This Easy Chocolate and Vanilla Icebox Cake is a super easy, delicious, make ahead dessert. It’s no bake, uses a few pantry staples and comes together in no time. Who says icebox cakes are just for summer?

I love classic icebox cakes. They’re SUPER easy, don’t need to bake, and are always delicious. Basically layer cookies and a few other ingredients in a pan, let it sit in the fridge for a few hours, and it’s ready to go.

Hard to go wrong with that when you’re in the middle of prepping a huge holiday dinner or working on side dishes for a summer barbecue!

I usually try to stick to whole food ingredients as much as possible, but once in a while it’s just so great to have an easy recipe up my sleeve. This Easy Chocolate and Vanilla Icebox Cake fits the bill.

You could easily keep the ingredients for this on hand for when you need them. This icebox cake is made with pudding and vanilla wafers – easy pantry staples that you can buy on sale ahead of time.

Tip: Cream cheese can be expensive, but I watch for it to go on sale and then I store it, which I explain a little more in my Stock your Fridge post.

In the end, this Easy Chocolate and Vanilla Icebox Cake is fairly cheap, tasty, and easy to make ahead of time. That’s a win in my books!

Easy Chocolate and Vanilla Icebox Cake – Step-by-Step Instructions

Easy Chocolate and Vanilla Icebox Cake – Ingredients

First you’ll need to make your layers. In a medium-sized bowl, whip 1 cup of whipping cream with 1 tablespoon of sugar until fairly stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In another medium sized bowl, cream 1 block of softened cream cheese until it’s smooth. Add 1 package of vanilla pudding and mix to combine.

Add one cup of milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla and mix until creamy. Set aside.

In a third medium-sized bowl (last one, I swear!), mix chocolate pudding according to package directions (mine called for 1 cup of milk to be added to it).

Now all you have to do is layer! Spread a thin layer of the vanilla cream cheese filling on the bottom of a 9×13 pan.

Top with rows of Nilla vanilla wafers (you could also use graham crackers if you want). Spoon 1/2 of the vanilla cream cheese filling on top of the cookies and smooth it out.

Spoon 1/2 of the chocolate pudding on top of the vanilla cream cheese and smooth.

Then spoon 1/2 of the whipped cream on top of the chocolate and smooth. Repeat all steps again (except the thin bottom layer) – so Nilla wafers, vanilla cream cheese, chocolate pudding and whipped cream.

Tip: If you’re making this a day ahead of time I would wait to add the last layer of whipped cream before serving – otherwise it can get a little muddled with the chocolate pudding.

Use a butter knife or a fork to mix the chocolate and whipped cream layers together on the top (optional). Refrigerate, at least 2 hours, but overnight is just fine.

Enjoy! 🙂

Common Questions & Answers:

What’s in an icebox cake?

An icebox cake is usually made with thin wafers or cookies, some type of pudding or custard, and often a combination of cream cheese and whipped cream. It’s flavored with fresh fruit (strawberries, bananas, blueberries, etc), chocolate, or other flavorings.

What IS an icebox cake?

The name icebox cake is an old fashioned name for a dessert that’s been around a long time – since before we had modern refrigerators and people used iceboxes to chill their food. An icebox cake typically layers wafers or cookies with creamy ingredients. Then, when the cake is chilled, the wafers soften into a cake-like texture (without any baking!). It’s pretty similar to dessert lasagna or lush dessert.

How long will icebox cake keep for?

Icebox cake is best eaten later in the day it’s made, or on the next day. Beyond two days it will still taste good, but the wafer layer will start to break down a little too much and could be mushy.

Can you freeze icebox cake?

I’d be pretty hesitant to recommend freezing this cake, especially since it includes real whipped cream. Other recipes might work out well. I’ve never frozen this myself, but if you do, please let me know how it works out for you!

Did you make this Easy Chocolate and Vanilla Icebox Cake? Leave us a star rating below!

Easy Chocolate and Vanilla Icebox Cake

This Easy Chocolate and Vanilla Icebox Cake is a super easy, delicious, make ahead dessert. It's no bake, uses a few pantry staples and comes together in no time.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 25

Chill Time: 2

Total Time: 2 25

Servings: servings

Calories: 193kcal

Author: Myra

Ingredients

Instructions

In a medium-sized bowl, whip 1 cup of whipping cream with sugar until fairly stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In another medium sized bowl, cream softened cream cheese until it's smooth. Add 1 package of vanilla pudding and mix to combine. Add one cup of milk and vanilla and mix until creamy. Set aside.
In another medium-sized bowl (last one, I swear!), mix chocolate pudding according to package directions (mine called for 1 cup of milk to be added to it). Set aside.
Spread a thin layer of the vanilla cream cheese filling on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Top with rows of vanilla Nilla wafers. Spoon 1/2 of the vanilla cream cheese filling on top of the cookies and smooth it out.
Spoon 1/2 of the chocolate pudding on top of the vanilla cream cheese and smooth.
Then spoon 1/2 of the whipped cream on top of the chocolate and smooth. Repeat all steps again (except the thin bottom layer) - so Nilla wafers, vanilla cream cheese, chocolate pudding and whipped cream.* If you're making this a day ahead of time I would wait to add the last layer of whipped cream before serving - otherwise it can get a little muddled with the chocolate pudding.
Use a butter knife or a fork to mix the chocolate and whipped cream layers together on the top (optional). Refrigerate, at least 2 hours, but overnight is just fine.
Enjoy! 🙂

Video

Notes

* If you're making this a day ahead of time I would wait to add the last layer of whipped cream before serving - otherwise it can get a little muddled with the chocolate pudding.

Nutrition

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This recipe was originally published on October 3, 2017.