This Strawberry Icebox Cake looks and tastes like you spent your whole morning in the kitchen when all you really did was slap some strawberries, whipped cream, and graham crackers together. Even if you’ve never baked a thing in your life, you can make this recipe.
This recipe is one you may have seen before. It’s an old-fashioned Strawberry Icebox Cake just like our grandmothers made.
According to my research, icebox cakes originated in the 1920’s as a way for Nabisco to promote some of their cookie wafer products. The original icebox cakes were simply cookies layered with whipped cream and allowed to stand until the cookies softened and became very much like a thin cake layer.
This old-fashioned icebox recipe uses plain graham crackers, layered with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Yum. This is the easiest recipe I know for a no-bake strawberry dessert. Just layer everything in a 9×13 dish and let it sit for a while. Then slice and serve!
— This post was originally published on April 22, 2013. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: None
Total Time: 20 Minutes (plus at least 4 hours refrigeration)
Servings: 10
Primary Ingredient(s): Strawberries, whipping cream, sugar, graham crackers
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I made this icebox cake today to take to my daughter’s home where we had a small get-together and EVERYBODY loved it!”
— Mary K.
What Makes This Recipe Special
This Strawberry Icebox Cake has earned its place as a go-to dessert because it fits into so many occasions. It’s perfect in the summer when keeping the kitchen cool matters, just as welcome on Valentine’s Day when strawberries always make an appearance, and it even works beautifully as a birthday cake with a few candles on top.
Layers of fresh strawberries, lightly sweetened whipped cream, and graham crackers chill into a dessert that slices neatly and looks pretty. It’s a make-ahead dessert you can rely on, polished enough for special occasions while still being simple and approachable to prepare.
Ingredient Notes
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- Fresh Strawberries – Choose strawberries that are plump, ripe, and bright red without any visible blemishes. If you can taste one before buying, even better!
- Sugar – A small amount of granulated, white sugar is used to sweeten the berries and start the juices flowing.
- Heavy Whipping Cream, Confectioner’s (Powdered) Sugar, Vanilla Extract – These three ingredients are combined to make the whipped cream that is slathered between the cake layers. See the instructions below for details. If you’d rather not make the whipped cream yourself, feel free to substitute a purchased whipped topping such as Cool Whip (you’ll need to thaw it in the refrigerator before using it).
- Graham Crackers – These form the “layers” of the cake and may be substituted with other types of cookies as outlined later in the post.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook!
You can see this recipe on page 280 of my cookbook, My Southern Table! Get your signed copy today.
How to Make Strawberry Icebox Cake
Prepare the Strawberries
- Start by washing, hulling, and slicing 2 pounds of fresh, ripe strawberries.
- Place the sliced strawberries in a medium bowl and sprinkle with the granulated sugar. Toss lightly to combine, and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.
Pro Tip
Allowing the strawberries to sit for a few minutes with the sugar will start drawing out the juices.
Whip the Cream
- Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Take care not to over-whip the cream. Add the confectioner’s (powdered) sugar and vanilla extract. Mix again briefly to combine.
Layer the Cake
- On a rimmed platter or 9×13 baking pan, spread a small amount (just enough to hold the first layer of crackers in place) of the whipped cream. Begin layering: start with graham crackers, then a layer of strawberries, and a layer of whipped cream.
- Continue until you have four layers in all, ending with a layer of whipped cream.
- And now, here’s the hardest part of making this dessert. You have to cover it and let it sit in the refrigerator (or “icebox” if you like) for at least 4 hours! No, you can’t slice it right now and dive into that whipped cream, strawberry, graham cracker goodness. You must have patience. Something I sorely lack. But your icebox cake needs that time for all the cream and strawberry juices to be absorbed into the cookies and work its magic.
- When you’re ready to serve this stack of deliciousness, just cut it into squares and top each with a fresh strawberry.
Recipe Tips
- Drizzle the top lightly with chocolate syrup.
- Substitute the strawberries with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries…whatever’s currently in season and fresh!
- Substitute all or part of the graham crackers with vanilla wafers, Oreos, shortbread cookies, gingersnaps, or digestive biscuits. I often add one or two layers of Oreo Thins or Pepperidge Farm Chessman Cookies. Just be sure that the cookie you choose is a sturdy, crispy cookie. Soft cookies won’t work well in this recipe.
How to Store
Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. This cake is easiest to store in a rigid container rather than wrapping with plastic – plastic wrap sticks to the whipped cream and makes a bit of a mess, to be honest.
It’s also possible to freeze the completed cake. Assemble the cake on a freezer-safe baking pan or dish. Place the cake and pan, uncovered, in the freezer for 24 hours. Remove the frozen cake from the pan and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Place the wrapped cake in a sturdy container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Questions About Strawberry Icebox Cake
For a gluten-free option, substitute with gluten-free graham crackers or other sturdy, gluten-free cookie.
It depends, of course, on the size of the slices, but it should yield about 10 servings more or less.
Of course, you can use Cool Whip whipped topping if you like. But there’s really nothing better than homemade! It only takes a few minutes and tastes so much better.
More Recipes You’ll Like
Homemade Strawberry Jam
Easy Strawberry Jello Pie
Fresh Strawberry Pie
Banana Split Icebox Cake
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
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Recipe
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Strawberry Icebox Cake
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh strawberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 20 whole graham crackers
Instructions
- Wash the strawberries and spread them on a double thickness of paper towels to dry.2 pounds fresh strawberries
- Hull and slice the strawberries into a large bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar, toss to combine and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Add the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract. Whip again briefly to combine.3 cups heavy whipping cream, ⅓ cup confectioner’s sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- On a rimmed platter or in a 9×13 baking pan, spread a small amount of the whipped cream. Begin layering starting with the graham crackers, then a layer of strawberries, and a layer of whipped cream.20 whole graham crackers
- Continue layering until you have four layers . End with a layer of whipped cream.
- Cover loosely with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until the graham crackers and cookies have softened.
- Cut into servings and top each with a fresh strawberry.
Notes
- The assembled recipe needs time to chill so the graham crackers soften into cake-like layers. For best results, refrigerate at least 4 hours; overnight is even better.
- A 9×13-inch dish works well, but you can also assemble the cake on a rimmed platter for a more traditional layered look. You may need a few extra graham crackers depending on the dish you use.
- Store in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days. The cake can also be frozen, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
do you have to use graham crackers or can you use another type of cookie
I haven’t tested this recipe with any cookies other than graham crackers and the chocolate wafers. You could try other plain cookies and see how it works out.
I made this icebox cake today to take to my daughter’s home where we had a small get-together and EVERYBODY loved it! I used a whole liter (quart) of 35% whipping cream (4 cups) to which, when it started to set, I added a can of condensed milk. It really turned out heavenly. Next one I make will be for MY HOUSE! I think I will try Nilla Wafers in place of the graham wafers and see that turns out. You can make so many delicious variations. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re very welcome, Mary! I’m so glad to know that it turned out well for you.
Loved this recipe! I made it exactly and it was great! Next one I made, I used coarsely crushed Oreo cookies instead of graham crackers…yum. Then the next one used Oreo cookies…coarsely crushed, cheesecake pudding, strawberries, whipped cream. So much you can do with this recipe! I even added different types of alcohol to the Strawberry mixture for an adult version! Yum! Thank you for this fantastic recipe!
Can’t wait to try this!!
Ah…another Southern favorite I forgot about! I need to make this; betting my neighbors would love it. They love what I make but don’t cook like I do; I need some great recipes that are easy and still delicious and this one fits the bill!
It is a great old recipe, Barb, and best of all – no baking!
There was a recipe using French Vanilla Pudding and I bought the boxes of pudding and now I cannot find the recipe. Can someone help me.
This cake is terrific! If you want to make it even easier than it already is….just use “Cool Whip”, instead of whipping your own cream. I used the ‘lite’ “Cool Whip”, and it turned out beautifully.
Thanks Angela! I’m glad you found a way to make the recipe easier for you. I don’t care for Cool Whip and real whipped cream only takes me about 3 minutes to make, so that’s why I use it. Hope you enjoy the recipe again and again!
Thanks Lana, and I do appreciate your comment regarding the real whipping cream. Yes, real whipped cream is definately delicious….but some of us like to keep the calories and the fat down in our recipes as much as we can. It was just a suggestion to some of we ladies who like to stay slim, and how not to feel guilty when making a delicious dessert. I’m 5’7″, and I weigh 105 lbs. I want to keep it that way!! What about you?
Somewhat late reading this recipe. The use of so much whipped cream makes me wonder if you ever use a whipped cream stabilizer. I have been using this for some time now and like the way it holds the cream together for a longer time. Anyway, the recipe, along with the photo
Hi Stella – I don’t use a stabilizer and it works fine for me. However, I know a lot of people will use a small amount of gelatin to help whipped cream hold longer.