Relating to summer time desserts, my philosophy is all the time extra is extra. I like desserts laden with candy summer time fruits picked at their peak and topped with softly whipped cream, ice cream sandwiches dipped in crunchy nuts (served with further sprinkles), s’mores carried out up with sticky marshmallows and drippy chocolate—the entire shebang, if you’ll. In spite of everything, summer time’s the season of being somewhat bit further. Additional flavors, further textures, and additional colour, if it’s your factor. As we kick off no-oven summer time, I’m taking this strategy into the season with one among my favourite summer time social gathering tips: the marginally retro however all the time crowd-pleasing icebox cake. And within the spirit of being further this summer time, we’re taking the traditional up a notch with my lemon icebox cake.
I take into account myself a little bit of an icebox cake aficionado—particularly after my mango and cardamom model hit viral standing. So it solely felt proper to make a cake that screams summer time with the flavor-packed hit of lemon. This recipe is no-bake, makes use of minimal substances, and it makes essentially the most of store-bought shortcuts. Belief me, you’re about to be everybody’s favourite summer time social gathering visitor.
What’s an icebox cake?
I don’t keep in mind when I had my first icebox cake, however I do recall the flavors. Skinny chocolate wafers sandwiched between whipped cream and served up in slices. That was it, and that’s the precise fantastic thing about an icebox cake. The straightforward recipe layers cookies of your alternative between delicate clouds of whipped cream. Then it sits within the fridge to set, permitting the cookies to melt and the cream to agency up in order that the entire thing turns into sliceable. Seems like magic, proper?
Due to the simplicity, there’s no scarcity of variations on the standard icebox cake. It’s extremely forgiving. As soon as I didn’t correctly freeze my cake and ended up simply spooning blobs of the cake into bowls for dessert. In fact, my mates nonetheless raved. (It’s cream and cookies, who wouldn’t?) Really, there’s nothing to seek out fault with relating to this lemon icebox cake.
Components for Lemon Icebox Cake
The ingredient record for this lemon icebox cake is fairly brief, so make sure you go for the good-quality stuff as it would make a enormous distinction in taste!
Heavy whipping cream. I wish to recent whip my cream for this recipe because it lets me management the sweetness and taste.
Cream cheese or mascarpone. Somewhat one thing further. I like the soundness that cream cheese or mascarpone provides to the cream whereas additionally giving it a touch of savoriness to assist steadiness out the sweetness.
Powdered sugar. I favor powdered sugar to granulated within the whipped cream because it dissolves simpler.
Vanilla. Only a splash to spherical every little thing out.
Lemon curd. That is the place I like to recommend utilizing the store-bought shortcut. Until you actually love making your individual lemon curd, yow will discover some nice variations on the retailer. Simply get the good things.
Lemon cookies or wafers. We’re leaning all the best way in on lemon taste right here with a lemon cookie. However be at liberty to make use of graham crackers or every other impartial cookie taste!
Orange zest. Woah, wait. You mentioned lemon icebox cake, proper? Sure, however pay attention up. Orange is the key ingredient that makes any lemon dessert particular. Lemon-flavored sweets want one thing to steadiness them out. Much like how I used cardamom in these lemon cheesecake bars, including a barely floral factor makes the lemon pop extra with out feeling overwhelming.
Salt. I’m an enormous proponent of salting your desserts correctly. Nothing is worse than a cloyingly candy dessert, so make sure you salt your whipped cream!
Suggestions for Assembling This Lemon Icebox Cake
The entire level of an icebox cake is that it’s made forward of time to let every little thing set collectively in layers. To prep, line a loaf pan with plastic wrap or parchment paper to stop any sticking and to make sure clean edges. You may as well serve this up like a trifle and scoop the cake out of no matter vessel you make it in. However if you’d like slices, you’ll must line your pan.
For clear and really well-defined layers on the within, maintain every layer thick. Put down a correct thick layer of whipped cream earlier than including your cookie layer, after which one other layer for the curd.
Relating to serving, both save a few of your whipped cream or make somewhat further! When you’ve eliminated your cake from its tin and positioned it onto a serving board or plate, take the additional cream and use a spoon or offset spatula to cowl up any “imperfections” on the cake with some swooshes or pipe on the cream for texture. It’ll add some visible curiosity and make the cake look party-ready.
Talking of, don’t be afraid to brighten! You possibly can go easy with some lemon slices excessive, add recent herbs, or chop up recent summer time fruit for further texture and taste. You could possibly even add extra cookies or crushed almonds or pistachios for some crunch. Keep in mind: this can be a choose-your-own-adventure form of cake.
Description
A straightforward no-bake summer time dessert full of lemon taste.
- 10 ounces heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese
- 15–20 skinny lemon cookies
- 8 ounces lemon curd, store-bought or do-it-yourself
- fruit and herbs for adorning
- Line a loaf pan with saran wrap.
- Make the cream. In a stand mixer, add about 7 ounces of the heavy whipping cream, salt, sugar, vanilla, lemon and orange zest, and cream cheese. Beat to medium-stiff peaks.
- To assemble the cake, add a layer of whipped cream to the loaf pan. Then add a layer of cookies and unfold over 1/3 of the lemon curd. Repeat the layers two extra occasions and end with a layer of the whipped cream. Cowl the highest of the pan with saran wrap and set it within the freezer for at the least 4 hours, however in a single day if attainable.
- To serve, add extra whipped cream to the highest of your cake.
- To assemble, take away the cake from the loaf pan and unwrap it from the plastic wrap. Utilizing an offset spatula, unfold over the recent whipped cream, and high with fruit, cookies, or recent herbs. Slice and serve. Take pleasure in!
- Prep Time: in a single day
- Class: dessert
Key phrases: icebox, cake, lemon