was pretty wonderful! 🙂
Sally — I was definitely swayed by the pumpkin spice smell — it was heavenly, especially on a chilly day! But I couldn’t turn down the chance to get fried ice cream; yum!
Crystal — Oh good! I’m so glad this wasn’t an anomaly! Thanks for the story!
Melissa Sue and Betsy — Welcome to my world!
Griffin — Yep, of the three the ice cream butter mold would be my last choice 🙂 Though I do like Danielle’s report that it melts evenly over the cake…
Danielle — When I first read your comment, I thought you were saying you put cheese on your funnel cake. Who knows, maybe it would be good…!
Alan — Along the lines of my first reading of Danielle’s comment — agreed that we should give it a try!
haha! Thanks I’m now officially starving. Think they’d put some dole whip on one of these suckers? That would offiically blow my Disney-loving mind.
I like the ice cream topped funnel cake and I agree with Danielle that the slab actually works better than a scoop of ice cream. It is easier to eat, especially when walking through the park.
I have seen the ice cream slice for a topping belgium waffle, but never on the funnel cake.
I totally forgot about the fried ice cream at Chi Chi’s. The Disney fried ice cream looks soo good.
Fried ice cream or the funnel cake with an ice cream slice has now rocketed to the top of my Disney snack list (whenever that trip may be). It’s fah-ree-zeeng outside and now i want ice cream!!! lol
I am of the opinion that everything would be better with a slab of ice cream on top. A slab of FRIED ice cream.
Wow, I did not expect that to be ice cream at all. That would indeed be scary though if it were butter or cream cheese.
The fried ice cream looks good. Too bad the Cast Member didn’t know how to properly put chocolate ALL OVER it! 😉
i puffy heart slabs o’ ice cream! odd that they would have it on a funnel cake, but i’ll take ice cream in any shape or form any day! 😉
AJ, is fried ice cream like deep fried ice cream at mexican restaurants?
I hope the pumpkin funnel cakes are around next December when I make my next trip. 365 days and counting…