Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake Recipe
Sweet treats are the perfect way to liven up an occasion — and in the summer, the cooler the better! While you could pop over to your local ice cream shop for a scoop, if you're hosting guests for dinner it's nice to serve something homemade. There's no need to pull out the ice cream maker to whip up this chocolate peanut butter icebox cake. Courtesy of Mashed recipe developer Kate Shungu, this frosty dessert will wow your guests, without requiring too much effort on your part.
"I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, and it fits together so nicely in this old-fashioned treat," Shungu shares. Aside from being an excellent candidate for cooling you down, Shungu comments, "There's no baking required for this recipe, making it perfect for the summer months ... You can make it a day ahead of time, so when it's time for dessert, you just need to slice it and serve."
Gather the ingredients for this chocolate peanut butter icebox cake
For this recipe, you'll need heavy cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract. Be sure to sift the cocoa powder to eliminate any lumps. Then, pick up a package of Nutter Butter cookies or another peanut butter sandwich cookie and a chocolate bar to garnish.
This recipe is a bit of a twist on an old favorite. Shungu says, "A traditional icebox cake is made with whipped cream and chocolate wafer cookies." She swaps the wafers for Nutter Butters and incorporates cocoa powder to create that classic peanut butter and chocolate combination.
Prepare the cream mixture
Start by lining a 9x5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. Be sure to leave excess hanging over the edges so you can cover the cake. Pour the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix it on medium-high speed until it begins to form soft peaks. Add in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract, and continue to mix until soft peaks form again.
Assemble the cake and freeze
Once the main component is ready, it's time to assemble the cake. Start by spreading a thin layer of whipped cream to cover the bottom of the loaf pan. Layer Nutter Butter cookies on top, placing them closely so there are no gaps between each one. Spread a layer of whipped cream over the cookies, then arrange more cookies to coat the surface again. Continue until you're either out of cream, cookies, or space in the pan. Use the plastic overhang to cover the top of the cake, then transfer it to the fridge for at least 4 hours, or up to a day.
Garnish the cake and serve
When the cake is almost done chilling and you're close to serving it, use a vegetable peeler to make chocolate curls from the bar. Set out a serving platter and carefully flip the cake out of the pan and onto the platter. Peel away the plastic wrap and garnish the top with chocolate curls and extra cookies if you still have some. Slice this chocolate peanut butter icebox cake and serve it immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for two to three days.
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (16-ounce) package Nutter Butter cookies
- 1 (2-ounce) chocolate bar
- Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving some hanging over the edges.
- Pour the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix at medium-high speed until soft peaks begin to form.
- Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract and continue to mix until the ingredients are combined and soft peaks have formed.
- Spread a thin layer of whipped cream into the prepared loaf pan. Top with a single layer of Nutter Butter cookies, placing the cookies close together so there aren't any gaps. Top the cookies with another layer of whipped cream, followed by another layer of cookies. Repeat until one of the ingredients is finished or you reach the top of the pan.
- Cover with the plastic wrap that's hanging over the edges and refrigerate between 4 and 24 hours.
- Shortly before serving, run a vegetable peeler along the edge of the chocolate bar to create chocolate curls. Invert the icebox cake onto a serving platter and remove the plastic wrap. Top with the chocolate curls and garnish with any extra cookies. Cut into slices and serve.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 520 |
| Total Fat | 34.6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 21.5 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.7 g |
| Cholesterol | 133.6 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 49.9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.9 g |
| Total Sugars | 8.6 g |
| Sodium | 216.5 mg |
| Protein | 6.0 g |
