Icebox Cake
Encyclopedia
An icebox cake zebra cake (British), or chocolate ripple cake/log (Australian) is a dessert consisting of whipped cream
and chocolate
wafers. The back-of-the-box recipe on Nabisco
Famous Chocolate Wafers 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. The traditional wafers are the Nabisco
Famous Chocolate Wafers, but they can be hard to find so other cookies are often substituted.
(usually chocolate) and graham crackers layered in a square or rectangular baking dish. Additional variations include alternating layers of chocolate and vanilla
pudding, or the addition of sliced banana
s or pineapple
s between the layers. While this can be done with cold ("instant") pudding, if given ample time in the "icebox," the best results come from assembling the dessert with still-hot stove-cooked pudding, and then refrigerating overnight.
Chocolate Ripple biscuits, hence the name in that country of Chocolate Ripple cake.
Whipped cream
Whipped cream is cream that has been beaten by a mixer, whisk, or fork until it is light and fluffy. Whipped cream is often sweetened and sometimes flavored with vanilla, in which case it may be called Chantilly cream or crème Chantilly ....
and chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
wafers. The back-of-the-box recipe on Nabisco
Nabisco
Nabisco is an American brand of cookies and snacks. Headquartered in East Hanover, New Jersey, the company is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Kraft Foods. Nabisco's plant in Chicago, a production facility at 7300 S...
Famous Chocolate Wafers 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
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
(or "icebox
Icebox
An icebox is a compact non-mechanical refrigerator which was a common kitchen appliance before the development of safe powered refrigeration devices.- Design :...
"). 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. The traditional wafers are the Nabisco
Nabisco
Nabisco is an American brand of cookies and snacks. Headquartered in East Hanover, New Jersey, the company is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Kraft Foods. Nabisco's plant in Chicago, a production facility at 7300 S...
Famous Chocolate Wafers, but they can be hard to find so other cookies are often substituted.
American variations
A variation of icebox cake is made using puddingPudding
Pudding most often refers to a dessert, but it can also be a savory dish.In the United States, pudding characteristically denotes a sweet milk-based dessert similar in consistency to egg-based custards, though it may also refer to other types such as bread and rice pudding.In the United Kingdom and...
(usually chocolate) and graham crackers layered in a square or rectangular baking dish. Additional variations include alternating layers of chocolate and vanilla
Vanilla
Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily from the Mexican species, Flat-leaved Vanilla . The word vanilla derives from the Spanish word "", little pod...
pudding, or the addition of sliced banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
s or pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
s between the layers. While this can be done with cold ("instant") pudding, if given ample time in the "icebox," the best results come from assembling the dessert with still-hot stove-cooked pudding, and then refrigerating overnight.
Australian version
In Australia the cake is made from ArnottsArnotts
Arnotts can refer to;* Arnott's Biscuits Holdings, an Australian biscuit and salted snack food company* Arnotts , a department store in Dublin, Ireland...
Chocolate Ripple biscuits, hence the name in that country of Chocolate Ripple cake.