Strawberry Icebox Cake
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.
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.