Grandma’s Icebox Cake
My grandma’s staple summer dessert – icebox cake with simple layers of graham crackers and vanilla pudding, topped with Cool Whip and graham cracker crumbs.
A couple of weekends ago, I was doing some cleaning up in the kitchen when all of a sudden I started craving my grandma’s icebox cake. The thought came crashing into my head like Super Grover flies into a scene on Sesame Street (this is life right now), and I couldn’t shake it, so I made it a few days later for our Sunday dinner and it totally tasted like I was sitting at my grandma’s house.
This icebox cake was one of her specialties for as long as I can remember, and from what I understand, something she had 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 excites you when you see it sitting on the table. 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.
This is a straight-up old-fashioned, classic icebox cake. I’ve made a ton of icebox cakes in the past, but this one is a total throwback to a simple graham cracker + pudding icebox cake. No crazy flavors, no fancy layers, nothing but graham crackers, vanilla pudding, and Cool Whip.
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One of the best things about this dessert is that you can make it with any flavors that tickle your fancy (or that you currently have in your pantry). We usually 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 (as well graham crackers!), you could go crazy with a lot of different options.
When I served this on Sunday and heard more than one person say, “it tastes just like Grandma’s,” my heart was full of joy.
One year ago: Copycat Pizza Hut Breadsticks
Four years ago: Frozen Brownie Sundae
Five years ago: Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Grandma's Icebox Cake
Ingredients
- 10.2 ounce (289.17 g) box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 6 cups (1.46 l) milk
- 14.4 ounce (408.23 g) box graham crackers (approximately)
- 8 ounce (226.8 g) container Cool Whip
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pudding mix with the milk for 2 minutes. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Line the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan with graham crackers (you may need to use halves or quarters to fill in spots).
- Spread half of the pudding over the layer of graham crackers. Add another layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding, then spread with the remaining pudding. Top with a final layer of graham crackers and spread the Cool Whip evenly over top. Crush 1 graham cracker into crumbs and sprinkle over the Cool Whip.
- Cover and refrigerate until cold and set, about 3 hours, or overnight. Leftovers should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- You may not use all of the graham crackers in the box, that's okay.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on February 10, 2010.
Looks delish. How do you cut the cake without making a mess? Serrated knife?
Happy birthday to your Grandma! I love how specific dishes can bring back so many memories.
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.
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”!!
Happy B-day to your grams. You’re pictures are great, that looks so decadent, I was expecting a much more intricate recipe.
Happy 90th Birthday to your Grandmother! :) The Icebox cake looks soooo delicious and the Pepperoni Rolls even more so! :)
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!
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!
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. :)
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.
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 :)
Well, happy birthday to Grandma! I wish I had some of this yummy cake right now!
oh and chocolate pudding!
we put bananas in our ice box cake.
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…
Genius, plain & simple.
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!
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!
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! :)
Yum!! This looks incredibly delicious!!
Happy Birthday to your Grandma! Yummy-looking cake.
This looks wonderful! happy birthday grandma! :)
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!
Happy 90th birthday to your grandma! :)
The cake looks simple and yummy!
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.
I hope your grandmother has a great birthday! Thank you for sharing this moment and this recipe with us.
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 :)
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!
It looks so simple and delish! Happy birthday to your grandma. :)
Happy Birthday Grandma!!!!!!!!!!!! your ice box cake looks so delicious. I am going to try this with my kids. They will love it.