This layered icebox cake combines red velvet cookies, a sweet cream cheese filling, and shaved milk chocolate. As the assembled cake chills overnight, the cookies absorb moisture and soften into a cake-like texture.
Info
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Total time: 10 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- Fine salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 24 to 28 Red Velvet Cookies, recipe follows
- 1 cup shaved milk chocolate plus 1 tablespoon for garnish (from a 4-ounce bar)
Red Velvet Cookies
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Fine salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer), whisk the cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Add the sugar and a pinch of salt; whisk until smooth. Add the cream and vanilla and whisk just until medium-soft peaks form. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
- Line a 1 1/2-quart loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving at least a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Arrange 6 cookies face-down in the bottom of the pan, overlapping slightly. Spread 3/4 cup of the whipped cream evenly over the cookies, then top with 3 heaping tablespoons of the chocolate. Repeat the layering two more times with 6 to 7 cookies each. Place the last 6 to 7 cookies on the shaved chocolate. Fold the plastic wrap over the top so the entire surface is covered. Refrigerate overnight.
- To serve, unfold the plastic wrap, invert the icebox cake onto a platter, and remove the plastic. Garnish with the reserved chocolate and serve immediately.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon salt into a medium bowl.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer), beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed just until combined. Beat in the egg yolk just until combined. Beat in the food coloring and vanilla until the color is evenly distributed, scraping down the bowl as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Beat just until the dough comes together. Form the dough into two 1-inch-thick disks, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Lightly dust a sheet of parchment paper with flour. Unwrap one disk, place it on the paper, and cover with a large sheet of plastic wrap. Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thick. Peel off the plastic wrap and, using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut the dough into rounds. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart (about 12 cookies per sheet). Gather the scraps, chill until firm, roll again, and cut. Repeat with the remaining disk.
- Bake the cookies until brick-red and set, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
