This Death by Chocolate Icebox Cake was a huge hit! Layers of chocolate ganache, chocolate mousse and chocolate graham crackers are topped with chocolate sauce for a decadent treat that’ll put you in a chocolate coma!
If you’re a chocoholic like me, you should also check out my Hot Chocolate Cake and my Drunken Chocolate Truffle Cake!
Death by Chocolate Icebox Cake
So you know what I don’t love? Jeans shopping. If I want to feel not so hot about myself, jeans shopping will surely do it. That must be why I usually wear my jeans until they start to have holes in them before I’m willing to go shopping for them again.
I did a little jeans shopping on Sunday and Monday and the experience was as expected. I tried on mountains of jeans and barely found some that actually fit. Seriously, why is it that every. single. pair. fits differently. I could try on the same size of jeans but because they’re different styles they’d all fit differently. Some big, some so small I can’t put them on.
What is up with that?
And then I find a pair that actually fits well and they come with holes in them. That’s the exact problem I was trying to get rid of to begin with.
Fortunately I was able to find a couple pairs. My favorites were from Express, surprisingly enough. They fit quite well.
Then I did some shoe shopping, which I sometimes have the same problem with. I love shopping for fun shoes like heels. I could buy those babies all day long. But when looking for the basics that I wear most of the time, it’s hard to find stuff I like that fits well.
I finally walked holes right into the bottoms of my favorite flats so I had to get new ones. I literally got the same brand and size assuming they’d fit just as comfortably. Then I wore them for a little bit yesterday and already had problems with them rubbing. Grrr.
I’d rather shop for cute dresses, tops and heels any day. I just don’t like to wear those every day. Darn it!
I would eat this chocolate icebox cake every day, however. Only problem is, I’d end up jeans shopping again because they wouldn’t fit me anymore if I ate this every day. I will certainly eat my share though.
Tips for Making This Decadent Chocolate Icebox Cake
I absolutely love the simplicity and ease of making icebox cakes. And you can mix up the flavors, making them fun to play with.
This time around I decided to go all in with the chocolate. I mean, when is tons of chocolate not a good idea?
The chocolate mousse-like layer is not a true mousse, but is very mousse-like in texture. It’s also delicious. The chocolate ganache is thicker, so they contrast each other nicely.
The chocolate graham crackers help give the cake it’s structure and hold everything together. Plus, they’re more chocolate.
Then it’s topped with chocolate sauce and mini chocolate chips. Heavenly, I tell you. And if you wanted, you could totally add more chocolate sauce between the layers. You know, if that’s your kind of thing.
This cake was a big hit. All my taste testers were fans. Some of my favorite taste testers are my co-workers kids and I hear there was an argument over who got the last piece of this particular cake. 🙂
More Chocolate Treats
- Nutella Biscoff Icebox Cake
- Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake
- S’mores Icebox Cake
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Icebox Cake
- Cannoli Icebox Cake
Death by Chocolate Icebox Cake
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Ingredients
- 1 box (14.4 oz) chocolate graham crackers
Chocolate Mousse
- 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 8 ounces Cool Whip (or homemade whipped cream*)
Chocolate Ganache
- 11 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (milk chocolate chips, about 2 cups)
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
Chocolate Whipped Cream and Toppings
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- Chocolate sauce (I used Smucker’s Chocolate Sundae Syrup)
- Mini chocolate chips
Instructions
To Make the Chocolate Mousse
- Combine cream cheese, sugar and milk together in the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer. Mix until completely combined.
- Add cocoa and mix until smooth.
- Fold in the Cool Whip.
To Make the Chocolate Ganache
- Place chocolate chips in a metal bowl.
- Microwave the heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap for 5-7 minutes.
- Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth.
To Make the Chocolate Whipped Cream
- Add the heavy whipping cream, cocoa and powdered sugar to a large mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Putting It All Together
- Place a single layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
- Top graham crackers with half of the mousse mixture and spread evenly.
- Spread half of the chocolate ganache on top of the mousse mixture and spread evenly.
- Place another layer of graham crackers on top of the chocolate ganache
- Spread remaining mousse mixture on top of graham crackers.
- Pour remaining ganache on top of mousse mixture and spread evenly.
- Top ganache with one more layer of graham crackers.
- Top cake with chocolate whipped cream and spread into an even layer.
- Finish cake off with chocolate sauce and mini chocolate chips, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours, or overnight, to allow the graham crackers to soften before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
This post includes affiliate links.
Enjoy!
I made this for the weekend and was not impressed. It would be better without the ganache. My husband and I just ate the whipped cream off the top, which is by far the best part. Also, this was relatively expensive to make. Just the graham crackers cost $5.
Thank you. I LOVE CHOCOLATE! !!!
hi I am making this as I write and see it says to add vanilla in the ingredients for the ganache but can’t find when o add it in the instructions. Can you specify? Thanks do much!
Hi Jill! Sorry about that! Add it into the heavy cream before you heat it.
Oh my goodness, Chocolate Icebox Cake looks delicious! I’m definitely making this! thanks for sharing!
I’m sure you’ll have a chuckle about this. I’m not much if a cook or baker, but this just looked like heaven, so I really studied the recipe. I was stumped trying to figure out how, in the chocolate whipped cream instructions, to put the bowl in the freezer and whisk (verb) for 15-20 minutes while it’s in there. It took me 15-20 minutes for the AHA moment – whisk (noun)! I’ll let you know how I do when I make this. Thanks.
Oh gosh – too funny! Sounds just like something I’d do! So glad you had that AHA moment! 🙂
I am not getting it at all:( I put the metal bowl in the freezer, and then I whisk the other things in another bowl? I am completely blank.
There are 3 separate things used to layer in this recipe. For the chocolate mousse – those ingredients are all mixed together. The bowl from the freezer is used to make the whipped cream, which is separate.
Whoah! This looks like a dream!
Wow, lots and lots of chocolate, grins happily. I love chocolate and I totally plan to make this one for my birthday party, but since I am Danish I have to ask how many people is the cake, we are going to be ten, possible eleven people and I know that at least three of them, possible more if they really likes it, can eat a lot of cake.
Looks forward to making it, and also eating this one. Of to see what other recipes that might be used for the party.
Happy birthday! This should make about 20 servings.
This looks amazing !
I like chocolate cake.Thanks for the recipe.
Looks gorgeous want to try this for guest’s at the weekend don’t have Graham crackers in uk can you suggest a alternative?
If there are other chocolate wafer cookies you can find, those should work.
In Ottawa, Canada we don’t have chocolate graham wafers….would you suggest using plain honey graham waffer crackers OR a round chocolate cookie. Wondering which would taste better in this dessert.
I would suggest the round chocolate cookie. A chocolate wafer cookie would be best, if you can find one.
Thanks so much! I am taking this to a homeless shelter for their dinner Monday night. I’m sure they will love it!
What a great thing! I hope they loved it!
Do all of the 11oz bag of chocolate chips go in the ganache? It says about 3 cups divided. I know some are used for topping. Just don’t want my ganache not to turn out right! 🙂
I’ve removed the divided part. It should all go into the ganache. The topping is a separate chocolate sauce. Thanks Jodi!
Is the chocolate sauce you used homemade or store bought? Is this the same thing as chocolate syrup?
It’s a chocolate sundae sauce, which is usually thicker than chocolate syrup. It was store bought – I use this one.
This looks divine! One question though. The ganache calls for 11oz chocolate chips (about 3 cups) but I think 11 oz is a little less than 2 cups, if I’m not mistaken. Could you clarify? I’m hoping to make this for a large dinner at my church 🙂 Thanks!
You are correct – it’s about 2 cups. I’ve updated it. Thanks!
I made this death by chocolate cake today & will probably not go thru the trouble again!! First of all it is impossible to spread the mousse over Graham cracker crumbs!! Mine is in clumps as it wouldn’t spread evenly at all. Would love to know how you spread it evenly?? Then having to have to attempt to do again on second layer!! Finally the chocolate whipped topping also did not spread on top either!!! So glad I didn’t make for guests because it looks awful!!!
Hi Cindy, I’m sorry you had trouble with it. You should actually be using the graham crackers in whole form, not crumbs. I imagine it was difficult to spread over crumbs. I looked back over the instructions – was there a part that was confusing and led you to think it would be crumbs? I’d like to fix it, if so. Thanks.
Hi Lindsay, me bad! I do so apologize for my comment on the graham cracker crumbs! I did not read the recipe correctly. I should have known that I was doing something way wrong & reread it. It still was good as my husband & I spooned it into bowls & ate every bit of it:)
It calls for cocoa and cocoA powder I guess I don’t know the difference
Sorry, for the confusion. They are the same.
Girl, I’m right there with you with the jeans shopping!! It’s why I love full-time blogging so much… I can wear yoga pants or leggings or dresses with tights and nobody judges me. Well, unless I reveal that little detail on the blog… But you’re right, jeans never fit the same. Even the same brand, same line will change their cut from year to year. It drives me nuts! I’d totally eat your cake until it disappeared though… All that chocolate is a chocoholic’s dream! 🙂 Pinned!