Icebox cake

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Dessert

title: "Icebox cake" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["american-desserts", "australian-desserts", "chocolate-desserts"] description: "Dessert" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icebox_cake" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Dessert ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox food"]

FieldValue
nameIcebox cake
imageIcebox cake is chocolate pudding and Graham crackers in layers.jpg
image_size200
captionAn icebox cake in a glass, made of graham crackers and chocolate pudding, topped with whipped cream
alternate_name
courseDessert
main_ingredient
::

| name = Icebox cake | image = Icebox cake is chocolate pudding and Graham crackers in layers.jpg | image_size = 200 | caption = An icebox cake in a glass, made of graham crackers and chocolate pudding, topped with whipped cream | alternate_name = | place_of_origin = | region = | creator = | course = Dessert | served = | main_ingredient =

| variations = | calories = | other = An icebox cake, or ice box cake (also known, in Australia, as a chocolate (or choc) ripple cake (or log), and, in the United Kingdom, as a biscuit cake), is a dairy-based dessert made with cream, fruits, nuts, and wafers (or another type of cookie or biscuit) and set in a refrigerator. The recipe for one particularly well-known version used to be printed on the back of boxes of thin and dark Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers.

History

The icebox cake is derived from similar desserts such as the charlotte and the trifle and made to be more accessible to prepare. It was first introduced to the United States in the 1920s, as companies were promoting the icebox as a kitchen appliance. Its popularity rose in the 1920s and 30s, as it used many commercial shortcuts and pre-made ingredients, such as pre-packaged cookies instead of sponges or ladyfingers that people had to bake at home. In response to the dish's popularity, companies that manufactured ingredients for the cake, such as condensed milk and wafer cookies, began printing recipes on the backs of their boxes, including those of Nabisco's Famous Chocolate Wafers.

Regional variations

Australia

In Australia, the cake is made from Arnott's Choc Ripple biscuits, hence the name in that country of chocolate (or choc) ripple cake. It has been described as "[a] major contender for Australia’s favourite dessert ...", and is strongly associated with Christmas. The biscuits are covered in sweetened whipped cream, and placed in a log formation. This dessert is typically made the day before serving and kept in the refrigerator overnight. It is often decorated with crumbled chocolate, fresh berries or grated Peppermint Crisp.

Philippines

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Mango_float_(Cebu_City).jpg" caption="[[Mango float]] from the Philippines, an icebox cake variant of ''[[crema de fruta]]''"] ::

In the Philippines, mango float{{cite web |url=https://www.pinoyrecipe.net/mango-float-recipe/|title=The Best Mango Float Recipe |author=Ed|date=11 December 2011|publisher=Pinoy Recipe at Iba Pa|access-date=1 April 2018}} is a popular icebox cake variant of the traditional crema de fruta layered dessert. It is made with graham crackers or broas (ladyfingers) in between layers of whipped cream, condensed milk, and fresh mangoes.{{cite web |url=http://maputingcooking.com/recipe/crema-de-fruta-christmas-dessert/|title=Crema de Fruita a Festive Christmas Dessert |author=Jane|date=5 December 2016|publisher=Maputing Cooking|access-date=1 April 2018}}

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, a biscuit cake is an icebox cake commonly served as a tea cake. At the request of Prince William a chocolate biscuit cake was served as a groom's cake at his wedding. It is made by heating butter and chocolate and whisking in eggs or condensed milk. Some versions also include golden syrup. After the mixture is cooled, crumbled digestive biscuits are incorporated into the batter. Optionally other dry ingredients may be mixed in as well such as assorted dried fruits, nuts and candies.

United States

The Nabisco version of the icebox cake indicates that the wafers are stacked to form a log with whipped cream cementing them together, and then the log is laid on its side. A second log is formed and the two are set side by side and more whipped cream covers the exterior. The cake is then left overnight in the refrigerator (or icebox). The wafers absorb moisture from the whipped cream and the whole can be served in slices. The dessert is usually served by cutting it into slices at a 45-degree angle, so bands of chocolate and cream are visible across each slice.

A variation of icebox cake is made using pudding (usually chocolate) and graham crackers or vanilla wafers layered in a square or rectangular baking dish. Additional variations include alternating layers of chocolate and vanilla pudding, or the addition of sliced bananas or pineapples between the layers. While this can be done with cold instant pudding, if given ample time in the refrigerator, the best results come from assembling the dessert with still-hot, stove-cooked pudding, and then refrigerating overnight.

References

References

  1. "This 100-Year-Old No-Bake Cake Recipe Is as Easy as It Is Delicious".
  2. "Assemble, Chill And Serve Icebox Cake, a Dessert Anyone Can Make". The Washington Post.
  3. "Icebox Cake Recipe".
  4. Prichep, Deena. (July 14, 2023). "Famous Chocolate Wafers are no more, but the icebox cake lives on". [[NPR]].
  5. Olver, Lynne. "Icebox Cake". [[The Food Timeline]].
  6. "Choc ripple cake".
  7. "Christmas Chocolate Ripple Cake Recipe".
  8. "Chocolate Ripple Cake".
  9. (6 December 2021). "Christmas Chocolate Ripple Cake".
  10. (27 December 2025). "An ode to Australia's most underrated Christmas dessert: The chocolate ripple cake".
  11. Maryanne. (15 June 2017). "Mango Royale (Mango Icebox Cake)". The Little Epicurean.
  12. "Chocolate biscuit cake". The Star.
  13. "Queen Elizabeth II's Favorite Cake: Chocolate Biscuit Cake". Today.
  14. "Konditor & Cook's chocolate biscuit cake recipe". The Telegraph.
  15. "Chocolate Biscuit Cake".
  16. "Chocolate Biscuit Cake".

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