Strawberry Icebox Cake Only 3 Ingredients

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I love making no-bake desserts and desserts that don’t require a lot of ingredients. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind the more in-depth desserts, but sometimes it is fun to just make something that is quick and super easy, like this strawberry icebox cake.

If you love strawberries, and you love whipped topping and/or whipped cream, and you love graham crackers, you are going to love this 3-Ingredient strawberry icebox cake. Seriously this no-bake dessert is so incredibly easy to make. It is the perfect simple dessert to bring to parties and get-togethers.

The icebox cake, also known as refrigerator cake, is basically a trifle dessert, or layered dessert with fruit, cream, and something like graham crackers or thin flat cookies. There are so many variations that you can make, but my favorite has got to be this strawberry icebox cake.

Also, another thing I like about this dessert is that it has a surprisingly low-calorie count per serving. You don’t feel as guilty eating it. If I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Gather the Ingredients and Tools

In order to make this super simple strawberry icebox cake, you need just 3 ingredients and a handful of tools:

• Whipped Topping – I generally just use the generic brand of whipped topping, instead of buying the more expensive Cool Whip brand. You can also just buy heavy whipping cream and make your own sweetened whipped cream. It is totally up to you. I like the easy factor of the already prepared whipped topping.
• Fresh Strawberries – While this is a specific strawberry icebox cake, you can use other berries like raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries, if you desire.
• Graham Crackers – I generally use the classic graham crackers, but you can also use the chocolate or cinnamon graham crackers. Other things you can try are vanilla wafers, chocolate wafers, biscoff cookies, digestive biscuits, etc.

Tools

• 7×11 inch glass baking dish (although you can use whatever kind you want, and it doesn’t have to be glass)
• Spatula
• Knife
• Cutting board

Step 2: How to make a 3-Ingredient Strawberry Icebox Cake at home

There is nothing complicated about this 3-ingredient no-bake dessert. Essentially we are just going to be creating layers of the various ingredients.

Begin by rinsing and drying the strawberries. Then slice them up. You will need between 1 and 2 pounds of strawberries depending on the size of your dish and how packed with fruit you want your icebox cake.

NOTE: You DO NOT have to sweeten the strawberries with sugar, but you certainly can if you like.

Now spread a thin layer of whipped topping (or homemade sweetened whipped cream) on the bottom of your dish. Glass dishes are commonly used for this type of dessert, but you can use whatever rectangle or square dish that you want.

TIP: Other things you can add are any number of flavors of pudding. You could make some homemade chocolate or vanilla pudding and fold that into the whipped topping. Or any number of flavors of instant pudding.

Next lay down a layer of graham crackers. You can use any flavor of graham cracker that you want or, use any number of flat biscuits/cookies, etc.

NOTE: It is totally fine if the graham crackers crack on you, and most likely you will have smaller pieces on the bottom layer if your dish flares out a little bit on the sides which a lot of them do.

TIP: If you are using whipped topping/Cool Whip make sure to set it out at room temp for 20 to 30 minutes first, it will make it much easier to spread.

Step 3: Adding more layers of whipped topping and fruit and graham crackers

Now add another layer of whipped topping on top of the Graham crackers. You can make the cream layers as thick or thin as you want. The thicker the layer the easier it holds the next layer of graham crackers.

Next, using clean hands or wearing food prep gloves, add a layer of sliced strawberries or another choice of fruit/berries.

Add another layer of graham crackers on top of the strawberries. Then again, spread on a layer of whipped topping.

You may need to hold down the graham crackers as you spread so they don’t move. It all depends on how much cream is underneath.

If you use a thicker layer, the strawberries will press down in the cream and the cream will go around them and act like glue and hold the next layer of graham crackers in place. Or just hold them in place as you spread, totally up to you.

Then you guessed it, add another layer of sliced strawberries.

Step 4: Finishing the Strawberry Icebox Cake

And one more layer of each ingredient.

Again add the graham crackers.

NOTE: With a 7×11-inch dish like the green glass one that I use, the top and middle layer of graham crackers should be full sheets. Only the bottom layer will need to be broken up.

Spread on the last layer of whipped topping and add a final layer of fruit.

Super easy right?

Now cover it tightly with a piece of plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. This 3-Ingredient Strawberry Icebox cake actually tastes a little better the next day!

NOTE: If you are in a hurry, you can also freeze it for 2 hours. But I find it works a little better in the fridge for a longer period of time.

Once it has had time to chill you can serve it up. I usually cut it into 12 equal square servings about the size of one graham cracker square, but you can cut it however you like.

The longer the dessert sits in the fridge, the softer the graham crackers become.

Enjoy!

How long does a strawberry icebox cake last?

This delicious 3-Ingredient icebox cake will last 2 to 3 days in the fridge. However, I doubt it will last that long, it is so yummy. It can also be frozen for longer-term storage for a few months. Then just thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before you want to serve it.

Can I make this icebox cake gluten-free?

Sure! Just use your favorite gluten-free graham crackers. Something like these Pamela’s Honey Grahams will work awesome. Then you can use them for gluten-free s’mores as well.

Here are other recipes you may like:

No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

No-Bake Classic Cheesecake

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies No Bake

Homemade White Chocolate Only 3 Ingredients

3-Ingredient Fudge

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