Key Lime Icebox Cake
Made with layers of graham crackers, tangy lime pudding, and whipped topping, this chilled cake brings tropical flavors straight to your kitchen—no oven required.
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Zester or Microplane
- Spatula
- 8-inch Square Dish (Deep)
- Plastic Wrap or Lid
Ingredients
Filling & Topping
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 1 (3.4 oz) box instant French vanilla pudding mix (dry mix only)
- ¼ cup key lime juice (or regular lime juice as a substitute)
- 1¼ cups milk
- Zest from 2 small limes (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip, thawed and divided
Base & Garnishes
- 12 graham crackers (you may need a few more, depending on your pan)
- Optional toppings: green sprinkles, extra lime zest, lime wedges, or fresh berries
Instructions
Preparing the Key Lime Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat 4 ounces of softened cream cheese until light and fluffy—this usually takes about 1½ to 2 minutes. The goal here is to eliminate any lumps and create a creamy base for the pudding layer.
- Next, add the dry instant French vanilla pudding mix and ¼ cup key lime juice to the bowl. Mix until the ingredients are fully combined. Don’t worry if the mixture seems thick—that’s exactly what you want at this stage.
- Pour in the 1¼ cups milk slowly, mixing continuously until the texture smooths out into a thick pudding. Some small lumps are perfectly fine, but keep mixing until everything looks cohesive.
- Once the pudding mixture is ready, gently stir in the zest from 2 small limes to boost that fresh citrus aroma. Then, fold in half of the Cool Whip container. Be gentle—this helps keep the texture light and airy without deflating the whipped topping.
Assembling the Icebox Cake
- Spread about ¼ cup of the pudding mixture in a very thin layer on the bottom of your deep 8-inch square dish. This helps the first layer of graham crackers stick in place.
- Lay graham crackers over the pudding layer, breaking them as needed to create a flat, even base.
- Spread ⅓ of the remaining pudding mixture over the graham crackers. Repeat with another layer of graham crackers and another layer of pudding. Do this one more time so you have three layers of pudding and three layers of graham crackers total, ending with pudding on top.
- Spread the remaining half of the Cool Whip over the top as a fluffy final layer. Smooth it out with a spatula for a clean finish.