· ·

Icebox Mocha Cake

Sharing is caring!

Icebox Mocha Cake is easy to assemble with simple ingredients. The chocolate cookies absorb all the flavors of the pudding and make for rich layers.

Icebox Mocha Cake is easy to assemble with simple ingredients. The chocolate cookies absorb all the flavors of the pudding and make for rich layers. #ChocolateWeek

I’ve made a couple of icebox cakes in the last few years. Some have been perfect and some have been not so great. I mean, they taste great, but the filling is sometimes a little too runny. I’ve adjusted the recipes so you shouldn’t have this problem. But I did. And it makes things difficult when trying to photograph them.

What are icebox cakes?

Icebox cakes are not cakes. They are layers of cookies or crackers along with a filling of some description and topped with whipped cream or whipped topping. They refrigerate for a few hours to allow the cookies or crackers to absorb moisture from the filling. This makes the cookies or crackers obtain a cake like consistency. Hence the cake in the icebox cake name.

Icebox Mocha Cake is easy to assemble with simple ingredients. The chocolate cookies absorb all the flavors of the pudding and make for rich layers. #ChocolateWeek

They’re fashioned in the same method as a Charlotte or a trifle. With layers cake and creamy fillings. But the recipe, as it is known today, appeared in the 30’s. They helped promote the refrigerator as a new and innovative appliance necessary in every kitchen. The icebox cake made the refrigerator appear essential to every kitchen. And I cannot imagine living without one.

As the refrigerator gained popularity, and more convenience foods are created, the popularity of the icebox cake rose. The original recipe did not include pudding, but now most people make icebox cake with pudding. It can either be homemade or made from a mix. They also make icebox cake with cool whip or whipped topping. These are also convenience foods that gained popularity over the years.

Icebox Mocha Cake is easy to assemble with simple ingredients. The chocolate cookies absorb all the flavors of the pudding and make for rich layers. #ChocolateWeek

 

What are typical icebox cake ingredients?

Well, some make icebox cakes with chocolate wafers, and some make them with graham crackers. I like the chocolate graham crackers, but I haven’t been able to find those since the pandemic started. They always seem to be out at the store.

Nabisco Nilla wafers are perfect for icebox cakes. And southern style banana pudding is sort of like an icebox cake. It only needs a few more layers of cookie and pudding and it’s an icebox cake.

Icebox Mocha Cake is easy to assemble with simple ingredients. The chocolate cookies absorb all the flavors of the pudding and make for rich layers. #ChocolateWeek

Some make icebox cakes with pudding and cool whip. And some make them with homemade pudding and whipped cream. I am not that fancy. Even though I do make a mean banana pudding. And could totally make a banana pudding icebox cake. Maybe I should do that and share it with y’all. What do you think?

What are some icebox cake flavors?

Well, those can be endless! There’s countless flavors of premade pudding mixes and, well, you can make pretty much any flavor of pudding you want, too. I have a wicked witch icebox cake with pistachio pudding in the idea bin for next year. I can’t wait to show that one. It’s fun with layers of green pudding and chocolate cookies.

Icebox Mocha Cake is easy to assemble with simple ingredients. The chocolate cookies absorb all the flavors of the pudding and make for rich layers. #ChocolateWeek

I made a strawberry icebox cheesecake, a tropical icebox cake, and a no bake banana split cake. That last one is so good! You should try it. Then I have several ideas for icebox cakes. I mean, you can literally make then in any flavor you want. The possibilities are endless.

The classic icebox cake recipes has the filling sandwiched between the cookies. Those cookies are placed vertically in the pan creating vertical layers of cookie and filling. This seems weird to me. Why vertical? It only makes sense to have the cookies be horizontal. So, you can get these delicious layers of goodness. And they look prettier when you serve them, don’t you think?

Icebox Mocha Cake is easy to assemble with simple ingredients. The chocolate cookies absorb all the flavors of the pudding and make for rich layers. #ChocolateWeek

 

Can you freeze icebox cakes?

Yes. They are freezable. The ingredients are simple and can be frozen individually. So, it only makes sense that you can freeze them when they’re all together like that. This means you can easily make them ahead of them. Just put them in the fridge overnight to thaw before serving.

Or feel adventurous and serve a frozen icebox cake. Why not? We make pudding pops that are frozen. Ice cream cakes have cookie layers. Why not serve up a frozen icebox cake? They might me a little difficult to slice, but I think it would be well worth trying. Maybe I’ll add that to the idea bin, too.

Icebox Mocha Cake is easy to assemble with simple ingredients. The chocolate cookies absorb all the flavors of the pudding and make for rich layers. #ChocolateWeek

Well, there’s chocolate with a hint of coffee in there. I used cold brew coffee for this recipe. I am testing out a cold brew carafe from Lardera coffee roasters. They’re associated with Adagio teas. And, well, we all know how amazing their teas are. Their coffee is just as amazing.

I almost made the pudding with only cold brew coffee, but I wasn’t sure how well that would work. I think there’s something about the pudding that needs the milk for it to work. Maybe next time I will try just the coffee and see what happens. From what I’ve read, you can use water so coffee would work, I think. I can’t imagine making it with water. Have you tried that? I’d love to hear from you if you have.

Icebox Mocha Cake is easy to assemble with simple ingredients. The chocolate cookies absorb all the flavors of the pudding and make for rich layers. #ChocolateWeek

You can see the delicious layers of the chocolate cookies and pudding with the whipped topping on top. There’s a hint of coffee flavor on there which rounds out the chocolate flavors. The cookies have that rich, devil’s food style flavor and texture that icebox cakes are famous for.

Since my cookies were thicker than usual, they needed a little extra time to “marinate” in the pudding. I made sure they were in the fridge for at least 24 hours. This gives the Maria cookies plenty of time to absorb the liquid from the pudding the whipped topping. If you use thinner cookies, you don’t need to leave it in the fridge for so long. It was torture waiting for it to be ready to devour.

AKHA Signature

Icebox Mocha Cake is easy to assemble with simple ingredients. The chocolate cookies absorb all the flavors of the pudding and make for rich layers. #ChocolateWeek
Yield: 8

Icebox Mocha Cake

Cook Time: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 5 minutes

Icebox Mocha Cake is easy to assemble with simple ingredients. The chocolate cookies absorb all the flavors of the pudding and make for rich layers.

Ingredients

  • 3.9 ounces chocolate pudding mix
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 1/2 cup cold brew coffee
  • 8 ounces whipped topping
  • 24 chocolate cookies (I used Goya Marie cookies)

Instructions

    1. Combine the pudding mix with the half and half and cold coffee in a mixing bowl.
    2. Whisk for 1 to 2 minutes or until the pudding mix is dissolved.
    3. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
    4. Remove the pudding from the fridge and add 2/3 of the whipped topping to the pudding.
    5. Fold the whipped topping into the pudding.
    6. Place one layer of cookies in the bottom of a loaf pan lined with plastic wrap.
    7. Layer half the pudding mixture on top.
    8. Please another layer of chocolate cookies on top and the rest of the pudding mixture.
    9. Layer the rest of the cookies on top of the pudding.
    10. Top with the remaining whipped topping.
    11. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours. Overnight is best for the cookies be truly cake like in texture.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Chocolate Week Logo

More Chocolate Recipes

Similar Posts

26 Comments

  1. This is icebox cake is fabulous and I love how it’s made with only 5 super simple ingredinets. The layers are gorgeous and so delicious. Thansk for the deliciously easy recipe!

  2. I haven’t made an ice box cake in ages, and this looks amazing, like a simpler version of a Tiramisu! Love the addition of cold brew! Can’t wait to make it!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.