Easy No-Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake
A cool, dreamy no-bake dessert layered with fresh macerated strawberries, fluffy cream cheese and whipped cream mixture, and soft cake biscuits, perfect for summer.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- About 2 sleeves (around 9 ounces) graham crackers or vanilla wafers
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine sliced strawberries with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Stir gently and let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to macerate.
- Pour cold heavy whipping cream into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form (about 5-7 minutes).
- In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture using a spatula, keeping the mixture light and airy (about 2 minutes).
- Spread a thin layer of the cream mixture on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange a single layer of graham crackers or vanilla wafers on top.
- Spoon a layer of macerated strawberries and their juices over the crackers, then spread a generous layer of cream mixture over the berries.
- Repeat layering with crackers, strawberries, and cream mixture until ingredients are used, finishing with a cream layer on top.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the layers to meld and soften.
Notes
If cream mixture feels too runny, refrigerate for 10 minutes before assembling to thicken. Press graham crackers gently when layering to avoid squashing. For a lighter version, substitute half the heavy cream with plain Greek yogurt. Use gluten-free wafers for a gluten-free version. Fresh strawberries are best; if using frozen, thaw and drain well to avoid sogginess. Chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the cake
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 20
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Protein: 4
Keywords: no-bake, strawberry, icebox cake, summer dessert, easy dessert, no oven dessert, creamy dessert