The Striped Vintage Icebox Cake That's Been Charming Dessert Tables For Decades

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Want to throw a memorable but stress-free summertime party? We can help, especially in the dessert department. No-bake desserts are perfect for warm-weather days: They're cool and refreshing even while being decadently sweet, they're effortless to make, and importantly, you don't have to turn on your oven. When you think of no-bake desserts, you probably think of icebox cakes, named for the icebox invention that was new when their format was created in the early 1900s. Icebox cakes are unique because the freezer, not the oven, is what brings them together: You layer cookies with whipped cream and custard, cool them to set, and voila! The cookies absorb the cream and become cakey layers. 

One of the most beloved, time-honored icebox cakes is the chocolate wafer cake, also known as the "zebra cake." It's so simple and so delicious, it's no wonder people have been whipping it up since the 1930s. You just layer chocolate wafer cookies with whipped cream, building mini stacks and placing rows of them down your cake tin, and then covering it all with more whipped cream. After sitting in the icebox, or your freezer, overnight, it's a log you can slice diagonally to see fun zebra stripes. In a marketing move recognizing and boosting this cake's popularity, Nabisco started printing the recipe on its chocolate wafer boxes in the 1940s. Zebra cake fever spread even wider, and the easy but delicious treat endures today.

Now that you've learned the charming, passed-down-for-generations history of the zebra icebox cake, you're undoubtedly craving it and have it on your list of things to make for your summer party. The catch is Nabisco discontinued its chocolate wafers — as in, the ones that had the cake recipe on their boxes all these years — in 2023. So, how do you make icebox cake without Nabisco's Chocolate Wafers?

What made those wafers perfect for this cake was that their texture would get cakey, but it was firm enough not to get mushy or fall apart with the whipped cream or custard. Oreos are an easy go-to for this. If you use regular Oreos, scrape off the cream, or you'll have high, unwieldy stacks; better yet, use Oreo Thins. Chocolate graham crackers can stand in as well. Dewey's Bakery Brownie Crisp Cookie Thins are also an excellent substitution. 

Don't forget to have fun with this icebox cake. While it's a dream as is and its beauty is in its simplicity, it also lends itself to creativity. Layer in peanut butter, or jam for a bright, fruity twist — or both. Use different cookies; with Oreos, for instance, the possibilities are limitless. Try any of the different, fun Oreo flavors like Mint Creme Oreos, Java Chip Oreos, or Birthday Cake Oreos, and dust the cake with sprinkles. Berries, nuts, and chocolate chips also make great toppings — you can't go wrong with this classic.