Easy No-Bake Lemon Berry Icebox Cake
A quick and refreshing no-bake dessert featuring layers of graham crackers, creamy lemon filling, and fresh mixed berries. Perfect for summer gatherings and requires no oven.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 12–15 full sheets graham crackers
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 3/4 cup (90 g) powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (300 g) mixed berries (fresh or thawed frozen; strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries)
Instructions
- Prepare the lemon cream filling: Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Mix until creamy and fluffy. Adjust sweetness or lemon intensity to taste.
- Whip the heavy cream in a separate chilled bowl until soft peaks form, being careful not to overwhip.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the lemon cream mixture to keep it light and airy.
- Layer the cake: Spread a thin layer of lemon cream on the bottom of an 8×8-inch pan. Place a layer of graham crackers over the cream, breaking pieces to fill gaps. Add a layer of mixed berries, then spread more lemon cream on top. Repeat layers until ingredients are used, finishing with lemon cream and a scattering of berries on top.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the graham crackers to soften and flavors to meld.
- Serve chilled. Cut into squares with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts for clean slices.
Notes
Use softened cream cheese for smooth filling. Whip cream to soft peaks only to avoid graininess. Fold whipped cream gently into lemon mixture to keep it airy. Fresh lemon juice is preferred for brightness. Chill at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, for best texture. For crunch, add crushed nuts on top before serving. Frozen berries should be thawed and drained to avoid sogginess. Can substitute gluten-free crackers for gluten-free option and dairy-free cream cheese and coconut cream for dairy-free version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of c
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 14
- Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
Keywords: no-bake dessert, lemon berry cake, icebox cake, summer dessert, easy dessert, no oven cake, lemon cream, mixed berries