Nobody should blog this cake – it’s that easy. A 3-year old could make this cake. So why am I blogging it?
Well, firstly because I can but most importantly because of what John’s dad said when I brought out the cake.
“Who’s birthday is it?”
“Huh?”
“That cake is for birthdays because all kids like to eat it,” he said.
“It’s nobody’s birthday and I didn’t know it was a special occasion cake. I’ve never made this before — I found it on Pinterest,” I mumbled.
“That pinning place has some good food and I like this cake. Do we have ice cream?”
Rob is the cutest old man in the world with the most mischievous grin and twinkly eyes when he thinks he’s getting away with something. He’s nearly 93 and lots of his bits and bobs don’t work very well (or at all) so he needs help doing many things. His mind is as sharp as it was 40 years ago. He’s a lot of fun to have around and I learn something from him every day.
The other night I was finishing work about midnight and went downstairs to take the dog out for the final pee before bedtime and there’s Rob, hunched over his computer with his face just a few inches from the screen
“I’m going to bed,” he said, as if he was expecting to be scolded for being on the computer at midnight.
“You don’t have to go to bed for me but I’ve never seen you on the computer in your flannel jammies before.”
“Oh, I was reading a book on Einstein in bed and there was a concept I didn’t know much about so I thought I’d come in and look it up.”
:eyeroll:
Back to my cake. This cake is cookies and cream. Yep. That’s all. Buy a package of chocolate cookies and whip some cream and you’ve got cake. You have to keep it in the fridge for 8 hours and best if kept overnight but once you do that – it’s really good. (You can make any sort of homemade crunchy chocolate cookies if you don’t have access to Arnott’s Chocolate Ripple Biscuits and they’ll work just fine.)
This cake reminds me of the graham cracker cake my friend’s mother used to make when we were kids. My mother refused to make one because it wasn’t a *real* cake. She thought that was just lazy if you didn’t have to bake it. I thought it was just good.
When I asked John if he had ever had one of these cakes before he said, “Everyone has had a chocolate ripple cake, Maureen.”
“So, do you want one?”
“Does it have cream? Yes, I want one.”
I bought some Cadbury Flake bars the other day and made some vanilla ice cream and crumbled the Flake into the ice cream once it was frozen. It was the perfect accompaniment to the cake.
Even if it wasn’t anyone’s birthday.
When I asked Rob if he enjoyed his dessert he said, “There weren’t any candles on the cake.”
- 1½ packages Arnott's Chocolate Ripple Biscuits (cookies)
- 400 ml cream
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons icing (confectioner's) sugar
- The day before you want to eat this cake:
- Whip cream until thick and nearly at the soft peak stage and then add vanilla and icing sugar.
- Whip to full soft peak stage. (don't make butter)
- Spread each cookie with whipped cream and place on a cake plate in a single layer.
- Smooth cream and add another layer, but move the cookies over the gaps in the lower layer.
- Continue until you don't have enough cookies to make another layer.
- Top with remaining cream and then crumble one cookie and sprinkle on the top layer (or you could grate chocolate but I had the cookies in my hand)
- Refrigerate overnight.
Hurray! I’m first! I get to take this cake away with me and hide it from everyone, including Marion! Well, maybe I’ll share with Marion, lol… John’s dad reminds me of Marion. And yes, I have found her on the computer in the wee hours of the morning, looking up this or that. Amazing!
What a cooooool cake Maureen. I do remember those graham cracker cakes but why I never thought to use another type of cookies is beyond me. Just goes to show you, simple can also be heavenly dee…li…cious!
Thank you so much for sharing…I’ll be good and not take the entire cake with me:)
Oh Louise, I couldn’t squirrel this cake away from Rob and you’ll be the same with Marion. 🙂
This looks so very delicious…and it’s easy…what could be better. I love refrigerator cakes!
It’s my first chocolate ripple cake. I’ve been in Australia for nearly 20 years. I’m slow on the uptake. 🙂
This looks and sounds utterly bloggable. Great idea and so easy to make, but I would never have thought of it. GG
I’m trying to think what else I can use this method with. 🙂
Try adding caramel top n fill to biscuits before cream.
Your Father-in-Law is quite a character, such fun to be around. That’s my kind of cake not to mention it is chocolate and has real whipped cream.
Not much fake cream here. We don’t have cool whip or anything else like that. On the odd occasion you can find real cream in a can but why wouldn’t you just whip it fresh? Too easy.
I’m drooling! I love this kind of cake, but I never thought to make it with anything other than the famous Nabisco cookies, thanks for the inspiration!
I know, I did the same thing.. wonder what else I could use. 🙂
G’day Maureen and what fun yum, true!
Everyday must be someone’s birthday and there is always something to celebrate…love your photos too!
Cheers! Joanne
Thanks, Joanne! I was happy to pretend it was Rob’s birthday but that’s not until January 1st. 🙂
I just now realized…I am again not getting your posts!! Going to resign as soon as I have gone through the rest of the posts that I have missed.
Rob is just such a sweetheart, I so love reading about him. This is my kind of cake 😀 I am so glad you blogged it. These are the recipes that save my bakery challenged life.
This is a cake you can put together without thinking. I like that. 🙂
My kind of cake. I am saving this recipe for the Holidays when the company will arrive! Thanks Maureen.
This is pretty simple, Marie. 15 minutes and it’s in the fridge. 🙂
How good is chocolate ripple cake. I thought it was a very old Aussie recipe. The ladies in the outback make it.
John told me it’s a cake every Australian kid learns to make. That and chocolate crinkles. I haven’t tried those yet. 🙂
What a great man he is! I think it’s wonderful that you can have him around and enjoy his wisdom and personality…. a real special situation!
Glad he enjoyed the cake, and hope that the internet helped with the Einstein conundrum…
😉
Oh he found what he was looking for because we learned all about it at breakfast. 🙂
Too cool! I miss my Dad. He would have loved the internet, because he was always with the encyclopedia open, to learn new things all the time until the day he died. He would be surfing the net non-stop, I am sure… When he died we were thinking of getting him a computer but never quite got to it.
When we bought Rob his first computer years ago, John said, “Please don’t – he’ll drive me nuts.” I said, “Oh, don’t be silly, I’ll help him.”
The first time he had a question I said, “I’ll help you, what’s wrong?”
“Oh, I think I’d better talk with Johnny (?) if he’s available, he might find the answer quicker.”
So I yelled up the stairs, “Johnny!! Your father has a question about his computer.”
In a very small voice I heard.
“I told you so!”
LOL
Just cause you don’t have to bake it and don’t really need a recipe, doesn’t make it not a ‘real’ cake or not taste good. I’ve never heard of it before by the way. It looks wonderful. The ice cream sounds tasty as well. They don’t have Cadbury Flake bars in Canada. I feel deprived.
When I was a kid, my mother would make this cake with graham crackers. Just smear whipped cream between crackers and stack ’em up and ice the cake with more whipped cream. Sit in the fridge over night and it’s a cake. This is the same thing.
I can see why Rob was impressed! I think I’d get the same reaction from my gang. Now I just need to hunt down some good chocolate cookies 🙂
You can make this with one hand tied behind your back. It’s just plain eating but everyone loves it. 🙂
Looks like a cake to me! And I think serving ice cream with it make it an official birthday cake, even though there were no candles. You need to get Rob a tablet computer so he can just look stuff up on it when he’s reading in bed. It’d make a swell Christmas present! Fun post – thanks.
John said, “Don’t even THINK about a tablet for Dad. I’ve got more support than I can handle with just the computer.” LOL
This is such a classic delicious cake. I made it for my mother in law who doesn’t eat eggs. I couldn’t cut down the fat on the cream (nor did I want to) and I used stem ginger biscuits but it was delicious!
I made this for Rob and his question of whose birthday was it just cracked me up.
Refrigerator cakes are the best, this looks so super delicious 😀
Cheers
CCU
I know it’s a kids treat but we all ate it – like kids!
What a lovely story Maureen . He is so cute and smart and I am glad he liked this gorgeous cake and it’s the perfect thing to blog, it’easy and delicious and simple….. perfect
He’s really sweet. We walked his legs off at the Brisbane good food and wine show today. Now he’s enjoying a glass of his $95 single malt whisky and reading the paper online. 🙂
Oh my gosh this looks to die for! And I love how there aren’t a million ingredients to make this. Yum!
It’s sort of a pretend cake that tastes really good. 🙂
I would totally make these!
You should!
I saw something similar with chocolate chip cookies. Sooooo good!
I knew someone would come up with a good idea!
Clearly I’ve been missing out because I’ve never had a chocolate ripple cake. Must remedy this soon. Love that it’s no bake. 🙂
Hi Jean! I had one a few years after moving to Australia when a woman who worked for us brought me a piece. I couldn’t believe it was just cookies and whipped cream.
Maureen, I love your father-in-law! It’s nice to learn there are others who look up Einstein at midnight… in flannel jammies ;)… please give him a hug for me. And hugs to YOU for this no-bake cake!
He’s finished the Einstein book and I haven’t checked to see what he’s learning now. There was a discussion at breakfast about electricity but I wasn’t paying close attention. 🙂
Quick and tasty looking! Yum!
Thanks!
Your father-in-law is a doll! I would cook all day long for someone that loved it as much as he does. You are a wonderful DIL. Nice recipe too – so pretty!
Tricia, I keep telling him that! 🙂
No Bake dessert.. I am in!!! This looks divine.
it’s easy, sweet, cool and yummy 🙂
Rob is the star of this show. I like his spunk and inquisitiveness. Searching the internet for information he needs in middle of night. I love it. Same with no birthday candles. Once you hit 65 EVERY cake should have candles on it. That’s my story and I’m’ stickin to it!
The cake looks scrumptious too!
He LOVES being the star of the show 🙂
It sure doesn’t get easier than that, I’ll take whipped cream on just about anything. 🙂
My husband is the same way. I’d have pouring cream on whipped cream if he could and sit it all on ice cream. 🙂
I never tried one if these cakes but I think I should. My four year old daughter would love this (and so would everyone else in the family).
Your 4-year old daughter could make this cake! Wouldn’t that be fun!
Oh my, I have not seen one of these for years, Maureen… we used to do it with Golliwog biscuits! Thanks for the reminder xoxo
A Golliwog biscuit?? do tell more!
You know…. https://www.google.com.au/search?q=Golliwog+biscuits&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=zk1_UuOYMoq9iAfZq4G4Cg&ved=0CCkQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=522 I think they had to change the name as it was deemed to be racist!
I’m not surprised! Thanks for that. I’ve learned something new. 🙂
Smart man, cake always needs ice cream!
LOL don’t encourage him! 🙂
Please may I have a slice right this instant?!
For you? Anytime!
Heaven on a plate, Maureen! Now I have to go out and buy cookies and cream and it’s raining!!! 😉 x
Oh Abbe, it’s probaby worth it. 🙂
What a fabulous no bake cake!! I want to attack this with a big fork. 🙂
I did!
I saw this post on Twitter and had to check it out…I love anything chocolate! Plus this is easy to make so that’s a bonus!
Thanks for sharing this, definitely have to give it a try…looks like I’ll be putting more time on the treadmill. Looks like it’ll be worth it though 🙂
Hi Corina and lovely to meet you. Thanks for leaving a comment and you’re right – it’s at least an hour on the treadmill for every piece and darned well worth it. 🙂 Children can make this cake which is even better!
That is the cleverest cake.
Many of us have bits and bobs that don’t work the same as once. Rob is doing brilliantly and I love his inquisitive mind.
Rob certainly has an amazing mind. I’ve never had any inclination to read anything of Einstein’s – I’d get a major headache. What a great cake – it looks stunning, Maureen. And I’m always last to bed too because before I lie down I have to put the dogs out then wait and wait and wait for them to come back in xx
I’ve never heard of a chocolate ripple cake but this looks great – and so simple too. Rob is quite a character isn’t he? And aren’t you supposed to be taking it easier and not working til midnight??
Yes I know. I do try. I thought everyone who’d ever been to or lived in Australia had made a chocolate ripple cake. 🙂 It’s what I’ve been told.
I love Rob!!! Lovely post, Maureen. We love simple and easy. You made it glamorous and entertaining.
We do too. He’s the cutest old man you’d ever meet.
That is a beautiful cake, and with icecream…ohhhh my, love it.
yeah… yum.
So glad you did this post. It is my type of cake. I can cook, but baking is not my strength, I leave baking to my talented mad scientist sister. I can manage this cake and it looks good too!
Delicious!!!
It didn’t last long at our house!
I think I need to come up with a random reason to celebrate…just so I can make and eat this cake!
Rachael, when my kids were little they loved celebrations. I suppose most kids do. It was just the 3 of us so we used to have parties for people we knew. One day we pretended it was the butcher’s birthday after buying something at Meats and Treats. We used to have monthly birthdays for the dog. The kid made decorations and it kept them busy while I got chores done. Their own birthdays were over the top. 🙂
Love how easy this is! Everybody needs a cake recipe this simple and delicious!
I couldn’t agree more 🙂
And this may just be the dessert for Friday night’s dinner party! 😉 Thanks for sharing!
It’s so easy AND you must make it ahead. 🙂
Dear Maureen, I have never heard of this cake but I would love to give it a try; I think I will it really looks good! Blessings dear. Catherine xo
This is a really nice idea, I will make this for Christmas!
It still blows me away that a 93 year old man uses a computer! 🙂 This is definitely the cake for nonbakers like me! Bobby and I would scarf this one off in a couple of evenings, or just have it one night for supper. What fun and what deliciousness! Thanks!
LOL one night for supper. I think I love you. 🙂 Yeah, he’s on the computer nearly all day except for when he’s reading or playing with the dog. They share cookies.
what a lovely idea! does it get soft and easily slice-able on sitting in the refrigerator?
Hi Nags, yes, it turns into a solid cake. 🙂
Hi Maureen – this is a recipe fromm the 60′ – however we made a log just stand the biscuits up with whipped cream in between! You can also flavour the cream with grand marnier or Baileys , or you can ‘colour ‘ the cream ith peppermint essence etc !Cut the log digoally so you have stripes in each slice ‘
that look heavenly, so creamy and crunchy in the same time, gorgeous and delightful
I remember my Mom making this for Christmas, so much fun much and we enjoyed eating with my family.