An icebox cake or chocolate ripple cake or log is a dessert typically made with cream, fruits, nuts, and wafers and set in the refrigerator. The term can refer to a general category of dishes that involve the same process, and one particularly well-known version is the back-of-the-box recipe on thin and dark Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers.
History
The icebox cake is derived from similar desserts such as the charlotte and the trifle, but made to be more accessible for housewives to prepare. It was first introduced to the United States in the 1930s, 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. 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.
Regional variations
American
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. 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 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.
Australian
In Australia the cake is made from Arnott's Chocolate Ripple biscuits, hence the name in that country of Chocolate Ripple cake. The biscuits are covered in sweetened whipped cream, and placed in a log formation. It is often decorated with crumbled chocolate, fresh berries or grated Peppermint Crisp.
Philippine
In the Philippines, mango float is a popular icebox cake variant of the traditional crema de fruta layered dessert. It is made with graham crackers or broas in between layers of whipped cream, condensed milk, and fresh mangoes.
