13 Icebox Cake Recipes to Help You Chill Out

Icebox cakes are one of the greatest make-ahead desserts imaginable. What’s better than layers of whipped cream (or ice cream!), cake or cookies, and all your favorite toppings coalesced into a showstopping centerpiece? And from Memorial Day through Labor Day, this no-bake dessert has the bonus effect of keeping you cool. Wins all around.

Our favorite icebox cake recipes use store-bought ingredients and require little prep time. (Many don’t even require an electric mixer!) A few have a homemade cake or custard element. We have recipes that follow the classic formula of fresh berries, whipped cream, and vanilla wafers. Others, like a tiramisu-inspired version, take it up a notch with Kahlúa-soaked ladyfingers. If you’re in the mood for something even richer, our icebox-cake-adjacent recipes include a no-bake cheesecake with press-in crust as well as a cookie dough pie. And for all those summer birthdays, nothing beats a sprinkles-heavy ice cream cake.