On days when it’s too scorching to consider turning on the oven, this chocolate strawberry Icebox Cake offers me a cool, creamy dessert with out heating up the kitchen. This 7-ingredient no-bake dessert layers chocolate graham crackers, recent strawberries, vanilla cream cheese whipped cream, and grated chocolate in a 9×13 pan, then the fridge does the remaining. After just a few hours of chilling, the layers soften right into a sliceable, cake-like dessert that’s simple to make forward for summer time cookouts and potlucks!
Pin this recipe for later!
All recipes are rigorously examined in our Nashville Check Kitchen to make sure they’re simple, inexpensive, and scrumptious.
A Creamy No-Bake Dessert
This icebox cake recipe is an old school basic that first turned in style again within the Nineteen Twenties when house refrigeration began changing into a factor. As a substitute of baking, folks layered cookies or crackers with cream and let the fridge do the work. And truthfully, it’s nonetheless a little bit of a magic trick. As this cake rests, the chocolate graham crackers absorb moisture from the cream cheese whipped cream and soften into skinny, cake-like layers. I like utilizing cream cheese right here as a result of it provides just a little tang and helps the whipped cream maintain up, so the cake slices cleanly as an alternative of turning right into a creamy puddle. Each chew is a dreamy combo of wealthy chocolate, fluffy vanilla cream, and juicy strawberries. It’s nostalgic and recent suddenly.
What I like most is how low-stress this recipe is, no oven or difficult steps wanted. Simply easy layering and just a little chill time. It’s budget-friendly, simple to throw collectively, and at all times manages to impress a crowd! That’s my type of dessert.
- Begin with softened cream cheese and chilly heavy cream. I let the cream cheese soften first so it beats easily and doesn’t depart little lumps within the filling, however I hold the heavy cream chilly so it whips up gentle and fluffy. For the smoothest filling, beat the cream cheese utterly first, then slowly stream within the heavy whipping cream whereas mixing.
- Unfold cream on the underside of the dish first. That skinny first layer helps the chocolate graham crackers keep in place whilst you construct the cake. It additionally ensures the underside layer of crackers softens from either side.
- Give it sufficient time to relax. I at all times give this icebox cake at the very least 4 hours within the fridge, however in a single day is even higher! The longer chill offers the graham crackers time to absorb moisture from the cream cheese whipped cream, so the slices maintain collectively, and the feel resembles cake.
- Price range-saving tip: If strawberries are expensive or I simply need to hold the associated fee decrease, I’ll depart them out and skip the grated chocolate on prime. You may as well swap in different fruit you have already got, like blueberries, raspberries, or well-drained canned peaches. Or hold it fruit-free for extra of a cookies-and-cream model icebox cake. Both approach, it’s nonetheless creamy and scrumptious.
Chocolate Strawberry Icebox Cake
Price $14.14 recipe / $1.18 serving
Make this chocolate strawberry Icebox Cake with 7 easy elements, no oven, and layers of chocolate graham crackers, strawberries, and whipped cream cheese filling!
-
In a big mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer till easy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and blend till mixed.
-
Slowly pour within the heavy cream and proceed to beat till the combination is gentle, fluffy, and mushy peaks kind.
-
Unfold a skinny layer of the cream combination on the underside of a 9×13 dish.
-
Add a single layer of graham crackers, breaking items as wanted to suit.
-
Prime with about ⅓ of the cream combination, then scatter 1 cup of sliced strawberries on prime.
-
Repeat two extra occasions (grahams, cream, berries), ending with cream and sliced berries on prime.
-
Cowl and refrigerate for at the very least 4 hours, or in a single day, till the graham crackers soften right into a cake-like texture.
-
Slice into squares and serve chilly. Garnish with grated chocolate if desired.**
See how we calculate recipe prices right here.
**You should utilize whipped topping (like Cool Whip) as an alternative of selfmade whipped cream. Simply fold it gently into the crushed cream cheese till mixed in Step 2.
***I like ending the highest with a sprinkle of grated chocolate from the baking bar—it provides just a little texture and richness. Completely optionally available, although!
Serving: 1sliceEnergy: 395kcal (20%)Carbohydrates: 36g (12%)Protein: 5g (10%)Fats: 27g (42%)Sodium: 279mg (12%)Fiber: 3g (13%)
make Icebox Cake step-by-step photographs
Collect all your elements.
Beat the cream cheese: Add the softened 8 oz. cream cheese to a big mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer till utterly easy and creamy with no seen lumps.
Add ½ cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract, then beat once more till mixed.
Add the heavy cream: Slowly pour in 2 cups heavy whipping cream whereas mixing on low.
Then enhance the velocity and beat till the combination turns into gentle, fluffy, and thick sufficient to carry mushy peaks. It ought to look ethereal and spreadable, not unfastened or runny.
Assemble the icebox cake: Unfold a skinny layer of the cream combination throughout the underside of a 9×13 dish. This helps the primary layer of graham crackers keep in place and soften evenly.
Prepare a single layer of the chocolate graham crackers over the cream, breaking items as wanted to suit snugly into the dish. Don’t fear if the items aren’t excellent; they’ll soften because the cake chills, and nobody will know the distinction anyway!
Subsequent, unfold about one-third of the cream combination over the graham crackers, taking all of it the best way to the sides.
Prime with 1 cup of the sliced strawberries, scattering them evenly so each slice will get loads of fruit.
End and chill: Repeat the layers two extra occasions with graham crackers, cream, and 1 cup sliced strawberries every time. End with the remaining cream combination and the final 1 cup of sliced strawberries on prime.
Cowl the dish and refrigerate for at the very least 4 hours, or in a single day for the very best texture. Because it chills, the graham crackers will soften and switch cake-like, whereas the cream units right into a cool, sliceable filling!
Garnish: Grate the two squares of unsweetened baking chocolate excessive simply earlier than serving, if utilizing, for a fairly end and just a little further chocolate taste. Slice the icebox cake into squares and serve chilly. Take pleasure in!
Serving Strategies
Be certain that this chocolate graham cracker icebox cake is totally chilled earlier than slicing. It’ll lower cleaner and maintain its form higher. I like to make use of a pointy knife and wipe it clear between slices for the smartest squares, particularly if I’m serving it for a cookout, potluck, or birthday dessert. If you wish to gown it up even extra, don’t skip the freshly grated chocolate, and add a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of strawberry syrup proper earlier than serving! This icebox cake is wealthy and creamy however nonetheless gentle sufficient for summer time, so I normally lower it into 12 beneficiant slices, however you possibly can undoubtedly stretch it to fifteen smaller items for those who’re feeding an even bigger crowd.
That is the type of dessert I LOVE making forward as a result of the fridge does all of the work whereas I am going do actually the rest. For the very best texture, assemble this icebox cake the day earlier than and let it chill in a single day. By the subsequent day, the chocolate graham crackers may have softened into these dreamy, cake-like layers, and the entire thing will slice way more neatly.
Storage Directions
Retailer your chocolate strawberry icebox cake tightly coated within the fridge for as much as 3 days. It really will get higher after the primary day because the layers proceed to meld and soften!
Freezer
You’ll be able to freeze this cake, although the feel of the strawberries will soften fairly a bit after thawing, so you might need to depart them out for those who plan to freeze. If freezing, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap after which foil, or retailer in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for as much as 1 month. Thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than serving.
