Chocolate Icebox Trifle

 I was called on last minute to make a dessert for Bunco not too long ago. I wanted something I had not done before but I also wanted something light and spring-ish/summer-ish. 

I decided to do a Chocolate Icebox cake I had found online but I needed one special ingredient. Chocolate graham crackers.

I have seen these before. I assumed it had been at a Walmart or major grocery store chain. However, when I made a special trip that day to get them, my local Walmart didn't carry them nor had the grocery I had stopped at the day before.

I was getting a little stressed because it had taken me forever to decide on this one. And I was running out of time.

But, after having a little freakout, I pulled on my apron (figuratively - I never think to actually put it on) and made some changes to the recipe.

Since my biggest problem was the graham crackers, I worked on that first. They were to be the "cake" in this no-bake recipe. So, I figured why not make actual cake. I made a chocolate sheet cake and cut it into small cubes instead.

I also decided, since it was in layers anyway, to just make it a trifle. And who couldn't stand the addition of some chocolate ganache.

When I had finished making it, Rugrat complained that they might eat it all and she really wanted to try some. I assured, though, based on the volume of the container, she would be sure to have some leftover to try.

When I carried it in, all of the ladies there oohed and aahed. Several of them gathered around it in a circle and salivated over it, asking what was in it and talking about how good it looked. 

I have to agree. It was pretty darn good. 

And I wasn't the only one who thought so. One lady told me it was fabulous and then alternated between wanting to know how to make it and telling me not to tell her because she wouldn't do so good having it in her house.

The cake part stood up well even to the next day when we finished off the leftovers. 

I actually think I like it better than the original recipe (which I've had before at potlucks). Here's to necessity being the mother of invention. Worked for me anyway. :)

For a printable version of this recipe, you can go here.

Chocolate Icebox Trifle

Cake:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3/8 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil (I use olive oil because I don't do vegetable oils)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup boiling water

Ganache:

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup heavy cream

Cream filling:

16 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 cups heavy cream

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, optional

1. Prepare the cake part.

Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare one 9x12 baking pan by either lining with parchment or greasing and flouring the pan.

Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk thoroughly to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.

Add milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter until well combined.

Pour cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.

2. Prepare ganache.

Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir frequently until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. 

Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Prepare filling.

In mixer, stir cream cheese until smooth. Gradually stir in half of the cream, stopping to scrape down sides. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add the remaining cream. Increase speed to high and beat until mixture begins to thicken. 

Stop mixer and scrape down bowl. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Gradually increase speed to high again and beat until stiff peaks.

4. Assemble in trifle bowl.

Cut cake into small cubes (or crumble it if you wish). Sprinkle a layer of cake  in the bottom of the trifle bowl. Make sure it touches the sides so that the layers can be seen from the outside. Layer in cream filling. Drizzle with ganache and mini chocolate chips, if desired.

Continue layering with first, cake, next, filling, then, ganache and chocolate chips until you have filled the bowl to your desired size.  If you want the layers to be seen, make sure they touch the sides of the bowl. End by drizzling lines of ganache across the top and sprinkling with mini chocolate chips.

Refrigerate until time to serve (preferable at least four hours to allow filling to set). Store in refrigerator.

Note: You will probably have cake left over, although is that really a bad thing?

Note: I imagine this could also be made in custard dishes for individual servings but you would want to decide how much of everything you would need.