Ambrosia Icebox Cake Recipes

AMBROSIA ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• Toast the coconut: Preheat oven 375°F Spread coconut in a thin layer in baking sheet. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes until coconut is lightly toasted. Halfway through, remove sheet from oven and toss coconut to mix using a spatula. This is to ensure even toasting. Watch very carefully as coconut can toast quickly towards the end. Set aside to cool.
• Make the pineapple curd: Bring 1 cup pineapple juice to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl. Sprinkle in the cornstarch and mix well. Very slowly, a few tablespoons at a time, pour hot juice into egg mixture whisking constantly. Do not go too fast or the eggs will scramble. Return mixture to pan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until it boils and coats back of a spoon. Continue cooking about 1 more minute. Remove from heat, stir in butter, lemon juice, salt and the remaining ½ cup pineapple juice. Place mixture into a small bowl set over ice to cool, stirring often, or place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd and refrigerate to cool to room temperature.
• Make the orange cream: While pineapple curd is cooling, open the cans of mandarin oranges and reserve 6 tablespoons of the juice or syrup. Chop the segments from one full can plus half of the other can, or use your hands to break them into thirds. Set aside. Reserve remaining orange segments for another use.
• If using fresh oranges, finely grate the zest from 1 orange and reserve. Juice the rest of the oranges and set the juice aside.
• Whip cream, 1 teaspoon of orange extract, vanilla extract and confectioners' sugar together until stiff peaks form. Fold chopped mandarin oranges into cream.
• In a small bowl, combine orange juice, orange zest, reserved liquid from mandarin oranges, ½ teaspoon orange extract and sherry.
• Close up a 9 inch springform pan which should be at least 2 inches high (preferably 3 inches, or you can use a 10 inch springform). Arrange ladyfingers around the bottom of the pan so that there is a full even layer. Break the ladyfingers if necessary to plug any holes. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush ladyfingers with the sherry mixture. Place a little less than 1/3 of the pineapple mixture in the pan and use an offset spatula to make an even layer. Place a little less than 1/3 of the orange cream in the pan and use an offset spatula to make an even layer. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the toasted coconut on top of the orange cream layer. Arrange another layer of ladyfingers and brush lightly with sherry mixture. Continue layering in order given, ending with toasted coconut. Depending on the height of your springform you might have some extra curd and cream. Cover springform with plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
• To serve, carefully run a thin knife around the edge of the springform and release the ring. Cut into slices.

TROPICAL ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• Combine the heavy cream and cream of coconut in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold in the lime zest.
• Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform cake pan with a single layer of cookies, breaking up some of them to fill in any gaps. Spread half of the coconut-lime cream on top of the cookies, then sprinkle with half of the coconut flakes and half the mango. Repeat this layer 1 more time with the remaining cookies, cream, coconut flakes and mango. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 12.
• Once completely chilled, remove the plastic wrap and run a thin paring knife along the edge of the cake. Remove the outer ring of the pan. Sprinkle the cake with the macadamia nuts.

AMBROSIA CAKE

Steps:

• Bake the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the middle. Butter two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper on the bottom.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, coconut milk, rum and vanilla.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, coconut oil and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, then beat in zest. Beat in half the flour mixture, followed by half the milk mixture. Repeat, beating just until combined and scraping down bowl as necessary.
• In a separate bowl, use an electric beater to whisk egg whites just until stiff peaks form. Fold into cake batter.
• Divide batter between pans. Bake until lightly golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then unmold cakes and cool completely on rack. (Cakes can be made up to 2 days ahead; once cool, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.)
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring clementine juice and lemon juice to a boil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, sugar and salt. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot juice into eggs, then return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla. Push through a strainer set over a medium bowl, and stir in clementine zest. Cover with plastic wrap directly on surface of curd and refrigerate until cold. (Curd can be made up to 5 days ahead.) Or to speed up cooling, set bowl of curd in a larger bowl filled with ice water and stir curd until very cold, 7 to 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Prepare clementines for decorating the cake: Cut the top and bottom off a clementine and set it cut-side down on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut away peel and pith, following the curve of the fruit from top to bottom. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, carefully cut out each segment from the membrane; it should fall into the bowl as you cut. Lay segments out on paper towels to dry slightly while you cut remaining fruit.
• Use a large knife to trim tops of cakes to level them, and cut both cakes in half horizontally to make layers.
• Place a cake layer on a serving dish and spread a third of the curd over it, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Layer a third of the clementine segments on top of curd, spacing them evenly so cake will be balanced. Top with another layer, spread another third of curd over it, and layer with 1/2 cup shredded coconut. Top with cake layer, repeat curd and clementines, saving some clementines for top of cake. Place the remaining cake layer on top, and chill while making frosting.
• Make the frosting: Bring a medium pot with 1 inch of water to boil. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Set bowl over simmering water and whisk constantly until eggs reach 160 degrees, or the sugar has melted. Remove from heat, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes.
• Immediately spread frosting on cake and press coconut shreds into tops and sides. Top with clementine wedges and strawberries if using; serve within an hour or two. (Or, keep refrigerated for up to 8 hours and wait until just before serving to top with fresh fruit.)

ICEBOX CAKE WITH ORANGE-CARAMEL CREAM

Steps:

• Remove the zest from 2 oranges in strips with a vegetable peeler and finely grate 1 teaspoon zest from the third orange; juice all 3 oranges. Combine the sugar and strips of zest in a skillet and cook over medium heat, undisturbed, until the sugar melts. Swirl the pan and continue cooking, swirling, until dark amber, about 4 minutes. Immediately stir in the orange juice and cook at a rapid simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Add 1/2 cup cream; simmer until incorporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the vanilla. Remove the strips of zest with a slotted spoon and set aside for topping. Let the caramel sauce cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer about two-thirds of the cooled caramel sauce to a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the remaining 2 1/2 cups cream with a mixer until very soft peaks form (do not overbeat). Stir the grated orange zest and 1 cup of the whipped cream into the bowl with the caramel sauce, then fold in the remaining whipped cream.
• Line an 8-inch springform pan with plastic wrap. Lay 6 cookies in the pan. Spread 1/2 cup caramel whipped cream on top, then drizzle with 2 teaspoons of the reserved caramel sauce. Repeat to make about 7 more layers of cookies, caramel whipped cream and caramel sauce, ending with a layer of caramel whipped cream.
• Cover the cake with plastic wrap; chill at least 6 hours or overnight. Uncover, invert onto a plate and remove the pan and plastic wrap. Top with the candied orange zest.

LEMON AMBROSIA CAKE

Steps:

• CAKE: Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil and 7UP in a mixing bowl.
• Beat on low speed until ingredients are moistened.
• Beat at medium speed 2 minutes.
• Spoon batter into three well-greased 9-inch round cake pans.
• Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until done.
• Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.
• Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
• FILLING: Combine lemon juice and sweetened condensed milk in a bowl; blend well.
• Add pineapple and coconut, and then fold in whipped topping - let stand about 5 minutes.
• TO ASSEMBLE: Spread 1-1/3 cups Coconut-Pineapple Filling between layers and on top.
• Spread on sides and top of cake.
• Refrigerate 3-4 hours before slicing.

AMBROSIA CAKE

Steps:

• CAKE: In a large mixing bowl, blend on low speed for 30 seconds: cake mix, oil, mandarin oranges and eggs.
• Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
• TOPPING: Combine pineapple and pudding mix.
• Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Add Cool Whip.
• Mix well by hand.
• Frost cake when cool.
• Refrigerate.