You might be familiar with those fancy strawberry icebox cakes with luxurious chocolate and Oreo cookies. What about packing it with an amazing burst of berries? Enter the icebox cake with graham crackers and berries!
When I still had my bakery open, my customers always went crazy with this hit. And now, it has become a fancy treat for my kids on special occasions. Let’s see why folks are all after this cake!
The Beauty Of This Graham Cracker Strawberry Icebox Cake
Visual appeal: Each slice of this strawberry icebox cake promises an escape from the summer heat. The creamy frosting, juicy red strawberries, plump blueberries, and soft graham crackers combine into an eye feast. All evoke a refreshing, cool vibe!
Delightful flavor & texture: Think the crunchy graham crackers are a bit off? Think again! It actually adds more texture to the mix. The sweet, fluffy frosting pairs perfectly with the softened crackers, bursting with a juicy kick from the fresh blueberries and strawberries nestled in between. Each bite is a symphony of all the summer flavors! Want more? Check out my fruit cake, strawberry shortcake, or lemon blueberry cake.
Easy flavor twists: Looking for a fun twist? You’re in the driver’s seat! Feel free to swap out the graham crackers for your favorite cookies or chocolate wafers. This cake welcomes all kinds of fresh fruit, like peaches, plums, cherries, grapes, mangos, pineapples, kiwis, or other berries. You can even throw in some chopped nuts for a delightful crunch.
Simple to whip up: Another no-bake recipe to my collection! As fancy as it might look, making this treat is a breeze, with minimal ingredients and tools.
5 Simple Steps To Make A Berry strawberry Icebox Cake
Ingredients
You will need the simple ingredients below:
- Graham crackers: This is the base of our cake. Skip the fuss of flour batter! I love using these crackers since they help shape my dessert into a nice “box.” But you can switch to chocolate wafers, vanilla wafers, Oreo cookies, Biscoff cookies, ladyfingers, chocolate cookies, or whatever you like; your cake, your choice!
- Heavy cream: We’ll need a lot of whipped cream for gluing those layers and spreading on top of the cake, so prepare a heaping 3 cups of heavy cream (or more if you’re team frosting).
- Strawberries and blueberries: Pick firm, plump berries with a vibrant, uniform color that is free of soft, mushy spots. As I shared earlier, let your creativity run wild and experiment with different fruits.
- Confectioners’ sugar: I use this type for a smooth, velvety texture with extra richness. The additional cornstarch also helps the frosting hold its shape beautifully, like stabilized whipped cream.
- Vanilla bean paste and almond extract: This combo will add more complexity and a unique twist to the frosting in a good way. The vanilla extract works fine, too, if that’s what you have on hand.
Our delicious dessert will have 3 layers of whipped cream (we’ll use 2 cups for each), 3 layers of graham cracker (each with 7 full sheets), and 2 layers of juicy berries (with some extra for a stunning finishing touch).
Instructions
Step 1
In a medium bowl, throw in 3 cups of heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, almond extract, and vanilla bean paste. Take a stand or handheld mixer with a whisk attachment and whip it up on medium-high for about 4 minutes until stiff peaks form. Now, we get a velvety frosting!
Note: Remember to beat the heavy cream when cold since its dense texture will whip up more easily and fluffier.
Step 2
Grab a 13×9-inch pan and spread a super thin frosting layer at the bottom, about 2 tablespoons. This helps bind the graham crackers together and prevent them from swinging around. But don’t grease the pan; you won’t want any oil to mess with the creamy whipped cream.
Now, arrange about 7 crackers on that frosting layer; you can break the full sheet into smaller pieces to fill the pan evenly.
Step 3
It’s whipped cream’s turn! Dollop 2 cups of the frosting generously and evenly on the graham cracker layer. Next, dress it with a layer of sliced strawberries, followed by a layer of 7 crackers sheets, then 2 cups of frosting, the blueberries, and another cracker layer. Finally, finish off with a nice touch of whipped cream on top.
Step 4
Cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and stack it in the fridge for 3 to 48 hours. This is when the magic happens! The longer it chills out in the fridge, the softer and more cake-like the graham crackers become. And boom! You get a refreshing, cool, and soft cake that melts in your mouth.
Step 5
Add an even more summery touch to the cake by topping it off with a crown of fresh berries and a sprinkle of star or rainbow magic. Slice it and enjoy it cold! You’ll feel like you’re in an ice cream shop, treating yourself to a truly cool, juicy indulgence.
Pro tip: A narrow serving spatula can come in handy in taking out those beauties out of the pan.
Notes
Storage
Letting it sit at room temperature is the shortest way to ruin your delicious summer treat. The fridge is your trusted friend here! Refrigerating is the best way to keep its refreshing taste while allowing the crackers to soften and meld beautifully with the rich cream. Meanwhile, freezing will trap a lot of moisture, which might make your dessert soupy when thawing.
Slice the strawberries
I know it’s tempting to crush a large, juicy chunk of strawberries in your mouth in every morsel. But hold on there, strawberry slayers! Chopping them in half or squares makes it tough for them to cuddle up with the whipped cream. So, I recommend slicing them into thin pieces for even layering.
Make it ahead
Since icebox cake needs an overnight chilling session, it’s the perfect dessert to make ahead of time. However, you should only whip it up the night before for the best flavor. Making it 3 or 4 days ahead will turn the berries mushy.
Spice up the whipped cream
Is the classic whipped cream too basic? Spice it up with peanut butter, cocoa powder, strawberry jam, vanilla pudding, or other flavorful extracts. The choices are endless!
FAQs
Are Frozen Berries Okay?
That’s a bad idea! As the cake chills out in the fridge, those frozen gems will thaw and release a lot of liquid into the mix, turning your treat into a mushy mess.
What To Serve With This Cake?
The cake itself is already pure happiness to end a summer meal. But if you feel fancy, drizzle with some chocolate or caramel sauce. Or, enjoy it with a cup of joe or tea.
Can I Make It Vegan?
Absolutely! Just switch to vegan graham crackers and dairy-free cream, like vegan coconut whipped cream.
I bet anyone can nail this foolproof recipe!
Discover More Unique Cake Recipes:
Strawberry Icebox Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups heavy cream or whipping cream (cold)
- ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ tsp pure almond extract
- 21 graham cracker sheets
- 2 cups fresh strawberries (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- Extra berries & star/rainbow sprinkles for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- Mix 3 cups of cold heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, almond extract, and vanilla bean paste using a stand or handheld electric mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high for about 4 minutes until soft peaks form.
- Layer 2 tablespoons of whipped cream at the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan (ungreased) to keep the graham crackers in place. Spread about 7 crackers evenly on that frosting layer; break the full sheet into smaller pieces if needed.
- Dollop 2 cups of the frosting evenly on the graham cracker layer. Next, dress it with a layer of sliced strawberries, followed by a layer of 7 crackers sheets, then 2 cups of cream mixture, the blueberries, and another cracker layer. Finally, finish off with a nice touch of whipped cream on top.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and stack it in the fridge for 3 to 48 hours so the graham crackers can soften to a cake-like texture.
- Garnish the cake with some fresh berries and as star or rainbow sprinkles. Slice it and dig in!
Notes
- The fridge is the best place to store leftover icebox cake; keeping it at room temperature or in a freezer will make the cake soggy and mushy.
- Slice the fresh strawberries thinly to ensure an even layer.
- Making the cake ahead and letting it chill overnight is perfectly okay, but after 3 to 4 days, the cake will lose its freshness and flavor.
- Spice up the whipped cream with peanut butter, cocoa powder, strawberry jam, vanilla pudding, or other flavorful extracts.
