Strawberry Icebox Cake is the perfect summer dessert, no oven required! Made with Chantilly cream and fresh strawberries, it’s a crowd-pleasing cake for all your summer gatherings.
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll have seen that I’m desperately trying to become a better baker. I’ve been blogging for over 8 years, and baking has always been my achilles heel. First and foremost, baking is difficult for me because it requires precision, the antithesis of my cooking style. Sometimes directions are almost suffocatingly fussy – see the below instructions for creaming butter and sugar from King Arthur Baking:
Mixing at too high or too low a speed and for too short or long a time will also wreak havoc with your creaming.
I’m sorry, what?
With baking it seems there are such painstakingly small margins within which you can have a successful dessert. That is incredibly stressful for me! However, I am still determined to become a better baker. I honestly don’t know why, I don’t have a sweet tooth at all. But I just got it into my head that this is something I want to do, and so I’m doing it! But not with today’s recipe ;)
I LOVE icebox cakes, and it’s a crime that I haven’t included one yet on the blog. I love these cakes because they are a NO FUSS, NO BAKE dessert treat. In the recipe instruction notes you’ll see I’ve played loose with the measurements, because they don’t require fancy chemistry to succeed. Added a little too much cream between the layers? No problem! Forgot to add in a layer of strawberries? No biggie! This recipe really can’t be messed up.
The only thing that may seem fussy in the recipe is making Chantilly cream. But trust me, Chantilly cream sounds fussy in name only. It’s essentially just French whipped cream, albeit a slightly sweeter version than its American counterpart. But I love making Chantilly cream because it sounds fancy. Woo your friends and dinner guests by saying, “Oh yes – I whipped up this French Chantilly cream here at home.” They’ll be impressed by your cooking prowess!
STRAWBERRY ICEBOX CAKE FAQ
How does icebox cake work?
By layering whipped cream, graham crackers, and fresh strawberries, you get a layer cake-esque result after letting them rest in the fridge. The liquid in the whipped cream softens the graham crackers, creating a more cake-like texture.
How long should I let strawberry icebox cake rest in the fridge?
You want to be sure to give the graham crackers enough time to absorb the moisture from the strawberries and Chantilly cream, which softens them. Four hours is the minimum, but for best results, leave the icebox cake in the fridge overnight.
How long does this cake last in the fridge?
I wouldn’t recommend keeping this in the fridge more than 3 weeks. But it’s so tasty, it likely won’t last that long!
Do you need to keep this strawberry icebox cake covered in the fridge?
Yes – be sure to cover with cling wrap or another form of food-safe covering while storing in the fridge.
Strawberry Icebox Cake
Equipment
- Standard Loaf Pan approx. 9 x 5" or 8 1/2 x 4 1/2".
Ingredients
Chantilly Cream
- 1 Pint Heavy Cream
- 1/3 Cup Powdered (Confectioner's) Sugar
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
The Rest of the Cake
- 1 Box Graham Crackers see notes
- 1 1/2 Pints Strawberries see notes
Instructions
Chantilly Cream
- In a stand mixer bowl (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), add the heavy cream. Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl, and add the vanilla extract.
- Using the whisk attachment, or using your hand mixer, beat the cream on high speed for about 3-5 minutes, or until soft peaks form (see notes).
- Keep the Chantilly cream chilled until it's ready to use.
The Rest of the Cake
- Start by lining your loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Prep your strawberries by washing them, drying them, and cutting them into approx. 1/2" thick slices.
- Add a single-depth layer of strawberries on the bottom of the pan.
- Then, using a spatula, add on about 3/4" layer of Chantilly cream, smoothing it out so it's as even as possible.
- Then, add on a single layer of graham crackers, breaking them as needed to fit the pan.
- Keep repeating the above steps until you've filled up your loaf pan. Save any leftover Chantilly cream in the refrigerator for serving later.
- Cover the cake with cling wrap and put it in your refrigerator for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
- Before serving, take the cake out for 10-15 minutes to thaw.
- When ready to serve, invert the loaf pan onto a tray or plate and remove the parchment paper.
- Serve as is, or drizzle with chocolate sauce.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- All of the measurements here are very loose because how many strawberries you'll need depends on their sizes. Don't worry, you really can't mess up this cake! Measure with your heart.
- I gave instructions here to start with strawberries in the pan, as opposed to the whipped cream. You don't have to do that, but I find it's easier to remove the cake from the loaf pan with strawberries on top. Plus, it looks nicer!
- You'll know you have soft peaks when you lift up your whisk or mixers, and the cream "follows" it up, holding its shape in little peaks.
- If you don't want to make homemade Chantilly cream, store-bought whipped cream or Cool Whip will do.
- Feel free to sub in chocolate graham crackers for a more Neapolitan spin!
- Store this cake in the freezer for up to 3 weeks. Keep leftovers frozen when not serving.
P.S.
For more vegan and vegetarian recipes and meal inspiration, be sure to follow along on Instagram and TikTok! If you make a recipe, please tag me in the photo and use the hashtag #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your creations!
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