Raspberry Lemonade Icebox Cake

This Raspberry Lemonade Icebox Cake is my idea of the perfect Summer dessert. It's a no bake recipe that is bursting with fresh Summer fruit flavors with layers of graham crackers, lemon cream cheese whipped cream, homemade raspberry compote and topped with swirls of homemade lemon curd and more raspberry sauce. You will love the bright tart flavors! This dessert is refreshing and not too sweet. I use my easy one pot lemon curd to make the filling and for topping. It is light, creamy and incredibly satisfying, and you can serve it chilled or keep it in the freezer for later. If you love this idea, try my S'mores Icebox Cake too!

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Easy no bake dessert - this is an easy recipe that you can prepare during the hot Summer months without having to turn on the oven.
• Make ahead recipe - you can make this cake up to 3 days in advance and store it in the fridge, or freeze it for up to 1 month for easy party planning.
• Homemade lemon curd filling - the filling is so delicious with a combination of cream cheese, homemade lemon curd and whipped cream.
• Not too sweet - the balance of flavors is perfect for Summer! It's tart and refreshing without a lot of sugar.
• 3-Ingredient Raspberry compote - the raspberry filling soaks into the graham crackers and makes this cake so delicious. It also turns the cream a beautiful pink color at the surface. You just need fresh or frozen raspberries, a bit of sugar and some corn starch to make this quick raspberry compote that is delicious on anything! Serve it over ice cream or in yogurt bowls with some granola for a delicious treat.

INGREDIENTS FOR RASPBERRY LEMONADE ICEBOX CAKE

Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• Graham Crackers - I love to use graham crackers for ice box cakes since they are square and neatly fit into an 8x8 inch pan. However, any crisp wafer or biscuit works for this recipe, such as Maria biscuits or digestive biscuits.
• Cream cheese - you'll need 1 block or 8 oz of cream cheese for this recipe and it should be soft enough that you can blend it, but it shouldn't be warm. You can also use whipped cream cheese and the results will be similar.
• Sugar - simple granulated sugar works great to keep the flavors clean and let the lemon and raspberry shine.
• Lemon curd - I make my easy one pot lemon curd for this recipe which is the perfect amount to make this icebox cake. You'll use about half for the filling and the rest for topping.
• Cream - you'll need whipping cream with 35% milkfat to whip up and fold into the cream cheese mixture to make a delicious fluff.
• Raspberries - you can use fresh or frozen raspberries to make the compote. Frozen berries are very convenient and I often use them for this application since they break down more readily.
• Corn starch - a little starch thickens up the raspberry compote to the perfect jammy, spreadable consistency.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Make the lemon curd. Prepare my Easy One Pot Lemon Curd according to this recipe here. Let it cool and chill thoroughly, then keep refrigerated until ready to use. You can prepare it up to 5 days in advance.
• STEP 2). Make the raspberry compote. Combine frozen raspberries, sugar and corn starch in a 1 quart saucepan and stir to combine over medium heat. Continue to heat until it comes to a simmer. The mixture will look soupy until it comes to a boil and the corn starch activates to thicken it. Continue to stir frequently until it begins to bubble and thicken, then once simmering, let it bubble for 15 seconds. Remove from heat, pour it into a clean bowl or mason jar, let it cool then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until thoroughly chilled. You can prepare this up to 1 week in advance.
• STEP 3). Make the lemon cream cheese filling. Place cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and use a hand mixer to mix for 30 seconds on low speed to help break it down, then continue mixing on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy without any lumps. Scrape down the sides and along the bottom of the bowl with a spatula several times as needed. Add lemon curd and mix it in with a spatula until evenly combined.
• STEP 4). Whip cream. Place cold cream in a medium bowl and use an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment) to whip it until it forms stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in three parts until combined.
• STEP 5). Assemble the cake. Place a layer of graham crackers into the base of your pan so that they fully cover the bottom (you may need to break apart a few squares to fit them nicely like a puzzle to evenly cover the base). Reserve about ¾ cup (180ml) of the lemon filling and set it aside. Spread half of the remaining filling over the graham crackers and use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. Place another layer of graham crackers over the filling. Reserve about 3 tablespoons (45ml) of the raspberry compote for topping and set it aside. Then, spread about half of the remaining raspberry compote over the graham crackers. Add the last half of lemon filling on top and spread it out evenly. Place the final layer of graham crackers on top and spread the last half of the raspberry compote on top. Finally, spread the reserved ¾ cup (180ml) of lemon filling on top of the raspberry layer. This is a thin layer so it's OK if the raspberry bleeds into the cream a bit. It will give the top a beautiful tie-dye look.
• STEP 6). Chill. Tightly wrap the pan with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours or until ready to serve.
• STEP 7). Decorate. When ready to serve, spoon little dollops of the remaining lemon curd randomly over the top layer of cream and swirl it in with the back of the spoon or an offset spatula. Do the same with the reserved raspberry compote then slice, serve and enjoy!

EXPERT TIPS

• Make the raspberry compote in advance. You can prepare it up to a week in advance and store it in the fridge in a sealed jar or container.
• Make the lemon curd ahead. You can also make the lemon curd up to 5 days in advance and store it in the fridge.
• Line all sides of the pan with parchment paper and leave at least 2 inches of overhang so you can easily lift it out and remove it from the pan after it chills.
• Chill for minimum 6 hours. Do not try to rush this step or the graham crackers will not have enough time to hydrate and soften which will make slicing a bit messy.
• Wipe the knife clean between each slice. This will remove any residue that would otherwise create drag and it helps make the slices look more neat and tidy.

RECIPE FAQ

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Raspberry Lemonade Icebox Cake

Christina Marsigliese, Food Scientist MSc.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Chill Time 6 hours hrs

Servings 9 servings

Ingredients

  

Lemon Cream Filling:

• 8 oz (227g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup (120ml) lemon curd
• 2 cups (475ml) 35% whipping cream

Raspberry Compote:

• 2 ½ cups (300g) fresh or frozen raspberries (do not thaw if using frozen berries)
• 3 tablespoon (40g) granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon (8g) cornstarch

For Assembling:

• 36 individual graham crackers squares
• ½ cup (120ml) lemon curd
• 3 tablespoon (45ml) raspberry compote

Instructions

 

• Make the lemon curd. Prepare my Easy One Pot Lemon Curd according to this recipe here. Let it cool and chill thoroughly, then keep refrigerated until ready to use. You can prepare it up to 5 days in advance.
• Make the raspberry compote. Combine frozen raspberries, sugar and corn starch in a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan and stir to combine over medium heat. Continue to heat until it comes to a simmer. The mixture will look soupy until it comes to a boil and the corn starch activates to thicken it. Continue to stir frequently until it begins to bubble and thicken, then once simmering, let it bubble for 15 seconds. Remove from heat, pour it into a clean bowl or mason jar, let it cool then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until thoroughly chilled. You can prepare this up to 1 week in advance.
• Make the lemon cream cheese filling. Place cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and use a hand mixer to mix for 30 seconds on low speed to help break it down, then continue mixing on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy without any lumps. Scrape down the sides and along the bottom of the bowl with a spatula several times as needed. Add lemon curd and mix it in with a spatula until evenly combined.
• Place cold cream in a medium bowl and use an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment) to whip it until it forms stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in three parts until combined.
• Assemble the cake. Place a layer of graham crackers into the base of your pan so that they fully cover the bottom (you may need to break apart a few squares to fit them nicely like a puzzle to evenly cover the base). Reserve about ¾ cup (180ml) of the lemon filling and set it aside. Spread half of the remaining filling over the graham crackers and use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. Place another layer of graham crackers over the filling. Reserve about 3 tablespoons (45ml) of the raspberry compote for topping and set it aside. Then, spread about half of the remaining raspberry compote over the graham crackers. Add the last half of lemon filling on top and spread it out evenly. Place the final layer of graham crackers on top and spread the last half of the raspberry compote on top. Finally, spread the reserved ¾ cup (180ml) of lemon filling on top of the raspberry layer. This is a thin layer so it's OK if the raspberry bleeds into the cream a bit. It will give the top a beautiful tie-dye look.
• Tightly wrap the pan with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours or until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, spoon little dollops of the remaining lemon curd randomly over the top layer of cream and swirl it in with the back of the spoon or an offset spatula. Do the same with the reserved raspberry compote then slice, serve and enjoy!