Icebox Cake
48 comments » 
Today is my Grandma’s 90th birthday, and I wanted to commemorate the occasion here on Brown Eyed Baker by sharing one of her recipes. My first inclination was to feature Pepperoni Bread, but that has already graced the screen here, plus I really wanted to share a dessert. (But please don’t overlook the pepperoni bread – I can devour multiple loaves in one day!) This icebox cake has been one of her specialties for as long as I can remember, and from what I understand, something she has been making since my mom was a little girl. It’s a very simple dessert with simple ingredients, but it’s one of those feel-good dishes that makes you giddy when you see it sitting on the table. And then years later, when you see it or taste it or think about it, it makes you feel warm and cozy inside. It really epitomizes the notion that food doesn’t always have to be fancy or made to impress, but it should make people feel comfortable.
One of the best things about this dessert is that you can make it with any flavor that tickles your fancy. We usually always had it either with all vanilla pudding or with one layer of chocolate and one layer of vanilla. With all of the new flavors abounding for instant pudding, you could go crazy with a lot of different options. You could even add layers of sliced fruit (bananas or strawberries would be great!), and include whipped topping for a bit more decadence. Feel free to use more pudding and add even more layers too!
Happy 90th Birthday to a truly wonderful woman who has seen so much in her life and has given so much to those around her!
Icebox Cake
Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes (active), 3 hours (inactive)
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients:
Graham crackers
2 boxes instant pudding (flavors of your choice)
Whipped topping (optional)Directions:
1. Prepare the instant pudding according to the package directions and set aside to thicken.
2. Line the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan with whole graham crackers. Break them in half if needed to fit.
3. Cover the graham crackers with half of the pudding. Add another layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding. Top with the rest of the pudding.
4. If desired, cover the top layer with whipped topping. Crush extra graham crackers on top, cover and refrigerate until cold and set, about 3 hours.
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Happy Birthday Grandma!!!!!!!!!!!! your ice box cake looks so delicious. I am going to try this with my kids. They will love it.
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It looks so simple and delish! Happy birthday to your grandma.
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Thanks for this simple and easy to prepare dessert with ingredients we have in the pantry. Wish Grandma a happy 90th, and many more to come. My grandmother is 99, and we’re hoping to celebrate her 100th this fall. They have seen and experienced so much in their lifetime!
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Happy Birthday to your grandma!!! I love how easy this dessert is to make; pudding and graham crackers are great together. You’ve made it look so elegant
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I hope your grandmother has a great birthday! Thank you for sharing this moment and this recipe with us.
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Its so nice that you are highlighting such a simple and classic recipe that has been in your family for many years. It is very easy to get caught up in searching for the newest, most extreme types of dessert these days, so its like a breath of fresh air to remember recipes of days gone by.
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Happy 90th birthday to your grandma!
The cake looks simple and yummy!
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Awww! How sweet! My mom always made this with chocolate. It never looked as pretty as yours! I never would have thought this was an icebox cake!
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This looks wonderful! happy birthday grandma!
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Happy Birthday to your Grandma! Yummy-looking cake.
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Yum!! This looks incredibly delicious!!
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Aw! Happy Birthday to your grandma! Mine turns 90 in a few months! Your grandmother knows a good cake to make, that is for sure!
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what a sweet homage to your gran! not only have you recognized what a lovely lady she is, but you’ve also shared a simple, versatile, and undoubtedly scrumptious recipe–thanks!
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I have a Weight Watchers recipe similar to this but it’s make with unsalted saltine crackers. It sounds even better with graham crackers!
Happy Birthday to your grandmother!
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Genius, plain & simple.
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Wow, I can’t believe how simple this is! I thought it was going to be complicated just by looking at the photo. I will be trying this-I love easy food that seems like a lot of work…
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we put bananas in our ice box cake.
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oh and chocolate pudding!
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Well, happy birthday to Grandma! I wish I had some of this yummy cake right now!
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Icebox cake is an all time favorite in our house and we make it with chocolate pudding, but usually each slice is so covered in whipped cream that you can’t even see it
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Happy Bday to your Grandma! I hope she was able to celebrate in a way that helped her remember all of the wonderful times of her life. this cake looks so simple and so delicious. i don’t think i’ve ever had icebox cake before, but i will definitely be making this the next time i need a simple, yet delicious dessert.
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Growing up, my family made a version of this called Eclair Cake: use French Vanilla pudding, make three layers [with the top being a cracker layer], and frost the top layer of graham crackers with chocolate frosting. Sooooo yummy.
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I’ve made a cake similar to this called chocolate eclair cake.
Graham crackers
layer of vanilla pudding
more graham crackers
another layer of vanilla pudding
more crackers
then a layer of chocolate pudding made with about half the milk it usually calls for. it turns out thicker, more like a frosting.
SO easy, but SO yummy!
I’ve also used chocolate graham crackers. YUM!
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Happy birthday to your grandmother! I know she’s a good woman because she is an Aquarius…like me! hahaha What a great looking cake!
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Happy 90th Birthday to your Grandmother!
The Icebox cake looks soooo delicious and the Pepperoni Rolls even more so! 
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Happy B-day to your grams. You’re pictures are great, that looks so decadent, I was expecting a much more intricate recipe.
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Happy Grandma,wish I could say it again to mine!! You Ladies are the reason we are here!! Super Icebox cake,you could add fruit in the first layer(banana,strawberry,cherry,or a cream cheese layer).Very wonderful,and easy to change up!! To me a recipe is a idea,what you can do with it,is really,how far your mind can go.I see 1500 choc chip cookies recipes,but this is “SUPER”!!
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Happy birthday!
What a flash back! I hadn’t had this in years. My family used chocolate and lemon layers with graham crackers between them. So simple, yet wonderful.
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Happy birthday to your Grandma! I love how specific dishes can bring back so many memories.
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Looks delish. How do you cut the cake without making a mess? Serrated knife?
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what an awesome recipe (thanks grandma). i love you one can get really creative with the flavors.
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holy moly, that looks amazing!
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Happy Birthday to your Grandma!!! I’ve never heard of this cake! So simple and pretty!!! Thanks for sharing it!
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happy birthday to your grandma!
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Hi Kim,
I actually just use a sharp sandwich knife (short chef’s knife). The key is just to make sure it has set in the fridge for a few hours and it will cut nice and clean. Enjoy!
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Wow, this remminds me of Southern babana pudding (minus the bananas). What a neat idea, and an easy dessert to make when you are rushed. Bookmarked!
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Oh…that would be BANANA, not BABAna….tee hee….
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Made this on the weekend and we loved it. So easy! thanks!
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My Grandma always makes icebox cake too! Usually chocolate and vanilla, and once and a while she would do a layer of bananas in it as well
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Happy belated BDay, nonni
My fave is Anna’s Ginger Thins with a blend of homemade custard and whipped cream. Yeah, homemade custard kinda belies the “modern convenience” of an icebox cake. But, the flavor can’t be beat. XD
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awe, thanks for the memory. my mom and favorite aunt made this icebox cake all the time.
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What size boxes of instant pudding do you use for this recipe?
Thank you…can’t wait to make it!
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Michelle on August 12th, 2011 at 9:13 pm
Hi Joni, The pudding boxes are 3.4 ounces each. Enjoy!
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I’ve just recently discovered your bog and love it!! This recipe brings back great memories of my grandma. Icebox cake was always served during the summer months at our house – grandma lived with us.
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I’ve never heard it called “Icebox Cake,” but my mother made something similar often when I was little, and I make it now as a dessert to take to pot-lucks and so on. Somebody else mentioned an “Eclair” version above; my mother’s take on this is Eclair Squares on steroids. She made it into a proper torte, with at least 5 layers each of graham crackers and vanilla pudding with whipped cream folded in (to make the consistency more like pastry creme). To top it off, she nukes chocolate frosting just a little to make it very easy to spread, then applies liberally to the top layer of graham crackers. So good!
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this is a great recipe to use for my diabetic friends: instead of the regular pudding and cookies i will use sugarfree cookies and puddingmix.. no topping is needed, if you use the thicker version of a matching pudding. love the idea, and i think my friends will love me too for finally having something they can have too..
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My Granparents made this, my mother made this and I have been making this for my children for many, many years. I actually just made it last week for my 35 year old son. One of our favorite traditions!
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