An old fashioned no-bake icebox cake is the best easy dessert for hot summer days! This chocolate raspberry version needs just five ingredients.
For most of us, there comes a point in high summer, usually mid-July, that it just gets too hot to bake. That doesn’t mean you need to go without dessert! This easy chocolate icebox cake is an old-school solution, modernized a bit here with fresh summer berries.
What Is An Icebox Cake?
Back in the day, before refrigerators were powered by electricity, food inside was kept cool with large blocks of ice. After electric fridges came along, people called the older ice fridges “ice boxes” to distinguish the two.
The icebox cake is a no-bake dessert that is just as good today as it was back then! Whipped cream, and sometimes fruit, is layered between cookie wafers, then iced in more whipped cream. The dish needs at least four hours in the fridge for the cream to soften the cookies into a cake-like consistency, so plan accordingly.
Ingredients
- heavy cream
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- raspberries
- chocolate cookie wafers
Method
Have a serving platter ready to assemble the icebox cake on.
Beat the whipping cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar in a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer) until stiff peaks form. Reserve half of the whipped cream in another bowl and set aside.
Next, set aside the half the raspberries for garnish. Take the remaining raspberries and mash them with a fork until a jammy consistency is reached.
Gently fold the mashed raspberries into one of the two bowls of whipped cream. As the berries and cream combine the cream will turn a pretty pale pink.
Gently spoon a small amount of raspberry cream onto a chocolate wafer. Top the cream with another wafer to make a sandwich cookie. Repeat the layering of cream and cookies until the stack is nine cookies tall. Repeat this step until you have four stacks of nine cookies layered with cream.
Lay each cookie stack down on your serving platter so the rounds of the cookies look like the wheels of a train. You want the stacks to fit nice and snug together! If you have raspberry cream leftover, use it to help adhere the rows together like the pictures below.
Next, use the reserved whipped cream to coat the outside of the cookies much like icing a cake. Try to cover up any imperfections. Chances are it will look a little messy, but we promise it will work out!
Place the cake in the fridge to chill and soften for at least 4 hours.
Just before serving, decorate the cake with the remaining raspberries, plus edible flowers, fresh mint leaves, or any other garnish you like.
To serve, cut the icebox cake into slices the way you would a loaf of bread and plate as individual slices.
Tips & Notes
Make this recipe dairy-free with dairy-free cookie wafers and coconut whipped cream.
Substitute the chocolate wafers for vanilla wafers, ginger cookies, graham crackers, or any other thin wafer-like cookie you like.
Vanilla extract can be substituted for almond extract, peppermint extract, or any other flavouring you prefer.
You can substitute white sugar or organic cane sugar in the whipped cream.
Use any other fresh soft berry you have on hand or is in season. Blackberries are also great! Thawed frozen berries work a treat. You can also use some jam in the whipped cream if you prefer.
More No-Bake Desserts
Coconut Pineapple Ice Cream
Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwiches
Chocolate Puffed Quinoa Bars
S’mores Ice Cream Bars
Peach and Ginger Cashew Cheesecake
If you make this recipe, let us know by tagging @baked_theblog + #bakedtheblog on Instagram! We love to feel like we’re in the kitchen with you.
Recipe
Chocolate Raspberry Icebox Cake
Description
Equipment
- Stand or hand mixer
- Serving platter
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
Ingredients
- 473 ml 35% whipping cream, one carton
- 2 tablespoons 14 grams powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups 250 grams fresh raspberries
- 7 oz. chocolate cookie wafers, one sleeve
- Fresh mint leaves, or edible flowers for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Have a serving platter ready to assemble the icebox cake.
- Beat the whipping cream, vanilla, and icing sugar in a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer) until stiff peaks form. Reserve half the whipping cream in another bowl and set aside.
- Set aside half of the raspberries for garnish. Take the remaining raspberries and mash them with a fork until a jammy consistency is reached.
- Gently fold the mashed raspberries into one of the two bowls of whipping cream until well combined.
- Carefully spoon about 2 teaspoons of raspberry cream on top of a chocolate wafer.
- Top the cream with another wafer to make a sandwich cookie. Continue to layer the cream and cookies until the stack is 9 cookies tall. Repeat this step until you have 4 stacks of 9 cookies.
- Lay each cookie stack down, side-by-side on your serving platter so the rounds of the cookies look like the wheels of a train. The stacks should fit snugly together! If you have any raspberry cream left, use it to adhere the stacks together.
- Take the reserved whipped cream and spread it over the cookies much like icing a cake. Try to cover up any imperfections, but note it may look a little messy. It will work out we promise!
- Place the cake in the fridge to soften the cookies for at least 4 hours.
- Just before serving, decorate the cake with the remaining raspberries. Add fresh mint leaves and edible flowers if you like.
- To serve – slice the icebox cake like a loaf of bread and serve individual slices.
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