Icebox Cake

This simple icebox cake is so easy to put together, requires no baking, and is so delicious!

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This icebox cake recipe is a cold dessert made with crunchy graham crackers in between a creamy mixture of Cool Whip and cream cheese. Mixed in, are layers of creamy, rich chocolate icing for a cool, sweet treat that you don’t want to miss!

Icebox Cake Ingredients

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The sweet, smooth layers of fluffy whipped cream and rich, chocolate wafer cookies will melt in your mouth from the very first bite.

But what really sets this dessert apart is the way it just seems to get better and better with time. As the flavors meld together in the fridge, the cake takes on an irresistible, fudgy texture that is impossible to resist.

You’ll need:

• 1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cup of powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• 1 (8-ounce) container of Cool Whip
• 1 (16-ounce) tub of chocolate fudge icing
• One box of chocolate graham crackers

Substitutions And Additions

GRAHAM CRACKERS: If you don’t have chocolate graham crackers, or if you don’t prefer them, you can use regular graham crackers in their place. For another fun twist, you could use thin chocolate chip cookies as a base instead.

ICING: You can use any flavor of icing that you like. If you want to stick with chocolate, you can use dark chocolate fudge, milk chocolate, or regular chocolate. You could even make a homemade chocolate ganache if you’d like. If you prefer to switch things up, you could use vanilla, cream cheese, or buttercream.

WHIPPED CREAM: If you want to make homemade whipped cream instead of using Cool Whip and you have heavy whipping cream on hand, check out our whipped cream recipe.

How To Make This Icebox Cake Recipe

Our step-by-step directions below will walk you through creating the decadent layers of this tasty dessert.

STEP ONE: In a large bowl using a hand mixer on medium speed or in the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

STEP TWO: Fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture.

STEP THREE: Remove the lid and foil seal from the container of icing. Microwave the container of chocolate fudge icing for 30 seconds. Then stir and set it aside.

STEP FOUR: On the bottom of an 8×8 pan, place a single layer of graham crackers. You may have to break some pieces to fill the bottom. 

STEP FIVE: Spread one-third of the cream cheese and Cool Whip mixture over the layer of chocolate cookies.

STEP SIX: Pour about ½ cup of the softened icing over this layer of cream cheese and Cool Whip. Make sure the icing is pourable but not too hot to melt down the cream cheese mixture. Spread gently with the back of a spoon or an icing spreader.

STEP SEVEN: Place another layer of cookies over the frosting.

STEP EIGHT: Add a layer of cream cheese on top of the graham crackers.

STEP NINE: Place another one-third of the cream cheese mixture and top that with ½ cup of softened icing. 

STEP TEN: Place the last layer of graham crackers and the remaining cream cheese.

STEP ELEVEN: Chill for at least two to four hours in the fridge covered in plastic wrap to allow the layers to soften. Overnight works, too!

STEP TWELVE: Before serving, reheat the last bit of icing and drizzle the melted chocolate over the cake and individual servings. You can also add an optional garnish of crushed graham cracker crumbs, a drizzle of caramel sauce, and chocolate shavings or chocolate curls.

How To Serve The Best Icebox Cake Recipe

Serve this delicious dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side and whipped cream on the top.

You could even add fresh fruit on the side for a pop of color. Take this to your next party, and I guarantee, there will be no leftovers.

On the hunt for other no-bake cake recipes that also use simple ingredients like Cool Whip and cream cheese? Check out this Jell-O poke cake and this no-bake eclair cake. Both are easy, delicious desserts and require no baking at all.

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Chocolate Poke Cake

Storing This Old-Fashioned Icebox Cake

This chocolate icebox cake will keep well either in the fridge or freezer. Here’s how to store it properly.

IN THE FRIDGE: Your icebox cake should always be stored in the fridge, whether it’s between servings or as leftovers. This will keep it from melting and becoming a huge mess. You can keep your cake in the fridge for up to 3 days before the layers of graham crackers will begin to get a bit mushy.

IN THE FREEZER: Another option is to store this classic recipe in the freezer. I personally love it this way. It’s almost like an ice cream treat for hot summer days. You can keep it in the freezer for up to a month. It’s great to have stored when the sweet tooth comes knockin’! I recommend letting it thaw for a bit before cutting out a piece when it’s frozen.

Our chocolate icebox cake recipe is made by creating layers of cream cheese and Cool Whip filling, crunchy graham crackers, and chocolate icing. It’s then placed in the fridge to make for a cold and creamy, decadent dessert. The hardest part is waiting for it to chill. It’s so delicious!

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Icebox Cake

5 from 5 votes

This simple icebox cake is so easy to put together, requires no baking, and is so delicious!

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 9

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ¾ cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces Cool Whip
• 16 ounces chocolate fudge icing
• 1 box chocolate graham crackers

Instructions

 

• In a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until smooth.
• Fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture.
• Remove the lid and foil seal from the container of icing. Microwave the container of chocolate fudge icing for 30 seconds, stir and set aside.
• On the bottom of an 8×8 pan, place a single layer of graham crackers. You may have to break some crackers into pieces to fill the bottom.
• Spread ⅓ of the cream cheese/Cool Whip mixture over this layer of graham crackers.
• Pour about ½ cup of the softened icing over this layer of cream cheese and Cool whip. Make sure the icing is pourable but not too hot to melt down the cream cheese mixture. Spread gently with the back of a spoon or an icing spreader.
• Place a layer of chocolate graham crackers over the fudge icing.
• Place another one-third of the cream cheese mixture and top that with ½ cup of softened icing.
• Place the last layer of graham crackers and then cream cheese.
• Chill for at least two to four hours to allow the layers to soften. Overnight works too!
• Before serving reheat the last bit of icing and drizzle over the cake and individual servings.
• Garnish cake with crushed graham cracker crumbs, optional.

Video

Notes

• Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature, otherwise, you will end up with lumps in your mixture.
• Chilling overnight will allow all the flavors to mingle and blend together even more!

Nutrition

Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 491mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 383IU | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mg

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