Lemon Icebox Cake
Lemon icebox cake made with graham crackers, a whipped lemony cream cheese filling and homemade lemon curd!

Lemon flavored desserts are the GOAT (greatest of all time) and what makes this even better is that itโs no-bake, can use store bought or homemade lemon curd and takes just a few minutes to put together.
My family always goes crazy for these lemon cupcakes and this lemon icebox cake is right up there with those. Itโs also very similar to my lemon curd cake, which is one of my favorites!

Step-by-Step Photos
The lemon curd is definitely optional to make at home – a store bought works just fine as well but if I prefer the homemade version and mine is super easy to make so weโll start with that. Then use the lemon curd to make the whipped cream cheese filling and assemble it with graham crackers. Super simple, the hardest part is letting it chill in the fridge overnight lol.
Lemon Curd
- Combine the sugar, eggs, lemon juice & zest, butter and salt in a small nonstick or enameled (NOT metal) saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Whisk continuously until it thickens and reaches about 170F (77C), about 5 minutes. The curd should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.ย
- While itโs still hot, press the curd through a sieve into another bowl/jar, cover it and allow it to cool completely to room temperature. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.ย







Lemon Cream Cheese Filling
- Beat the cream cheese until itโs smooth and creamy.ย
- Add the sugar and vanilla, and beat again until itโs smooth and creamy.ย
- Mix in the lemon curd, just until itโs combined.
- Add the heavy whipping cream and beat at full speed, until the cream thickens and holds some peaks.ย



Assemble
- Line an 8×8โ square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to easily remove them.ย
- Line the bottom of the pan with graham crackers.ย
- Spread a layer of lemon cream on top of the graham crackers – I do about the thickness of the graham crackers to keep the layers even.
- Drizzle some lemon curd on top and swirl it in.
- Repeat with the next 3 layers and spread the rest of the lemon cream on top and drizzle some more lemon curd on top.ย
- Top with more crushed graham crackers and lemon wedges.ย




PRO TIP: homemade lemon curd
I used to struggle a lot with lemon curd tasting metallic. I eliminated all use of metal in making lemon curd so I use a ceramic pan or a double boiler with a glass bowl and silicone whisk. I use a plastic sieve and rubber spatula.ย
But the biggest component I found is making sure not to overheat the lemon curd. Use a digital thermometer to make sure you donโt take the lemon curd past 170F (77C).

How To Store Icebox Cakes
This cake definitely needs to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese filling and the lemon curd so I recommend covering the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerating for about 4-5 days.
Freeze if itโs any longer than that. To freeze the cake, place slices in an airtight container and then place the container in a freezer bag, squeezing out all the excess air. Thaw in the fridge for several hours or overnight and serve cold.

If you have any questions, please comment down below โ those will get answered much quicker than email or through social media.
If youโve tried this, I would very much appreciate a star rating or review as well.
As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!
Love, B