When It’s Too Hot to Bake, Make Icebox Cake

As much as we love ice cream — and it should be pretty clear how much we love ice cream — it’s not the only summer dessert out there. While ice cream cake can be a huge undertaking, old fashioned icebox cake is simple. You might even say it’s a piece of cake.

The only drawback to icebox cake is the waiting. But once you check out the recipes we found, we bet you’ll agree they’re worth the wait.

The Basics of Icebox Cake

Every icebox cake recipe combines a crunchy ingredient with a creamy filling. The original classic recipe uses chocolate wafers and whipped cream, sweetened and flavored with sugar and vanilla. The whipped cream moistens the wafers so they taste like thin layers of cake. Chilling the cake in the refrigerator or freezer ensures the whipped cream stays solid and the cake holds its shape.

Any sort of cookie or sweet cracker can work, from vanilla wafers or graham crackers, to ginger snaps or chocolate chip cookies. You can use whipped cream or pudding for your filling, or try soft cheeses like ricotta or mascarpone blended with sugar. Plan for your cake to spend at least a few hours in the refrigerator or freezer for the magic to happen.

Boston Cream Icebox Cake

This recipe for Boston Cream Icebox Cake from  Averie Cooks looks so elegant. We’re not sure we could turn out such perfect squares, but we’ll give it a try. This recipe calls for graham crackers as the “cake” and vanilla pudding mixed with whipped topping for the filling. Note that it’s not homemade whipped cream, but the stuff in the tub, found in the freezer section at the supermarket.

We’re impressed by the thin layer of chocolate ganache on top of Averie’s cake. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips as she does, or try shaved chocolate or even graham cracker crumbs. For fans of Boston cream pie, this icebox cake is deliciously similar.

Mango Royale Icebox Cake

Icebox cake is thought of as a midwestern treat, but we love how this recipe from The Little Epicurean is a traditional Filipino dessert. It includes graham crackers and whipped cream, and the whipped cream is sweetened with condensed milk to make it even richer.

What makes this cake especially unique are the champagne mangoes (above). You may find them at Asian or Latin markets. They’re also known as Manila or Mexican mangoes. They have thinner skin and are less fibrous than regular mangoes. If you can’t find champagne mangoes, look for the ripest mangoes available at your local grocery.

Chocolate Ricotta Icebox Cake

Remember how we said earlier that soft cheeses also make a delicious filling for icebox cake? This recipe from Martha Stewart uses ricotta (below), blended with melted chocolate and whipped cream. It will take some patience to fold the chocolate-ricotta mixture into the whipped cream, but the results are worth it. It will also take time for the cake to refrigerate. Martha recommends at least six hours and up to two days.

To help ensure your cake looks as beautiful as Martha’s, pay close attention to preparation of the springform pan before adding ingredients. There’s a helpful video on the recipe page that illustrates the process. Then be sure to decorate your cake with chocolate shavings. Use a ribbon grater for smaller bits of chocolate, or a shaver for larger strips.

Tiramisu

Is Tiramisu really an icebox cake? We think it qualifies! Tiramisu includes ladyfingers dunked in espresso, along with whipped egg whites and yolks and mascarpone. Once assembled, Tiramisu goes into the refrigerator to chill before serving. If that’s not an icebox cake, we’re not sure what is.

While there are plenty of Tiramisu recipes out there, we’re drawn to this one from Fifteen Spatulas. You’ll need to separate the egg whites and yolks and whip them separately before folding them with the mascarpone. The whipped egg whites give the filling loft, and the yolks and mascarpone make it rich and creamy. Use real espresso too — either make your own with an espresso machine, or get a cup from your favorite local coffee shop. Finally, be prepared to share your Tiramisu or eat it quickly, because the egg whites deflate after a day or two. This recipe looks so good, we bet it will disappear within hours.