Are you ready for the easiest dessert ever? This four-ingredient chocolate ripple cake recipe is a rich and moist no-bake dessert that is perfect for entertaining, Christmas celebrations and more! Made with Chocolate Ripple biscuits, vanilla whipped cream and covered with your favourite chocolates or fresh berries, this iconic Australian dessert is so easy that you won’t even have to turn on the oven!
Why you’ll love this recipe
If you need dessert in a jiffy, then I’ve got you sorted! This recipe uses only 4 ingredients and is hands down one of the easiest desserts you’ll ever make. In short, a mixture of cookies and cream combine to magically transform into a soft and fluffy cake that is perfect for entertaining and can be eaten all year round.
Here’s why you’ll love it;
- Quick and easy; a fuss-free dessert that is sure to impress. You’ll only need 10 minutes and one bowl to assemble the entire dessert! And there is no need to turn on the oven. The refrigerator does most of the work for you!
- Perfect for beginners; ANYONE can make this recipe. All that is required is sandwiching layers of whipped cream and biscuits together. That’s it! While chilling, the cream will slowly soak into the biscuits and become soft and tender, just like the inside of a chocolate cake. It is seriously magic!
- Suitable for any occasion; do you need a fun and festive Christmas dessert? I will show you how to easily shape this cake into a wreath, large enough to feed all of your guests! For an Australia Day dessert or any other occasion, simply shape it into a traditional log shape. Or, make them into smaller, individual serves that can be decorated according to taste! You can also adapt it to suit your favourite toppings, or try some ideas from the list below!
What you’ll need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. For full ingredient quantities and methods, see the detailed recipe card below.
Ingredient notes;
Arnott’s Chocolate Ripple biscuits are a famous Australian biscuit (cookie) that can be found in most supermarkets. If you are browsing from another country, any other firm, sweet and plain chocolate cookies will work. You need to use store-bought cookies in this recipe, not homemade! Starting with hard, crunchy cookies allows the cake to hold its shape as they soften.
Thickened cream is whipped into soft peaks with vanilla and sugar and used to hold the biscuits together. Use a regular, full-fat thickened or whipping cream for best results. As the cake chills in the fridge, the cream will soften the biscuits to give the super-rich and utterly moist cake-like texture that choc ripple cake is well known for!
Step by step instructions
If you have ever made this cake before, then you will know just how easy it is! It only takes about 10 minutes to throw together. But it does need at least 6 hours to set, so I recommend making it the day before serving.
**I have included step by step photos for both a Christmas wreath and single-serve cakes. See both below.
Start by whipping the cream with an electric mixer along with the icing sugar and vanilla. The cream should form soft peaks. Be careful not to over-whip the cream, as it will become grainy.
For a chocolate ripple wreath, simply spread a little cream (about 1 level tablespoon each) between each biscuit and start to gently press the biscuits together. For a wreath shape, gently form a circle to your desired size.
Once shaped, cover with more whipped cream and spread it along the sides to cover the biscuits entirely. Seriously, that’s it! Talk about easy! It will test your patience as it sets overnight, but will taste SO much better the following day! Cover with your choice of edible decorations when ready to serve.
For smaller, individual cakes, spread the cream between each biscuit (cookie) and stack them about 4 biscuits high. Cover with cream and smooth to your desired texture. Rest overnight in an airtight container and decorate them when ready to serve.
Easy variations
Aside from being super easy, the great thing about this recipe is that it can be used as a base to build on with so many different flavour combinations!
- Crumbled Peppermint Crisp chocolate. This version is my all-time favourite and one that should definitely be tried!
- For a gingerbread Christmas themed dessert, try Gingernut biscuits instead of Chocolate Ripple. You can also add ½ a teaspoon of mixed spice to the whipped cream.
- Add 2 tablespoons of instant coffee to the cream while whipping for a chocolate-coffee flavour.
- Try adding some brandy to the cream (to taste).
- Add a drizzle of homemade salted caramel sauce to the finished cake for extra indulgence!
- Fresh cherries and chocolate shavings for black forest. You can even try a little cherry liquor in the cream.
- Double chocolate; add some cocoa (2-3 tablespoons) to the whipped cream for an extra chocolate hit!
- Try adding any of the following; fresh berries, cherries, mini Oreo cookies, crumbled chocolates, mini meringues or anything else that takes your fancy!
FAQs
2 days. Although it is not suitable for freezing, it can be made ahead and stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days, but is best eaten the day after being made.
In Australia, Chocolate Ripple biscuits are traditionally used to make this cake. But elsewhere, they can be swapped for any other plain and crunchy sweet chocolate cookie.
6 hours minimum is recommended, but overnight is best. At a stretch, you can eat it within 4 hours, but the biscuits will still be slightly firm.
Related recipes
Try these other easy desserts that are perfect for holidays and entertaining! Or, browse my cakes and dessert collection here.
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Chocolate Ripple Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 375 grams Chocolate Ripple biscuits approx. 42 cookies
- 2 ½ cups thickened cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- ⅓ cup icing sugar confectioners' sugar
To top (optional, or choose your own!)
- 2 Peppermint Crisp bars crushed
- fresh berries
- meringues
- coloured chocolate balls for a Christmas themed cake
Instructions
For the cake
- For best results, this cake should be assembled on the day before it is required. Prepare a platter or plate of your desired size.
- Start by whipping the cream, vanilla and sugar together with an electric stand mixer. The cream should form soft peaks and hold its shape, without being overbeaten.
- Using one chocolate biscuit at a time, place about 1 tablespoon of cream onto each and start to gently press the biscuits together in a line, with a layer of cream in between each biscuit.
For a wreath
- Shape the biscuits into a circular shape, onto the serving platter or plate you have chosen.
For a traditional log shape
- Place the biscuits, either one or two rows deep, into a large rectangular log shape on a long platter or board.
For individual cakes
- Stack the biscuits (with cream between each layer) about 4 biscuits high onto your chosen platter.
Cover with cream
- Cover your cake/s with the remaining whipped cream, until it is entirely covered.
- Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 6 hours, until soft. Chill until ready to serve.
To serve
- When ready to serve, decorate your cake with your chosen toppings.
Jb says
My teenage sisters used to make chocolate ripple cake when I was a kid, adding plenty of brandy. Loved it but haven’t seen it since…so I just made one. Looking forward to tomorrow!
Andrea Geddes says
Hi JB! Oh that sounds delicious, I hope you get some happy memories tomorrow when you try it. Enjoy!
Sarah says
I remember making this at Christmas as a kid, so much fun to turn biscuits into a cake! Such a great Aussie dessert 🙂
Andrea Geddes says
Hi Sarah! It’s such a great recipe for kids to be involved in too. So fun and festive!
Sylvie says
Such an easy and delicious cake, it is so perfect for the holidays too! Love the idea of decorating it with peppermint crisps for a real festive flavour 🙂
Andrea Geddes says
Thanks Sylvie! Peppermint Crisp is my favourite way to eat it over Christmas! It makes a great last minute dessert.
Bec says
I love your topping ideas for this classic Aussie dessert, I’ve only ever had it without toppings!
Andrea Geddes says
Thanks Bec! Peppermint Crisp is always my favourite, but it’s so much fun to play around with different topping ideas to suit! I hope you got some inspiration. Andrea x