Strawberry Shortcake Icebox Cake
Layers of fresh strawberry are sandwiched between moist pieces of vanilla sheet cake and left in the “icebox” or freezer to set overnight. Serve this easy to make, set it and forget it strawberry shortcake icebox cake when you are entertaining during the summer months. Served straight from the freezer, this chilly delight features fresh strawberries, baked cake and decadent, airy, sweet cream. This towering, layered cake is reminiscent of a layered ice cream cake combined with a classic strawberry shortcake recipe.
Preparing this strawberry icebox cake is easy and serving it is even easier. Simply remove it from the freezer, top with freshly whipped, sweetened cream and add a generous, heaping dose of sliced strawberries, sweetened with sugar. Tada! Perfectly at home on a Dessert table, as a Barbeque Dessert, or served as the Summer Party showstopper, this recipe is brimming with seasonal strawberries in every bite….. read the recipe below for instructions on how to mix this delightful take on strawberry shortcake up yourself!
Different Strawberry Fruit Fillings add Different Textures (and Flavors!) in This Fruit Filled, Frozen Dessert….
To make the strawberry jam, I simply passed the strawberries thru my food processor and gave them a quick turn on the stovetop with a couple spoonful’s of sugar.
For the creamy strawberry filled layer, I used homemade creme fraiche, sweetened with some sugar. Chopping the strawberries into tiny pieces was the key here to a nice, smooth texture (you don’t want the strawberry fruit to become icy) when the strawberry cake was served.
Fresh strawberries, locally sourced (and hand picked from a garden patch!) work the best in this recipe, but if strawberries aren’t in season, store bought produce if fine. I used store bought strawberries in my Upside Down Strawberry and Knotweed Cake, knotweed comes into season in early spring, strawberries early summer in the Hudson Valley and the results were delicious!
Whipped Cream Topping… A Take On A Classic Dessert
Every strawberry shortcake I have ever eaten has always been topped with decadent dollops of fluffy, white whipped cream. So I knew when creating this dessert, I wanted the filling to be as fruit filled ( I had to use up all of my freshly picked strawberries!) and creamy, with lots of freshly whipped, sweetened dairy as possible. Using creme fraiche (I used homemade, but store bought will work as well) results in a creamy, frozen custard dappled with fresh strawberries. Finishing the stacked strawberry cake with homemade whipped topping and heaping spoonful’s of sugared strawberry’s in their own syrup took it over the top!
3 Different Techniques I used to Incorporate Strawberries in this Layered Strawberry Shortcake Icebox Cake
- Cook and mash the strawberries for part of the filling, taming some of the bitterness.
- Slice the strawberries small and mix the fruit with a creamy, sweetened dairy base.
- Top the cake right before serving with freshly chopped strawberries, lightly sweetened and served in their own fruit juices .
Storing the Strawberry Shortcake icebox Cake
This kept in the freezer for several days before I removed it and served as a fitting end to a summer dinner. I would not refreeze this dessert, once the top of the cake is spread with whipped cream and the sliced strawberries. The strawberries are sliced large and the whipped cream will become to icy and grainy in the refreezing process. If you are not serving a crowd and want to try this recipe out, I would portion the pieces you are eating out and skip the finals steps, leaving the cake bare in the freezer until ready to use.
Strawberry Shortcake Icebox Dessert
Equipment
- 1 Springform Pan (tall) 8-9 inch diameter
- 2 Round Can Pans 8-9 inch diameter
Ingredients
- 1 box Yellow Cake Mix
- 2 Quarts Fresh Strawberries, Divided Save some strawberries for the garnish on top
- 1 Cup Sugar plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
- 1 Cup Creme Fraiche can be store bought or homemade
- 1 Cup Freshly Whipped Cream
Instructions
- Mix the yellow cake mix according to the manufacturers instructions. You can also use a homemade sponge cake recipe, or premade store bought cake. Just make sure you will have enough to fit into the tall 9 inch spring form pan.
- Pour the cake mix with 2/3 in 1 8-9 inch cake pan, and and the other 1/3 in the other 8-9 inch cake pan. Bake according to the manufactures instructions. Allow to cool completely before handling.
Strawberry Puree
- Remove tops from 1 quart fresh strawberries and save for another use. Chop the strawberries roughly.
- Place chopped strawberries in blender and blend until the strawberries are thoroughly blended into a fine fruit puree.
- Boil the fruit puree on stovetop with 1/2 cup sugar until thickened, 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
Chopped Strawberries with Creme Fraiche
- Using 1/2 quart of the strawberries, remove tops from berries and chop finely. The smaller the pieces, the better, so that they do not become icy when placed in the freezer.
- Mix strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar and creme fraiche together in a small bowl.
Assembling the Layered Strawberry Shortcake
- Line the springform pan with plastic wrap, making sure to overlap, and cover the bottom and sides of the pan, so that no filling leaks through. Leave 6 inches of plastic wrap overflowing from the top of the pan (this will be used later to cover the assembled layer cake).
- Slice the cake baked with 2/3 batter, (the larger of the two) in half.
- Layer the bottom of the sliced cake into the bottom of the springform pan. Make sure the edges of the cake fit snugly against the side of the plastic wrap in the spring form pan.
- Slather a generous spoonful of strawberry puree over bottom piece of cake, adding more as needed to cover the bottom piece.
- Lay the top of sliced piece of cake over strawberry puree, making sure to fit snugly into place.
- Next, spoon creme fraiche with strawberries over top, smoothing as you spread up to the edges of the plastic wrap in springform pan.
- Add the final cake (the smallest one) over the strawberry studded creme fraiche. Push the top cake down slightly and cover with extra flaps of plastic wrap. You can always place more plastic wrap over top if needed.
- Place strawberry shortcake in freezer for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days.
Serve Strawberry Shortcake Icebox Dessert
- Remove cake from freezer 15 minutes before serving. Pop springform collar open and remove. Slowly peel plastic wrap from edges and transfer cake to serving platter (if you are using one).
- Slice remaining strawberries and sprinkle with scant 1 tablespoon sugar. Mix into strawberries and set aside.
- Spoon whipped cream over top and drizzle with strawberries and fruit juices. Slice and Serve!
Looks so Delicious!!