Layers of cinnamon graham crackers, lemon yogurt mousse, and blueberry compote set up in the fridge for the most perfect, light Lemon Blueberry Icebox Cake.
What is an icebox cake?
An icebox cake is a cake made up of layers of cookies and whipped cream that sit in the fridge (fridges used to be called iceboxes!). After 8-12 hours the cream soaks into the cookies softening them and in turn also thickening the cream which makes it stable enough to slice!
What can I use instead of blueberries?
You can use fresh or frozen blueberries but if you want to switch it up, any berry jam or fruit compote will work! I would suggest a raspberry blackberry jam or apricot compote as alternatives!
What cookies are best for an icebox cake?
Traditionally icebox cakes are usually made with graham crackers, oreos or nilla wafers. But you could also use thin chocolate chip cookies like tates cookies – ideally something dry that will absorb the moisture of the cream! I like to use cinnamon graham crackers for this cake because they add the best flavor!
Tips for making an icebox cake
- Make sure the blueberry jam or compote of your choice has cooled fully before assembling.
- Use yummy cookies! The more flavor and the more you like the cookies you use the better this will taste! I like to use Annie’s cinnamon graham crackers.
- If you’re using a hand mixer it will take a while to whip the cream with the yogurt, don’t give up, it will whip as long as you’re using unsweetened greek yogurt and cold heavy whipping cream.
- You can use basically any dish or bowl you want for this ice box cake! Some people like to flip the icebox cake upside down but for this one I think it’s nice to use parchment and lift it out! That being said if you want to flip it, start with a layer of the yogurt mousse and save a little blueberry compote for topping once you’ve flipped it out.
- Don’t rush the chilling time, it’s half about chilling and half about letting the moisture soak into the cookies and stabilize the cake.
Additional recipes to try!
Ingredients for Lemon Blueberry Icebox Cake
- Blueberries: Fresh or frozen blueberries will work for this! You can also sub other berries or homemade fruit compotes.
- Sugar: This recipe uses granulated sugar in the jam and the yogurt cream.
- Lemon: Lemon juice is used in both the jam and the yogurt cream.
- Greek Yogurt: Full fat unsweetened greek yogurt is ideal for this yogurt cream. That being said an unsweetened skyr could be used too!
- Heavy Cream: Cold heavy whipping cream is used for the base of the yogurt cream! Make sure it is cold before whipping.
- Salt: A tiny bit fine sea salt is added to the yogurt cream.
- Vanilla: I like to use vanilla bean paste for the yogurt cream but vanilla extract will work too!
- Graham Crackers: I recommend Annie’s Graham crackers for this recipe but any graham crackers will work!
How to make Lemon Blueberry Icebox Cake?
Blueberry Jam
- In a medium pot, add in the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cover with a lid and cook over medium low heat.
- The goal here is for the blueberries to burst without burning. Once you hear the bubbling, about 75% of the blueberries should have burst, you can take the lid off.
- Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the bubbles no longer look thin and foamy and have changed into thick jammy looking bubbles. The time this takes will depend drastically on the pot, size of pot, and stove you have so it’s important to look at it!
- Once those jammy bubbles appear, turn the heat off and pour the jam into a 1/4 sheet pan or a shallow heat safe bowl to cool off.
Lemon Yogurt Cream
- Don’t start this until the blueberry jam has cooled! Ideally fridge cold but just room temperature works too.
- In a large mixing bowl add in the yogurt, cold heavy whipping cream, lemon zest, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Whip on high speed until lines are holding even when you stop whipping.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice and whip again until medium stiff peaks form- this means lines are holding and shapes hold somewhat but it’s not stiff stiff.
Assemble
- Line an 8″x8″ square pan (any pan will work, you’ll just need to adjust the amounts in each layer depending on the pan) with two rectangles of parchment that overlap on the bottom of the pan.
- The rectangles should act like slings and reach up past each side of the pan.
- Lay down a layer of graham crackers into the base of the pan. Feel free to break the graham crackers as needed for them to cover as much of the area as possible.
- Spoon about 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the lemon yogurt cream (about 1/4 of the cream) over the graham crackers – the layer should be about 1/2″ thick. Use a mini offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the cream into an even layer.
- Dollop the blueberry jam over the surface (about 1/4 of the total amount of jam), use the back of a spoon to gently spread it across the top. It’s ok if it mixes in a little with the yogurt cream.
- Add another layer of graham crackers and then repeat with the yogurt cream and jam. Keep layering until you’ve reached the top of the pan. This ended up being a total of four layers of each element.
- For the last layer of jam, I like to swirl it into the cream a little since this will be the final design but it’s totally up to you!
Chill & Serve
- Place the pan in the fridge for at least 6-8 hours, ideally overnight to allow it to set. Before serving either use the parchment to lift it out of the pan or simply slice and scoop straight from the pan. This can be kept covered in the fridge for a few days!
Lemon Blueberry Icebox Cake
Layers of cinnamon graham crackers, lemon yogurt mousse, and blueberry compote set up in the fridge for the most perfect, light Lemon Blueberry Icebox Cake.
Servings: 9
Equipment
- 8" x 8" square metal pan
Ingredients
Blueberry Jam
- 1020 grams blueberries
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 1/2 lemon juiced
Lemon Yogurt Cream
- 450 grams full fat greek yogurt cold
- 450 grams heavy whipping cream cold
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 lemon zested
- 85 grams lemon juice
Graham Crackers
- 272 grams graham crackers
Instructions
Blueberry Jam
- In a medium pot, add in the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cover with a lid and cook over medium low heat.
- The goal here is for the blueberries to burst without burning. Once you hear the bubbling, about 75% of the blueberries should have burst, you can take the lid off.
- Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the bubbles no longer look thin and foamy and have changed into thick jammy looking bubbles. The time this takes will depend drastically on the pot, size of pot, and stove you have so it's important to look at it!
- Once those jammy bubbles appear, turn the heat off and pour the jam into a 1/4 sheet pan or a shallow heat safe bowl to cool off.
Lemon Yogurt Cream
- Don't start this until the blueberry jam has cooled! Ideally fridge cold but just room temperature works too.
- In a large mixing bowl add in the yogurt, cold heavy whipping cream, lemon zest, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Whip on high speed until lines are holding even when you stop whipping.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice and whip again until medium stiff peaks form- this means lines are holding and shapes hold somewhat but it's not stiff stiff.
Assemble
- Line an 8"x8" square pan (any pan will work, you'll just need to adjust the amounts in each layer depending on the pan) with two rectangles of parchment that overlap on the bottom of the pan.
- The rectangles should act like slings and reach up past each side of the pan.
- Lay down a layer of graham crackers into the base of the pan. Feel free to break the graham crackers as needed for them to cover as much of the area as possible.
- Spoon about 3/4 cup to 1 cup of the lemon yogurt cream (about 1/4 of the cream) over the graham crackers – the layer should be about 1/2" thick. Use a mini offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the cream into an even layer.
- Dollop the blueberry jam over the surface (about 1/4 of the total amount of jam), use the back of a spoon to gently spread it across the top. It's ok if it mixes in a little with the yogurt cream.
- Add another layer of graham crackers and then repeat with the yogurt cream and jam. Keep layering until you've reached the top of the pan. This ended up being a total of four layers of each element.
- For the last layer of jam, I like to swirl it into the cream a little since this will be the final design but it's totally up to you!
Chill & Serve
- Place the pan in the fridge for at least 6-8 hours, ideally overnight to allow it to set. Before serving either use the parchment to lift it out of the pan or simply slice and scoop straight from the pan. This can be kept covered in the fridge for a few days!
Notes
Tips for making an icebox cake
- Make sure the blueberry jam or compote of your choice has cooled fully before assembling.
- Use yummy cookies! The more flavor and the more you like the cookies you use the better this will taste! I like to use Annie’s graham crackers.
- If you’re using a hand mixer it will take a while to whip the cream with the yogurt, don’t give up, it will whip as long as you’re using unsweetened greek yogurt and cold heavy whipping cream.
- You can use basically any dish or bowl you want for this ice box cake! Some people like to flip the icebox cake upside down but for this one I think it’s nice to use parchment and lift it out! That being said if you want to flip it, start with a layer of the yogurt mousse and save a little blueberry compote for topping once you’ve flipped it out.
- Don’t rush the chilling time, it’s half about chilling and half about letting the moisture soak into the cookies and stabilize the cake.
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