Refreshing Blueberry Lemon Icebox Cake
A cool, light, and easy no-bake dessert featuring layers of silky lemon cream, fresh blueberries, and crisp wafer cookies that soften overnight into a melt-in-your-mouth treat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 200 grams (7 oz) wafer cookies (vanilla or lemon-flavored)
- 2 cups (300 grams) fresh blueberries, washed and dried
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream, chilled (or full-fat coconut cream for dairy-free)
- ⅓ cup (40 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (from about 1 large lemon), finely grated
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 4 ounces (115 grams) cream cheese, softened (or dairy-free cream cheese)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Lemon Cream: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth (about 2 minutes with a hand mixer). Add powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until fully combined and thick but spreadable.
- Whip the Cream: In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream until medium-stiff peaks form (about 3-5 minutes). Gently fold the whipped cream into the lemon-cream cheese mixture using a spatula, folding carefully to keep it light and airy.
- Assemble the Cake: Spread a thin layer of lemon cream on the bottom of a 9×9-inch baking dish. Place a single layer of wafer cookies over the cream, breaking pieces if necessary to fill gaps. Spread another layer of lemon cream over the wafers, then scatter a generous handful of fresh blueberries. Repeat layers (wafers, cream, blueberries) until ingredients are used or dish is filled, ending with a cream layer on top.
- Chill the Cake: Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, to allow wafers to soften and flavors to meld.
- Serve: Before serving, scatter extra fresh blueberries and a little lemon zest on top. Cut into squares or scoop with a spoon. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes if cream feels too stiff.
Notes
Avoid zesting the white pith of lemons to prevent bitterness. Whip cream to medium-stiff peaks for best texture. Fold whipped cream gently to keep mixture airy. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight for best results. Let sit at room temperature 10 minutes before serving if cream is too stiff. Variations include using coconut cream and dairy-free cream cheese for dairy-free option, mixing berries, or adding candied pecans for crunch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square (approx. 1/
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 16
- Sodium: 120
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: blueberry lemon icebox cake, no-bake dessert, summer dessert, easy icebox cake, lemon cream dessert, blueberry dessert, layered dessert