Lemon Icebox Cake
This lemon icebox cake is superbly light, refreshing, airy, and creamy all at once. The lemony tang balances out the sweet so perfectly in this no-bake dessert!
Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup salted butter, very soft
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- 2 lemon zest, of 2 large lemons
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice, from 2 large lemons
- 25-30 whole graham crackers, 3-4 sleeves
- 1 cup lemon curd, slightly warmed up, see notes
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp lemon zest and 2 TB granulated sugar. Mix well and set aside at room temp, uncovered.
- In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter until very soft. Add in the heavy cream and continue beating until smooth. Add sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Whip until mixture forms firm peaks.
- Gradually beat in lemon juice, beating until fully incorporated. The lemon whipped cream should hold peaks; don't worry if it starts to curdle.
- Place warmed lemon curd in a Ziploc baggie, press out the air, and seal bag. Cut a very tiny hole at bottom corner, and set aside.
- Spread a small amount of lemon whipped cream onto the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Lay down a layer of graham crackers (about 6). Spoon 3/4 to 1 cup of lemon whipped cream over crackers. Drizzle about one-fourth of the lemon curd over the whipped cream layer.
- Repeat layering 3 more times. You should end up with four layers total, finished by the final drizzle of lemon curd.
- Cover and let chill in fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight. Crackers will soften to a spongey cake texture.
- Use a fork to break up lemon sugar and sprinkle over top of cake before serving.
- Leftovers will keep well in fridge for 1-2 days.
Notes
- We use this refreshing and easy lemon curd.
- Always use fresh lemon zest and juice for this Lemon Icebox Cake. It makes a big difference in the flavor and freshness of the dessert.
- When zesting your lemons, be careful to only scrape off the outer, colorful layer of the skin. The white pith underneath is bitter and can affect the overall flavor of your whipped cream.
- Don't worry if your lemon whipped cream looks slightly curdled after adding lemon juice. It will still set up beautifully after chilling.
- Chilling the cake for at least 3-4 hours is crucial. This allows the graham crackers to soften and absorb the flavors, giving the cake its characteristic moist, cake-like texture.
- Serve this cake cold for the best texture and flavor.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1193IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 0.2mg