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Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Box Cake

August 24th, 2012

Chocolate? Yes! Peanut butter? Yes! Graham Crackers? Yes! No-bake, easy dessert? YES!!!!

When I was a little kid my mom used to always make an extra large batch of chocolate buttercream when she was going to frost a cake. Then we would slather it onto graham crackers and top with another cracker so we would have a little chocolate sandwich. Those were the best.

This is a mix between that and the whipped cream and graham cracker ice box cake that my Grandma Grace used to make. I was really little when she passed, so this isn’t something I remember first hand- but I have heard my mom mention it enough times to have formed my own ideas about what it would be like. Basically Grandma Graces cake was just chocolate whipped cream and cocoa powder intermixed with graham crackers and chilled until the crackers were almost soft and pudding like.

So this appears to be a hybrid of the two, and it is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

This Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice box cake is not only freakishly indulgently delicious, but it is easy and perfect for a hot summers night when you are not in the mood to turn the oven on. Quick, there are another couple weeks of summer left so that you have an excuse to make this!

To make this, here’s what you do:

Melt 4 ounces of chocolate in a microwave and stir until smooth, then whisk in the peanut butter and stir until smooth and slightly thick.

In a separate bowl, whip the whipping cream to soft peaks.

Whisk ¼ cup of whipping cream into the chocolate peanut butter mixture. When it is really smooth, whisk in another ¼ cup.

Then add the chocolate peanut butter to the whipping cream and fold the rest of the chocolate peanut butter into the rest of the whipping cream and stir until completely combined.

Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap (2 sheets overlapping each other with plenty of excess).

Line the bottom of the pan with graham crackers. If you need to cut the graham crackers to fit better, do so with a sharp knife, (they cut surprisingly easily).

Spread a dollop of the chocolate peanut butter filling completely over the graham cracker layer.

Now repeat this all the way to the top of the loaf pan and until the chocolate peanut butter is all used up.The bottom layer should be graham crackers.

Then pull the plastic wrap up tight around the cake and place it in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 12 hours and up to several days.

To make the frosting, melt 4 ounces of chocolate in the microwave and stir until smooth. Whisk in the small pieces of butter until the chocolate and butter are smooth.

Whisk in the powdered sugar and mix until you have a smooth frosting. Set aside at room temperature.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator and transfer from the pan to a flat surface.

Unwrap the cake and transfer to a platter. Using a small off set spatula or a butter knife, evenly spread the frosting over the graham cracker layers.

Melt the 2 ounces of chocolate in a microwave and stir until smooth. Using a fork, drizzle the chocolate over the top of the cake.

Using a sharp knife, slice the cake like a loaf of bread and if desired serve with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.