Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (2024)

Julie Clark

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Enjoy your favorite flavor combination without turning on the oven! Sweet & refreshing Reese’s Chocolate Icebox Cake with layers of graham crackers, peanut butter cream and chocolate pudding.

Summer has hit Ohio! We’ve had sunshine today and the temperatures jumped up into the mid 80’s. I’m thankful for it, but now I don’t want to turn on the oven. 🥵 What dessert recipe do you make when it is hot outside? We’ve got the answer.

Chocolate and peanut butter are one of my favorite flavor combinations. This refrigerator cake comes to the rescue in the summer because you don’t need an oven. Make the layers, assemble and chill. This Reese’s Chocolate Icebox Cake couldn’t be easier!

Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (2)

Why you’ll love this cake:

  • No need to turn on the oven.
  • Creamy peanut butter layer.
  • Easy chocolate pudding layer.
  • Chocolate graham crackers add an extra chocolate punch.
  • Reese’s cups inside the cake and on top for delicious candy in every bite.
  • A great make-ahead dessert.

Why is it called an icebox cake?

This type of chilled, layered dessert was developed in the first half of the 1900’s when homes started having refrigerators or “iceboxes” in their homes. An icebox cake is a dessert that doesn’t bake in an oven. You layer ingredients together, then refrigerate to allow the cake to set.

What layers make up an icebox cake?

This icebox cake has 4 distinct parts:

  • graham crackers
  • chocolate pudding
  • peanut butter cream
  • chopped candy

You’ll find similar layers in many icebox cakes, with them only changing slightly to adapt to different flavors (like raspberry lemon, chocolate chip or strawberry banana). Graham crackers make a great layer, whether chocolate, honey or cinnamon. They absorb some of the liquid helping to hold the “cake” together.

How to Make a Reese’s Chocolate Icebox Cake

Make the chocolate layer:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the pudding and milk until smooth.
  • Fold in the Cool Whip.

Make the peanut butter layer:

  • In a medium size bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the softened cream cheese and the peanut butter.
  • Mix in powdered sugar.
  • Then fold in the Cool Whip.
  • Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (3)
  • Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (4)
  • Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (5)

Assemble the dessert:

  • Place 7 crackers in a single layer in a 9×13 baking dish.
  • Spoon half of the chocolate pudding mix over the graham crackers.
  • Sprinkle a layer of quartered Reese’s cups over the pudding.
  • Place 7 graham crackers over the Reese’s cups. Press down lightly.
  • Spoon all of the peanut butter filling mixture over the graham crackers and spread out evenly.
  • Layer another 7 graham crackers over the peanut butter filling.
  • Spoon the remaining chocolate pudding over the crackers.
  • Arrange the rest of the peanut butter cups over the pudding.
  • Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (6)
  • Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (7)
  • Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (8)
  • Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (9)
  • Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (10)

How long do you have to let an icebox cake chill?

You’ll need to cover this dessert with plastic wrap and allow it to chill for at least 4 hours. It’s best if you let it sit overnight. That makes it a great make ahead dessert!

Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (11)

Recipe Variations

  • Lighten it up! Use sugar free pudding, fat free Cool Whip, skim milk, low fat cream cheese and low fat graham crackers. You might be surprised that even using all of these changes, the recipe will still be sweet and delicious.
  • Change the pudding flavors. Use a white chocolate pudding…or even vanilla.
  • Use Nutella. Instead of peanut butter, use Nutella or cookie butter instead!

Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (12)

Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (13)

Reese’s Chocolate Icebox Cake

4.50 from 2 votes

Enjoy your favorite flavor combination without turning on the oven! Sweet & refreshing Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake with layers of graham crackers, peanut butter cream and chocolate pudding.

Servings 15

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Chill Time 4 hours hours

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Ingredients

For the chocolate layer:

  • 2 small boxes chocolate instant pudding 3.4 ounces each
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups Cool Whip thawed

For the peanut butter layer:

Other layers:

  • 21 whole chocolate graham crackers you’ll need 3 sleeves
  • 17.6 ounces Reeses’s Miniature peanut butter cups quartered (Family size bag of Reese’s cups)

Instructions

Make the chocolate layer:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the pudding and milk until smooth.

  • Fold in the Cool Whip.

Make the peanut butter layer:

  • In a medium size bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the softened cream cheese and the peanut butter.

  • Mix in powdered sugar.

  • Then fold in the Cool Whip.

Assemble the dessert:

  • Place 7 crackers in a single layer in a 9×13 baking dish.

  • Spoon half of the chocolate pudding mix over the graham crackers.

  • Sprinkle a layer of quartered Reese’s cups over the pudding.

  • Place 7 graham crackers over the Reese’s cups. Press down lightly.

  • Spoon all of the peanut butter filling mixture over the graham crackers and spread out evenly.

  • Layer another 7 graham crackers over the peanut butter filling.

  • Spoon the remaining chocolate pudding over the crackers.

  • Arrange the rest of the peanut butter cups over the pudding.

  • Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Notes

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition

Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 395mg | Potassium: 340mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 336IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 2mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Calories 473

Keyword icebox cake, no bake cake, summer

Have you tried this recipe?

Share a review below or share on Instagram with the tag #tastesoflizzyt.

Reese's Chocolate Icebox Cake Recipe | The Best Cake Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why is it called an icebox cake? ›

Although we now call them refrigerators, 100 years ago, kitchen chill chests were kept cool with large blocks of ice. Hence, the name “icebox.” Instead of using an oven, icebox cakes are made by layering whipped cream and cookies together, and then refrigerating the cake for several hours in the icebox.

How long does cake last in the icebox? ›

The last thing you want is a cake that tastes like the hard boiled eggs it was stored next to in the fridge. Wrap that cake up tight! Most cakes can be stored in a freezer for up to one month, or in the fridge for one week.

How long does it take for Reese's ice cream cake to thaw? ›

Thawing Ice Cream Cake

Ice cream cake are frozen confections, so they must be stored in the freezer. However, they can be quite hard when they first come out, so we recommend removing them from the freezer and allowing them to thaw for ten to twenty minutes.

Why is it called a dump cake? ›

A dump cake is an American dessert similar to a cobbler but with a cake-like topping. It is so named because it is prepared by "dumping" ingredients (typically canned fruit or pie filling, followed by a boxed cake mix) into a cake pan without mixing.

Why is it called Robert Redford cake? ›

It had been a very long time since I had an icebox cake. In the book, Dylan calls it the Robert Redford Cake and it comes from the chapter that features recipes from the 1970s. Apparently the cake is named after Redford because its as tasty as he is sexy.

Does freezing a cake make it more moist? ›

For just the sake of time, it just makes sense to do all your baking one day and decorating on another! I also find that the freezing process seals in moisture. We all love moist cake! Especially if you crumb-ice the cake just before your cake is completely thawed, before all the air evaporates.

Should you store cake in the fridge or counter? ›

Store the layers in a zip-top plastic bag.

Place the wrapped layers in a zip-top plastic bag, and store them on the kitchen counter for up to five days, but make certain to store the cake in a cool, dry place away from any direct sunlight.

Can I eat a 2 week old cake in the fridge? ›

“You'll want to store a cake in the fridge with plastic wrap against the cut part (of the cake) to prevent the cake from drying out,” says Edwards, adding that store-bought cakes may last longer in the fridge, but homemade cakes should typically be consumed in five to seven days.

Can you freeze cake for a year? ›

This will depend on the type of wedding cake your are planning on freezing. A traditional fruit cake can be preserved for longer than a year however a sponge cake (especially one with fruit and cream) will not hold up as well. "With a sponge cake, we wouldn't recommend freezing for longer than one month.

When to take dq cake out of freezer? ›

Serving – Remove the cake from the freezer about 30 minutes before serving so that it is easier to slice through. You can also run a sharp knife under hot water before slicing. Storage – This cake should be kept covered tightly in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Can you freeze leftover cake? ›

Yes! You can freeze cake layers, sheet cakes, bundts and loaves. You can freeze frosted cakes and cupcakes, too. The freezer is your ticket to always having cake at your fingertips.

Where did the term icebox come from? ›

Before the spread of electric refrigerators in every house, houses kept their food cool with an ice box. It was a white, insulated box standing in the kitchen. Every few days, they would take delivery of a large chunk of ice, and put it into the top of the ice box.

How did Icebox cookies get their name? ›

These cookies gained popularity in the early 20th century when refrigerators were becoming commonplace in households. The term "icebox" refers to the antiquated ice-cooled refrigerators of that era, where the dough for these cookies found a convenient home while waiting to be baked.

What is the difference between cake and ice cake? ›

The simple cake is a cake without any buttercream icing whereas the ice cake is covered with cream frosting.

Why is it called lane cake? ›

Lane cake, also known as prize cake or Alabama Lane cake, is a bourbon-laced baked cake traditional in the American South. It was invented or popularized by Emma Rylander Lane (1856-1904), a native and long-time resident of Americus, Georgia, who developed the recipe while living in Clayton, Alabama, in the 1890s.

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