We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Food

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Spumoni?

Diane Goettel
By
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 88,751
Share

Spumoni is a special Italian dessert made of layers of ice cream, whipped cream, candied fruit, and nuts. In Italy, it's spelled spumone, but pronounced exactly as it is pronounced in English, with an accent on the last vowel. Each layer of the dessert contains different flavors and ingredients. In traditional dessert kitchens, it's often made of three layers of flavor: chocolate, pistachio, and cherry.

Each layer of spumoni ice cream includes much more than flavored ice cream. The chocolate layer, for example, may include chocolate shavings or chunks. In fact, this layer may have crushed hazelnuts inside as well, which not only adds a lovely flavor to the chocolate, but it also complements the pistachio layer. That layer, of course, almost always includes crushed pistachio nuts. The fruit layer is usually made with candied fruit. Sometimes, spumoni is made with strawberry or even raspberry flavored ice cream, but cherry is the most traditional fruit component.

The layers are designed to offer a lovely combination of flavors. Connoisseurs often have special ways that they like to enjoy the dessert, such as enjoying each layer at a time or making sure to get a bit of each in every bite.

Spumoni ice cream, much like many other famous and beloved foods, has yielded an entire breed of dishes. There are a number of layered ice cream treats that were probably inspired by it. Some people believe that the banana split may be related to it. After all, two of the most common ice cream flavors in banana splits are strawberry and chocolate. Furthermore, splits are often topped with nuts and whipped cream.

Neapolitan ice cream appears to be a direct descendant of spumoni, which was originally created in Naples, Italy. This flavor is simply layers of chocolate, berry, and vanilla ice cream, packaged and served with no barrier between the flavors. Much like spumoni fans, Neapolitan ice cream lovers each have their own way of enjoying the dessert.

Spumoni ice cream is still enjoyed in Italy today, and Italian immigrants to the United States and Argentina have popularized the dessert there as well. It can be found year round in the United States, but it is prized by some Americans as a winter dessert. The dessert is often paired with butter cookies after holiday meals.

Share
DelightedCooking is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Diane Goettel
By Diane Goettel
"Diane Goettel has a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and an MA in English from Brooklyn College. Diane lives in Mount Vernon, New York with her husband, Noah. They are the proud parents of a Doberman Pinscher named Spoon. Specialties: book editing, book marketing, book publishing, freelance writing, magazine publishing, magazine writing, copywriting,"
Discussion Comments
By anon278696 — On Jul 08, 2012

Here's a great way to enjoy Spumoni ice cream. Start with a slice of pound cake in the bottom of the ice cream bowl, then add your scoop or two of ice cream. Then top it off by pouring about two ounces of red wine over the top of the whole concoction. Let it sit for a minute or two so that the red wine seeps into the pound cake and the ice cream - then enjoy!

By anon164964 — On Apr 03, 2011

I love Spumoni ice cream. However, we just returned a few days ago from our 4th trip to Italy (visiting from northern tip to Sicily) and have never seen Spumoni. We have asked Tour Guides and others in Italy and they all say, "Que Cosa" (What is it?). Also, never seen a Gelato in Italy anywhere close to the ingredients of American Gelato.

By anon131725 — On Dec 03, 2010

The spumoni I had in Verona was three layers. Pistachio, vanilla and cherry so it looked like an Italian flag. Green, white and red.

By anon131720 — On Dec 03, 2010

Spumoni was popular in Italy when I was a child. I used to get it at a gelateria in Verona in the 60s.

By anon118199 — On Oct 13, 2010

I just got back from Italy and couldn't find spumoni anywhere! I asked our Italian tour guide and his answer was, "What is that?" When I told him, he said he's lived it Italy all his life and has never heard nor seen spumoni anywhere. He also said that pepperoni and fettuccine alfredo are not Italian either.

By anon77780 — On Apr 15, 2010

We always had spumoni with birthday cakes growing up and I'm not even of Italian heritage. I hated it then but love it now.

By anon72326 — On Mar 22, 2010

just got some spumoni. talk about gross!

By anon72325 — On Mar 22, 2010

Spumoni is awesome. Apparently it comes from italy.

By anon56583 — On Dec 15, 2009

The worlds best spumoni comes from L&B Spumoni Gardens in Brooklyn, NY. I recently had some in Pheonix, Az at Thomassos Italian Restaurant. Theirs was very good. Elio The Doowopman

By anon54301 — On Nov 29, 2009

"Spumoni ice cream was originally created in Naples, Italy"

Another false - spumone is originally from Salento.

By anon54300 — On Nov 29, 2009

"Where does the word spumoni come from? What does it mean?"

"Spuma" means "foam". Spumone is an augmentative form of the word("big foam" or "great foam")

By anon54299 — On Nov 29, 2009

"In Italy, spumoni is spelled spumone, but pronounced exactly as it is pronounced in English"

Not true. The -e ending is pronounce like "e" in "let" or "Belgium", it is not pronounced "spumoni" (that is a plural of spumone).

By anon48837 — On Oct 15, 2009

Just won a bet. Spumoni *is* Italian. Not found in Tuscany he says. I said Italian period. Sure is a great treat after an Italian meal.

By anon40191 — On Aug 06, 2009

I am sitting here eating Spumoni right now for the very first time and I am loving it!! Yummy, yummy!

By anon39470 — On Aug 02, 2009

i just had some my mom bought it at the store, so that was probably why but it was the nastiest ice cream i have ever tasted! eww eww eww! only the chocolate was good. i hated the pistacho and the cherry!

By anon37745 — On Jul 21, 2009

We are delighted to finally get to know about spumoni since we have enjoyed it every now and then at Maggiano's in Dallas, TX. We tried to get spumoni in Germany but utterly failed. So far. Who knows a place in Germany where spumoni is served? We'd appreciate any helpful hint.

By anon22392 — On Dec 03, 2008

Where does the word spumoni come from? What does it mean?

By anon12547 — On May 08, 2008

But I was wondering if Spumoni is usually made of goat's milk? Does anyone know?

By overreactor — On Apr 27, 2008

Apparently spumoni is not as popular in Italy as it used to be. It seems that in places outside of Italy with large Italian population spumoni is still very popular.

Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
"Diane Goettel has a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and an MA in English from Brooklyn College. Diane lives in Mount...
Learn more
Share
https://www.delightedcooking.com/what-is-spumoni.htm
Copy this link
DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.