This creamy, dreamy conglomeration of a strawberry banana pudding cake is one of my summer faves. Not only because of the scrumptious taste, but because “no-bake” part of this soft and scrumptious No Bake Strawberry Banana Icebox Cake is almost as delicious as the cake itself.
What is an Icebox cake?
Icebox cake recipes date back to when refrigerators were called iceboxes (because that’s what they were – my grandma had one!) and they all involve pairing some kind of cookie with some kind of cream or pudding (and in this case, lots of fruit) and popping it into the fridge for a few hours until everything is soft and kind of smooshed together in the most delicious way possible.
In other words, instead of the oven baking things up into one delicious cake, the cold temperature of the fridge does the same thing. Oh happy summer day!
This icebox cake takes advantage of the glorious local strawberries that are starting to pop up all around us, and if you want to know more about how to pick out, store and prep these sweet berries, here’s a handy strawberry guide for you!
Now on to some tasty strawberry banana graham cracker dessert heaven!
Ingredients You Need for No Bake Strawberry Banana Icebox Cake!
Here’s How To Make No Bake Strawberry Banana Icebox Cake!
STEP 1: Prepare a 5.1 ounce box of vanilla instant pudding according to package directions and set aside.
STEP 2: Line an 8×8 baking pan with plastic wrap, letting the wrap extend out over the sides of the pan.
STEP 3: Put 9 graham crackers squares in a single layer of the pan (don’t worry if they don’t totally cover the bottom)
STEP 4: Spread 1/3 of the pudding over the graham crackers. If you have one, an offset spatula works great for this!
STEP 5: Put a single layer of sliced strawberries over the custard, then a layer of sliced banana.
STEP 6: Add another layer of graham crackers, then pudding, then strawberries, then banana. Spread the rest of the pudding on top of the bananas, then top with a final layer of graham crackers.
STEP 7: Take the extended edges of the plastic wrap and bring it up over the cake, give the whole thing a light smoosh, then pop it in the fridge for at least 3 hours (and overnight is fine too!)
STEP 8: When you are ready to serve it, lift the cake out using the edges of the plastic wrap as handles, and slide it on to a serving plate (I like to use a big spatula to help it along).
STEP 9: Spritz the top of the cake with whipped cream (Pro Tip: do the whipped cream garnish right before you serve it so it doesn’t melt), garnish with strawberries and serve it up!
More tips for making No Bake Strawberry Banana Icebox Cake!
Nope! I like to use the plain honey grahams, but cinnamon graham crackers would add that little bit of extra flavor to this cake.
It’s for making the instant vanilla pudding – and yes, if you want to use regular pudding you can do that too…just make sure it is fully set.
You sure can! Or any type of canned whipped cream that you like best. This is one flexible recipe!
Last of all I can say with one million percent certainty that it is the Southern husband’s favorite dessert recipe at the moment.
As in, I’ve caught him eating the leftovers for breakfast. I’d say that’s the sign of a sure-fire dessert hit!
No Bake Strawberry Banana Icebox Cake
Prep Time: 15 minutes- Cooling Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
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Pin RecipeDescription
This no bake strawberry banana icebox cake is a perfect summer dessert! Fresh fruit and pudding melt into graham crackers for a soft and scrumptious flavor.
Ingredients
- One 5.1 ounce package instant vanilla pudding
- 3 cups milk (to make the pudding)
- 27 graham cracker squares
- 3 large bananas, peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 pint strawberries, sliced, plus a few extra for garnish
- Canned whipped cream for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the pudding according to package directions and set aside.
- Line an 8×8 baking pan with plastic wrap, letting the wrap extend out over the sides of the pan.
- Put 9 of the graham crackers in a single layer of the pan (don’t worry if they don’t totally cover the bottom)
- Spread 1/3 of the pudding over the graham crackers. If you have one, an offset spatula works great for this!
- Put a single layer of sliced strawberries over the custard, then a layer of sliced banana.
- Add another layer of graham crackers, then pudding, then strawberries, then banana.
- Spread the rest of the pudding on top of the bananas, then top with a final layer of graham crackers.
- Take the extended edges of the plastic wrap and bring it up over the cake, give the whole thing a light smoosh, then pop it in the fridge for at least 3 hours (and overnight is fine too!)
- When you are ready to serve it, lift the cake out using the edges of the plastic wrap as handles, and slide it on to a serving plate (I like to use a big spatula to help it along).
- Spritz the top of the cake with whipped cream, garnish with strawberries and serve it up!
Notes
Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are some of the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to help cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying (without any extra cost to you)! Thanks for using them to keep our kitchen cooking…xoxo!
OTHER EASY CAKE RECIPES WE LOVE!
 This classic dessert recipe comes together with just four ingredients and no baking! Oreo Icebox Cake is destined to be a family favorite. |
 This simple recipe for a warm and buttery cinnamon sugar snack cake is the perfect sweet and easy baked treat! |
 Jam cake is the love child of crumb cake and jam in this easy and delicious coffee cake recipe. It’s also a great way to use up leftover jam! |
Do you need to use lemon juice on the bananas to keep them from browning ?
Hi Nancy, and that is a great question! I don’t, because the bananas are so covered with pudding and graham crackers and strawberries that you really only see the edges of them. But of course you can if you want to! :)
Thanks 😊 I can’t wait to make this . Strawberries will be ripe here in Maine in a few weeks . Keep those wonderful recipes coming .
Strawberry season is the best! They’ve been out for more than a month now in North Carolina. Thank you for your kind words!