My family has made this recipe since I was a kid but the cookies can be difficult to find. They are called Famous Chocolate Wafers by Nabisco. They come in a Yellow rectangular box and are usually found on the top shelf in the cookie aisle or with the ice cream toppings. Sometimes they are only available around the holidays. The frosted cookies are laid on their side in a long row and then the whole thing is frosted with more whipped cream. This does not work with Cool Whip! It won't soak into the cookies to make the cake-like filling. This recipe is usually a dessert that the kids help with. They make the stacks of frosted cookies and put them on a plate and I put the cookies on a platter in a row. I save any broken cookies and crush them to sprinkle on the top. We always called this Holiday Log. YUM!
My Mom and Dad were married just before WWII. Mom made this cake all the time. My sister and I loved it! It is so easy to make. The cookies turn into cake in the frig. Yum!
I can't explain why this simple cake is so good, but it just is! Don't question it! I made the original version but sprinkled Starbucks instant coffee over the top instead of grated chocolate. REALLY yummy. For variety the 2nd time around, I used Trader Joe's Cookie Thins which are also a wafer cookie just like the chocolate Nabiscos, but they come in different flavors like lemon and coconut. The coconut crisp wafers are buttery and light and make a superb version of this cake. Something so good is usually not this simple. I'm lovin' it.
My recently deceased mother in law used to make this. It made me nostalgic for her wonderful Sunday dinners. I am going to surprise my husband as soon as I can get the wafers. It sounds exactly like her delicious recipe which I had forgotten. Thank you!
For those who have trouble finding the wafers they are called Famous Chocolate Wafers. A quick Google search turned up online ordering sources and a ubiquitous BigBox store beginning with W. They are made by the Kraft food company. King Arthur Flour has a recipe for homemade wafers.
I never knew this was called zebra cake! Thanks for sharing! This recipe was recently featured in a magazine but it was done in stacks of 5 cookies with fruit neatly displayed on top..a very nice and easier-to-serve variation!
I know this is an excellent recipe and I'd love to make it but I need to know - Where do I find the wafers????? I've looked everywhere I can think of where can I buy them?
I recently watched a video here on allrecipes about how this recipe came about. I totally set out to make it when I came across the chocolate wafer cookies. What a great and easy plea-z recipe. While I thought the vanilla extract was just a tad to much that's fine because after it sits and melds with the cookies. It should mellow out some. Thanks for sharing this way. I love making fresh whip topping.
I used "World Table Chocolate Cookie Thins" found at Wal-Mart and they worked perfectly. I also plan to experiment with different flavored World Table cookies (lemon chocolate mint and chocolate caramel) and different extracts in the whipping cream like almond peppermint and lemon. This is a creamy dessert that isn't too sweet.
I think I am the only reviewer who didn't like this. Maybe it was the chocolate wafers I used but the cake was so bitter we couldn't eat it. There was nothing sweet about this recipe.
