Chocolate Ginger Peach Icebox Cake Recipe

Chocolate sponge, layers of semifreddo, ginger snaps, and a chocolate glaze.

Updated February 07, 2025

A slice of chocolate ginger peach icebox cake, served with a gingersnap. — Serious Eats / María del Mar Cuadra

I recently worked on a video shoot with Kate Kelley and John Lavall, making multiple Sacher tortes. Ingredients and snacks on set included apricot preserves, gingersnap cookies, and more bittersweet chocolate bars than Veruca Salt's father bought in search of the Wonka golden ticket. As I prepped, I assembled little gingersnap cookie sandwiches stuffed with chocolate and sticky with preserves. I told Kate I'd have to meld these ingredients in a cake.

The next day found me at the supermarket buying fresh ginger, gingersnaps, chocolate, and frozen peaches. I wasn't quite sure how everything would come together, and, well, the first experiment didn't go quite right when it came to assembly. I made a sheet cake, quartered it, and layered it with a delicious semifreddo that, sadly, gushed out inconsolably when I stacked the pieces of cake. I turned my back on the kitchen— a hideous crime scene of a cake carefully planned and botched.

The next morning I tackled the clean-up and a new and improved idea for the cake. It turned out wonderfully and is now placed in my "For Company" file. The cake is a chocolate sponge that's light and gently spiced with ginger. A peach and ginger semifreddo is sandwiched between the layers, this time carefully held together in the bodiced hold of a springform pan. Once set and frozen, the cake is released from the mold, coated in a dark chocolate glaze, and surrounded by gingersnap cookies. The flavors harmonize with perfect pitch, the chill of the peachy semifreddo and deep chocolate emboldened and refined with the heat of fresh ginger.

Recipe Details

Chocolate Ginger Peach Icebox Cake Recipe

Prep 45 mins

Cook 40 mins

Active 90 mins

Cooling/Freezing Time 8 hrs 20 mins

Total 9 hrs 45 mins

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Ingredients

For the Cake:

Baking spray
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour (see note)
1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup hot water
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Ginger-Peach Semifreddo

1 (.25-ounce) package unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons water
2 cups gingersnap cookies
8 ounces frozen peaches, thawed
2 tablespoons fresh ginger
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
4 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Chocolate Glaze and Assembly

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
20 cookie gingersnap cookies

Directions

For the Cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Lightly coat springform pan with baking spray. Line bottom with parchment paper and once again lightly coat with baking spray.
Sift cake flour, cocoa powder, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and ginger over piece of parchment paper. Sift mixture, once again, into large bowl.
In medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Add to flour mixture and whisk together until combined (mixture will be thick). Add hot water and whisk until smooth.
In separate clean, dry mixing bowl, or in bowl of stand mixer, whip egg whites and salt with whisk attachment on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; continue whipping until firm, glossy (but not dry) peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Stir 1/3 of egg whites into cake batter until thoroughly combined. With rubber spatula, gently fold in remaining egg whites.
Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread out evenly. Bake until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack and cool cake in pan for 10 minutes.
Release springform, invert cake onto cutting board or plate, remove bottom of springform, and peel off parchment. Invert cake (so that top is facing up) onto cooling rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.
With serrated knife, cut cake in half. Re-assemble springform. Place bottom layer of cake in pan.
For the Ginger-Peach Semifreddo: Combine gelatin and water in small bowl and allow to soften for 5 minutes. Microwave for 30 seconds and allow to cool to room temperature, 5 to 10 minutes.
Break gingersnaps into pieces and place in large zipper-lock bag. Place bag on kitchen towel and beat with mallet until gingersnaps are broken into medium and small pieces (cookies shouldn’t be pulverized).
Pulse peaches, ginger, 1/4 cup sugar, and vanilla in blender or food processor until completely puréed. Strain into large bowl. Stir in gingersnap pieces.
Stir remaining 1 cup sugar, water, and corn syrup in heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and boil syrup until it registers 238°F on candy thermometer, about 5 minutes.
While syrup boils, with stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip egg whites and salt with whisk attachment on medium speed soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
When syrup reaches temperature, with mixer running on medium-high speed, slowly and carefully pour into egg whites. Beat until outside of bowl is cool to the touch and whites are thick and glossy, about 7 minutes. Add gelatin and beat just to combine.
Mix 1/3 of meringue into peach mixture. With rubber spatula, fold in remaining meringue.
Scrape meringue over cake in springform and smooth out top. Arrange top of cake over meringue. Freeze until set, at least 6 hours.
For the Chocolate Glaze and Assembly: Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.
Arrange cake on cooling rack set inside rimmed baking sheet.
Spread 1 cup glaze over top and sides of cake with offset spatula. Freeze until glaze is almost set, about 5 minutes. Pour remaining glaze over cake, and working quickly, smooth sides and top. Press gingersnaps into perimeter of cake. Freeze until set, about 1 hour.
Run a large knife under hot water until blade is warm. Dry and slice cake. For easy, clean slicing, repeat procedure with each cut. Serve chilled.

Special Equipment

Sifter, 9-inch springform pan, parchment paper, whisk, stand or handheld electric mixer, large zipper-lock bag, mallet, cooling rack, rimmed baking sheet, serrated knife, food processor or blender, heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, candy thermometer, small saucepan, offset spatula

Notes

Sift the flour before measuring it.

Icebox Cake

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
10335	Calories
449g	Fat
1,452g	Carbs
165g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories	10335
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 449g	575%
Saturated Fat 180g	901%
Cholesterol 882mg	294%
Sodium 7553mg	328%
Total Carbohydrate 1452g	528%
Dietary Fiber 77g	274%
Total Sugars 878g
Protein 165g
Vitamin C 16mg	82%
Calcium 1417mg	109%
Iron 129mg	717%
Potassium 6138mg	131%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.