No-bake Dessert: Bourbon Maple Gingerbread Icebox Cake

This no-bake dessert recipe was sponsored by PPL Electric Utilities as part of their Project Envolve Ambassador program. All opinions are my own.

Even during the holidays, when everything feels like it should be just a little more special, easy recipes are a bonus, right? I mean, why spend that energy in the kitchen when you can make something deliciously simple and spend your precious moments celebrating with family and friends instead. As the weather cools down and the days get shorter, I’ve been working on some new holiday recipes for this year’s festivities, and today’s icebox cake is among my favorites so far. The best part (besides the bourbon-soaked cookies?) It’s a no-bake dessert, which means less energy usage during the time of year when it can be a challenge to keep those utility bills under control.

Saving Energy in the Kitchen

According to Energy.gov, cooking alone accounts for 4.5 percent of your home’s energy use, and when factoring in other kitchen appliances, your kitchen’s energy use can be as high as 15 percent. Even little things like using the right size burner or doubling up on recipes while you’ve got the oven turned up can save energy that adds up. Better yet, look for ways to avoid using energy at all. Like making your own cold brew at home or making no desserts like this no bake Gingerbread Icebox Cake with Bourbon Maple Whipped Cream. You can even make more than one at a time and keep an extra in the freezer for those guests who pop by. They say a full freezer is more efficient, right? 😉

Get more of our team’s energy-efficient kitchen tips here. 

No-Bake Bourbon Maple Gingerbread Icebox Cake

If you’ve never made a no-bake cake before, you’re about to be amazed. I like to pick a complementary flavor to drizzle on the cookies before layering, so they soften a bit more in the finished dessert. It also adds a stronger flavor throughout each bite – in this case, the bourbon and maple. Whipping the cream is the only step that takes any time, and even that only takes a minute or two.

5.0 from 4 reviews

Bourbon Maple Gingerbread Icebox Cake

 

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Prep time

8 hours

Total time

8 hours

 

Author: Wendy Cray Kaufman

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 box (16 ounces) gingerbread or ginger spice cookies,
• 4 cups heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup good quality bourbon
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• caramel sauce

Instructions

1. In a large, chilled metal or glass bowl, combine 3 cups whipping cream, bourbon, maple syrup and vanilla. Whip until light and fluffy and peaks begin to form (do not overwhip.) Spread whipped cream mixture on bottom and up the sides of a standard size loaf pan. (I used 8.5" x 4.4") Set half of cookies aside to use later, then place a layer of cookies in the loaf pan. Brush cookies with bourbon and maple. Add another layer of whipped cream. Continue until loaf pan is full, smoothing the last whipped cream layer flat (this will be the bottom of your cake and you'll want it to sit level.)
2. Put loaf pan in freezer. Leave until cake is fully frozen, overnight is recommended. In the meantime, set aside 4 cookies and crush the remaining cookies into crumbs using a food processor or place them in a bag and smash with rolling pin. Once cake is frozen, remove from freezer. Whip an additional 1 cup of heavy whipping cream. To loosen cake from pan, run pan under hot water for a few seconds or warm with hands. Turn cake out onto a platter or plate and coat with crumbs, brushing of excess. Pipe whipped cream rosettes on top, drizzle generously with caramel sauce and garnish with remaining cookies.

Notes

For a fun citrus twist, add a layer of lemon curd while layering your cake.

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Feeling inspired? See what the rest of the #ProjectEnvolve team is doing to save energy this season here: