Easy No-Bake Creamy Strawberry Shortcake Icebox Cake Recipe for Summer Delight
A quick and easy no-bake dessert featuring layers of vanilla wafers, whipped cream with cream cheese, and fresh strawberries. Perfect for a light, refreshing summer treat.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups vanilla wafers (about 120 grams)
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream (360 ml), cold
- 4 ounces cream cheese (115 grams), softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (60 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes). Slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined.
- In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture using a spatula until light and airy.
- Rinse, hull, and slice the strawberries. Toss them lightly with lemon juice if using.
- In a 9×9-inch square baking dish or similar shallow dish, start with a single layer of vanilla wafers, covering the bottom completely.
- Spread about one-third of the creamy mixture evenly over the wafers.
- Scatter a layer of sliced strawberries over the cream.
- Repeat layers of wafers, cream, and strawberries, finishing with a final cream layer on top.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Slice into squares or scoop out generous spoonfuls to serve.
Notes
Use cold bowls and beaters for whipping cream to achieve soft peaks quickly. Fold whipped cream gently into cream cheese mixture to keep it airy. Chill the cake at least 4 hours or overnight for best texture. Use firm vanilla wafers to prevent sogginess. For gluten-free, replace wafers with almond flour crumbs or gluten-free cookies. For dairy-free, use coconut cream and vegan cream cheese.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1/9 of the cak
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
Keywords: no-bake, strawberry shortcake, icebox cake, summer dessert, easy dessert, creamy, vanilla wafers, fresh strawberries