This Retro No-Bake Dessert Is 100x Easier Than Making a Pie

2 weeks ago

Layered pinch graham crackers and pumpkin whipped cream, this no-bake dessert will impressment everyone this fall.

Serves8

Prep1 hr 15 minutes

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Head connected changeable of nan full icebox barroom pinch nan first portion trim and resting successful beforehand of it, connected a marble surface.

One of my astir favourite Southern desserts is an icebox cake. Having moved to Virginia from Bombay, my first relationship pinch an icebox cake, 16 immoderate years ago, is still very memorable. I was very confused by nan word “icebox” — aren’t cakes baked successful an oven? After learning precisely what it is (a barroom made pinch pre-made cookies, layered pinch a creamy filling, and group successful nan fridge to chill and group up), I was hooked.

Ever since, I’ve made hundreds of icebox cakes complete nan years, pinch galore different spins and iterations. This fall-inspired riff, made pinch pumpkin purée, is possibly my 2nd favourite (peppermint bark icebox barroom being nan first!). I emotion nan juxtaposition of nan lukewarm spices and cool textures. It’s besides beautiful forgiving. You don’t person to beryllium precise successful nan measurement you sandwich nan cookies and nan filling. The extremity consequence will ever beryllium delicious and stunning.

The graham crackers are store-bought and nan filling is accelerated to make. But nan champion part? You tin combine it a fewer days ahead! My favourite measurement to combine an icebox barroom is successful a loaf cookware lined pinch integrative wrap. Once chilled wholly it’s very elemental to flip nan barroom and easy propulsion it retired of nan pan. Cut nan barroom to uncover nan intricate layers of cookies and group will deliberation you spent hours and hours making this analyzable cake. But don’t interest your secret’s safe pinch me.

Credit: Photographer: Alex Lepe ; Food Stylist: Ben Weiner

Layered pinch graham crackers and pumpkin whipped cream, this no-bake dessert will impressment everyone this fall.

Ingredients

For nan pumpkin filling and cake:

2 1/4 cups
cold dense cream
1/3 cup
pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pastry filling)
1/4 cup
sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup
powdered sugar
1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon
ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon
pumpkin pastry spice
1/2 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon
almond extract (optional)
1 (14.4-ounce) container
graham crackers

For nan whipped pick topping:

2 cups
cold dense cream
1/4 cup
powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon
vanilla aliases almond extract
1/2 teaspoon
pumpkin pastry spice, positive much if desired

Make nan pumpkin filling and cake:

Place 2 1/4 cups acold dense cream,1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1/3 cup pumpkin purée, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 spoon vanilla extract, 1/2 spoon crushed cardamom, 1/2 spoon pumpkin pastry spice, 1/2 spoon crushed cinnamon, and 1/2 spoon almond extract successful nan vessel of a guidelines mixer (or ample vessel if utilizing an electrical manus mixer aliases whisking by hand). Beat pinch nan whisk attachment, starting astatine debased velocity and gradually going up to precocious speed, until soft peaks form, 2 to 5 minutes.
Assemble nan icebox cake: Line nan bottommost and each 4 sides of an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf cookware pinch integrative wrap, making judge to person astir 3 inches of overhang complete each 4 sides for easier removal of nan stiff cake. Spread 1/4-inch furniture of nan whipped pick substance (about 3/4 cup) onto nan bottommost of nan loaf pan.
Split 16 graham cracker sheets on nan lines into quarters. Spread astir 1/4-inch heavy furniture of nan whipped pick substance onto 2 pieces, past stack them connected apical of each other. Repeat until you person a stack of 9 crackers. Place nan stack vertically against a short extremity of nan loaf cookware (you should beryllium capable to spot each nan layers). Repeat pinch nan remaining crackers and filling until you person 7 stacks of crackers arranged side-by-side successful nan loaf pan. Dollop nan remaining filling complete nan crackers and dispersed into an moreover layer.
Fold nan excess overhanging integrative wrap complete to screen nan cake. Freeze for astatine slightest 5 hours, preferably overnight.

Make nan whipped pick topping:

When fresh to serve, grasp nan excess integrative wrap and region nan icebox barroom from nan loaf pan. Unwrap nan top, invert onto a serving plate, and region nan remaining integrative wrap.
Place 2 cups acold dense cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 spoon crushed cinnamon, 1/2 spoon vanilla aliases extract, and 1/2 spoon pumpkin pastry herb successful a clean, barren guidelines mixer vessel (or ample vessel if utilizing an electrical manus mixer aliases whisking by hand). Beat pinch nan whisk attachment connected mean velocity until mean peaks form, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
Dollop nan whipped pick complete nan icebox cake. Use an offset spatula aliases food weapon to evenly dispersed each complete nan sides and apical of nan cake, wholly covering nan cake. Use nan extremity of nan spatula aliases weapon to create peaks and swirls connected apical if desired. Dust nan apical pinch much pumpkin pastry herb if desired. Serve immediately. For nan cleanest slices, trim nan icebox barroom crosswise pinch a weapon tally nether basking h2o and wiped barren earlier each cut.