Birthday Cake Extravaganza

Since I am the cook/baker in the family, I either bake my own birthday cake or buy my own (if its store bought, its usually a pie or an ice cream cake). I'll admit it, I can be somewhat of a food snob. I don't really like cake that comes from a boxed mix. I usually do something else with a cake mix than make actual cake from it. In fact, I don't really like most cakes. It has to be really good (think words like raspberry filled or ganache and you are getting closer to cakes that are up my ally) for me to like it. This year, I decided I wanted to make a cake and started looking through recipes on one of my favorite food blogs, smitten kitchen. I found three recipes that I really wanted to try and just couldn't choose! So I decided since it is my birthday and I am doing all the work for the cakes, I would make all three throughout the month. Genius, I know. So today we had the first cake. Its called an icebox cake, but really it should be called the Ultimate Cookies and Cream Cake. Here are some pictures. You can start salivating.... now!
This cake was really easy to make. I ended up making my own wafer cookies because i couldn't find any in the store, but if you found the right cookies, this would be a piece of cake(pun totally intended!) to make. If you like cookies and cream type things, this is the cake for you!

Here are all the cake recipes I am trying out if any of you are interested.
http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/08/alexs-choice/
http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/chocolate-peanut-butter-cake/
http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/01/wafer-wonderland/