Description
Ina Garten’s lemon icebox cake combines creamy mascarpone, zesty lemons, and graham crackers in a chilled dessert that delights taste buds. Cool layers of tangy sweetness invite refreshment on warm summer days, promising pure culinary pleasure for you.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box graham crackers, 14.4 oz (408 g)
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, softened
- 8 oz (226 g) cool whip, 1 container
- 2 ½ cups (590 ml) milk
- 6.8 oz (193 g) instant lemon pudding mix, 2 boxes of 3.4 oz (96 g) instant pudding mix
- ½ cup (120 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 3 large lemons, or 4 medium lemons
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whip Cream Cheese: Use a hand mixer to transform cream cheese into a light, fluffy texture, creating a smooth base for the dessert.
- Blend Flavor Profile: Integrate lemon pudding powder, vanilla extract, and freshly squeezed lemon juice into the cream cheese, whisking until a bright, uniform yellow color emerges.
- Incorporate Liquid: Introduce whole milk gradually, stirring meticulously to prevent lumps and maintain a silky consistency.
- Fold Whipped Topping: Gently incorporate whipped topping using a rubber spatula, preserving the mixture’s delicate airiness.
- Layer Foundation: Spread a thin pudding base in a 9 x 13 inches casserole dish, creating a smooth foundation for the dessert’s structure.
- Construct Graham Cracker Grid: Arrange graham crackers in a complete layer, strategically breaking pieces to ensure full dish coverage.
- Build Layered Texture: Alternate graham cracker and pudding layers, generously drizzling and spreading pudding mixture to create a rich, creamy composition.
- Final Assembly: Complete the dessert with a smooth top layer of pudding mixture, ensuring an even, glossy surface.
- Chill and Set: Refrigerate overnight or freeze for 4 hours, allowing flavors to meld and texture to stabilize.
- Serve and Garnish: Remove from refrigerator, let soften for 15-20 minutes, then embellish with delicate lemon zest and vibrant raspberries for a stunning presentation.
Notes
- Chill for Perfect Texture: Refrigerate overnight or freeze for 4 hours to allow graham crackers to soften and absorb the creamy lemon mixture, creating a cake-like consistency.
- Layer with Precision: Break graham crackers carefully to create a complete, even coverage, ensuring each bite has a balanced ratio of cracker to pudding.
- Room Temperature Magic: Let the dessert sit for 15-20 minutes before serving to soften slightly, enhancing the cake’s creamy texture and making it easier to slice.
- Zest and Berry Finale: Sprinkle fresh lemon zest and raspberries just before serving to add a bright, tangy contrast and make the dessert visually stunning.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg