Description
This Strawberry Cream Cheese Icebox Cake is a no-bake, layered dessert featuring fresh sliced strawberries, a creamy whipped cream cheese filling, and crisp graham crackers. Chilled for hours to soften and meld flavors, it makes a refreshing and elegant treat perfect for warm days or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberries
- 1 pound fresh strawberries (washed, hulled, and sliced)
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped Cream
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Other
- 24 graham cracker sheets
Instructions
- Prepare the Strawberries: Wash the strawberries thoroughly under cold water, remove the stems, and slice them thinly. Set aside.
- Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the cream cheese and beat until well combined and smooth.
- Whip the Heavy Cream: In a separate mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- Fold in the Whipped Cream: Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated. Be careful not to deflate the whipped cream.
- Assemble the Icebox Cake: Line the bottom of an 8×8 inch square baking dish or a similar-sized dish with a layer of graham crackers, breaking them as needed to fit. Spread a layer of the cream cheese mixture over the graham crackers, covering them evenly. Arrange a layer of sliced strawberries on top of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat the layers with graham crackers, cream cheese mixture, and sliced strawberries until you’ve used up all the ingredients, finishing with a layer of cream cheese mixture on top.
- Chill the Cake: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate the icebox cake for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld together and the graham crackers to soften.
- Serve: Before serving, garnish the top of the icebox cake with additional sliced strawberries, if desired. Cut the cake into squares and serve chilled.
Notes
- The longer the cake chills, the softer the graham crackers become, creating a cake-like texture.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor.
- Ensure cream cheese is softened for easy mixing and smooth filling.
- Folding the whipped cream gently into the cream cheese mixture preserves its light, airy texture.
- You can substitute graham crackers with digestive biscuits if desired.
- For a thicker cream cheese filling, chill it for 30 minutes before assembling.
