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Made with lemon curd, whipped cream, crunchy biscuits, lemon zest, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla bean paste, this no-bake lemon icebox cake makes a refreshing summer dessert.
My easy refrigerator cake recipe takes just 30 minutes to prepare, and will keep well in the fridge for several days.
What is an Icebox Cake?
An icebox cake is a no-bake dessert made from cookies and whipped cream. These ingredients are layered in a tin, along with additional components such as fresh fruit, curd, custard, or pudding. Once assembled, the cake is transferred to the refrigerator (a.k.a. the icebox!) to chill. As the cake sits in the fridge, the layers meld together to create a sweet and creamy summertime slice.
The icebox cake dates back to World War I. According to The Food Timeline, “In the 1920s & 1930s these trendy cakes were promoted as “modern” because they embraced commercial shortcuts: store-bought ladyfingers, crushed graham crackers, & packaged cookies.” Originally stemming from the invention of the home icebox, the cakes were renamed “refrigerator” cakes when the modern refrigerator came into fashion.
The creators of the icebox cake likely drew Inspiration from European charlottes and trifles, which also layered cream and biscuits into an easy-to-make dessert. Companies like Nabisco popularized the icebox cake by printing recipes on their packaging, particularly using their (now-discontinued) Famous Chocolate Wafers.
How to Make an Icebox Cake
To make this lemon icebox cake, begin by whipping heavy cream with confectioner’s sugar, vanilla bean paste, and lemon zest. Then, in a square tin, spread alternating layers of cream, biscuits or cookies, and lemon curd, finishing with a generous layer of whipped cream on top. Cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate the cake for at least 4-6 hours to give the cookies soften and absorb the cream. Serve the cake chilled, sliced into squares or rectangles.
To garnish, sprinkle the cake with lemon zest, add fresh berries (I used blackberries), or top with thinly sliced lemons. This lemon icebox cake makes a great option for summer gatherings because it’s easy to make ahead of time. Plus, no need to turn on the oven on a sweltering afternoon!
Lemon Icebox Cake Ingredients
This lemon icebox cake requires just six ingredients. To make this recipe, you’ll want to gather the following:
Lemon Curd – You can use store-bought or homemade lemon curd for this recipe. (I tested it both ways, and it’s equally delicious!) You’ll definitely want to spend a few minutes “knocking back” the curd with a whisk to make it easier to spread. And allthough I’ve made this cake with lemon curd, feel free to substitute lime curd and lime zest instead
Whipping Cream – Or heavy cream, depending on your location. Use real cream—not the squirty kind!
Confectioner’s Sugar – A tablespoon of confectioner’s sugar (icing sugar) adds a touch of sweetness to the cream. If you prefer sweeter whipped cream, you can whip in an additional tablespoon of sugar.
Lemon Zest – Freshly zested lemon gives the cream a citrus-y zing. Use a Microplane to finely zest the lemon, and zest a little extra to sprinkle on top of the finished cake.
Vanilla Bean Paste – The additional flavor makes it worth using vanilla bean paste (not extract) for this recipe, but extract will be fine in a pinch. You could also swap in lemon extract for an extra-lemony cake.
Biscuits – You’ll need about 40 3-inch long shortbread fingers or rich tea biscuits. Other types of crunchy biscuits or cookies will work, too. See my notes below.
Choosing Your Biscuits
I tested this recipe with rich tea fingers, which are a staple in most British grocery stores. They’re a crunchy, mild, vanilla-tasting biscuit, and won’t overpower the other flavors in the cake. Shortbread fingers are also a good choice.
Depending on your location, your biscuit or cookie options might vary. You can make this refrigerator cake with any crunchy, neutral cookies, such as graham crackers, Nilla wafers, or digestives. Just don’t use soft, bakery-styles cookies—they’ll turn mushy after a few hours in the fridge.
Tips for Making This Icebox Cake Recipe
If possible, try to choose square or rectangular-shaped cookies. While you can use round, squares or rectangles are far easier to arrange in a square tin.
Have a small stepped palette knife or rubber spatula on hand to spread the curd and cream.
Before spreading, use a whisk to “knock back” (vigorously whisk) the lemon curd to make it easier to spread. This is especially important if using store-bought curd, which isn’t as smooth and creamy as the homemade kind.
You can slice your icebox cake into 9 squares (each about 2 1/2 inches in size) or opt for sixteen 2-inch squares for a more delicate dessert.
Pay attention to the tin-lining step in this recipe. The parchment overhang creates “handles” which allow you to carefully lift the chilled cake from the tin for slicing. Without these, removing the cake from the tin is kind of a pain.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
This lemon icebox cake should spend at least 4-6 hours in the fridge before serving, in order to give the refrigerator time to work its magic. (After all, it’s called an “icebox cake” or “refrigerator cake” for a reason!)
If making homemade curd, you can prepare it up to two days in advance and refrigerate until ready to assemble. You can also whip the cream a few hours before assembly.
Store leftover icebox cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The cake will continue soften the longer it chills, but it’s still delicious.
Other lemon recipes you might enjoy:
Lemon Posset
Lemon Daisy Slice and Bake Cookies
Lavender Lemon Cookies
Lemon Curd
Lemon Drops Candy
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Lemon Icebox Cake
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 9 slices 1x
Description
A light and refreshing no-bake icebox cake made with cookies, lemon curd, whipped cream, and fresh lemon zest.
Ingredients
400 grams lemon curd (about 1 1/4 cups)
450 milliliters whipping cream (2 cups)
10 grams confectioner’s sugar (1 tablespoon)
4 grams lemon zest (2 teaspoons), plus more to garnish
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
40 shortbread fingers or rich tea biscuits, about 1x3 inches in size
Fresh berries or lemon slices, to garnish
Instructions
Line an 8×8-inch square tin with parchment, allowing a 1-inch overhang on all sides.
In a small bowl, whisk the lemon curd until smooth and creamy. Transfer 75 grams (1/4 cup) to a separate bowl.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Mix in the confectioner’s sugar, followed by the lemon zest and vanilla bean paste.
Gently fold 100 grams (1 cup) of the cream into the smaller bowl of lemon curd.
With a rubber spatula or small stepped palette knife, spread a thin layer of the plain whipped cream across the bottom of the prepared tin.
Arrange two rows of biscuits on top of the whipped cream.
Spread the lemon curd-whipped cream mixture over top of the biscuits.
Top with two more rows of biscuits.
Spread with the remaining lemon curd.
Top with two more rows of biscuits.
Spread with a layer of whipped cream.
Top with two more rows of biscuits.
Spread with the remaining whipped cream.
Cover with a sheet of clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight. Before serving, sprinkle with lemon zest.
Using the edges of the parchment as ‘handles,’ carefully lift the cake from the tin.
With a sharp chef’s knife, cut into squares.
Garnish slices with lemon slices, herbs, fresh berries, edible flowers, or other toppings as desired.
Store leftover icebox cake in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chilling Time: 4 hours
- Category: Cakes
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: Desserts
What’s an icebox?
An early version of the refrigerator.