Easy Sourdough Icebox Cake Recipe {With Discard}
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My Easy Sourdough Icebox Cake Recipe {With Discard} is a no-bake, make-ahead perfect summer dessert layered with real whipped cream, rich cream cheese, ripe strawberries, and soft homemade sourdough graham crackers that soak up all that goodness overnight in the best way.
This sourdough discard recipe is a great way to use up extra starter while creating a cold, creamy dessert that tastes like cheesecake with half the effort. It is the best part of any potluck, BBQ, or special occasion, and pairs beautifully with other summer treats like my Sourdough Fruit Pizza or Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake.
Quick Look: Sourdough Icebox Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chill Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Servings: 9 slices
- Calories: ~445 kcals per slice (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: No bake
- Flavor Profile: Creamy, rich, and tangy with layers of whipped cream cheese, fresh berries, and sourdough graham crackers that soak up all the goodness overnight. Tastes like a no-bake cheesecake!
- Difficulty: Easy — Simple to assemble, no baking required, and made ahead for stress-free entertaining!
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Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Icebox Recipe
- No-bake and make-ahead friendly: The best part is you never turn on the oven. Assemble the layers, cover with plastic wrap, and let it chill overnight. Pull it out ready to slice and serve, making it ideal for busy days or special occasion gatherings. If you love cold, no-bake treats, my Sourdough Ice Cream Sandwiches are another crowd favorite.
- Tastes like cheesecake with simple ingredients: This ice box cake is creamy, tangy, and smooth with layers of fresh berries, real whipped cream, and graham crackers. The sourdough starter adds a slight tang and depth of flavor you will not find in a classic icebox cake. Just like my Sourdough Angel Food Cake, it delivers rich flavor with minimal fuss.
- Only a few ingredients needed: This recipe keeps it simple with just six simple ingredients. Making your own graham crackers and heavy cream whipped fresh is worth it for the best flavor and tender crumb.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
- Sourdough Graham Crackers– Store the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking to long-ferment the crackers. Be sure to roll the graham crackers out very thinly before baking. Graham crackers that are too thick can make this dessert feel way too heavy.
- Homemade Whipped Cream– All you need is VERY cold heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to make the perfectly light and delicious whipped cream.
- Cream Cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese, not the kind found in the tub. Be sure to allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature before whipping.
- Berries – I love the combination of fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, especially if you make this dessert for the 4th of July, perfectly patriotic! But you can pick and choose your favorites.
- Tip: Do not use frozen fruit, as they will release moisture while they thaw and make a mushy dessert. Thawed and dried frozen fruit won’t give the best texture either. Stick with fresh fruit when making this recipe.
- Vanilla Extra – It adds flavor to the whipped cream. I recommend using pure vanilla extract for the best taste in this no-bake dessert.
- Powdered Sugar – Sweetens the whipped cream and helps it whip up smooth and stable.
How to Make Sourdough Icebox Cake
- Prepare my Sourdough Graham Crackers recipe in advance to save yourself some time. I used sourdough starter discard, but you can also use an equal amount of active sourdough starter.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk together the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Place in a separate bowl.
- In the clean bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese. Then fold in all but 1 cup of the homemade whipped cream with a rubber spatula and set this aside.
- Spread a very thin layer of the whipped cream/cream cheese mixture on the bottom of a 9×9 pan. Arrange the sourdough graham crackers on top; break them if you need to to fit.
- Top with ½ of the whipped cream/cream cheese mixture, ½ of the berries and another layer of sourdough graham crackers.
- Repeat with another layer of the remaining whipped cream/cream cheese mixture, remaining berries and a final layer of sourdough graham crackers.
- Top with the reserved whipped cream, cover with aluminum foil and store in the fridge overnight.
- Before serving, garnish with more fresh berries, slice and enjoy!
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Roll your Homemade Sourdough Graham Crackers very thin before baking. Thick crackers will make the dessert feel heavy and will not soften properly overnight.
- Use VERY cold heavy cream straight from the fridge and whip it with a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. If you love homemade whipped cream on desserts, try it on my Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake too.
- Always use fresh strawberries and fresh berries rather than frozen. Frozen fruit releases moisture as it thaws and will make the layers mushy. For another berry-forward summer dessert, check out my Sourdough Berry Cobbler.
- Let the cream cheese come to room temperature before beating it. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps in the filling. If you enjoy creamy, tangy sourdough desserts, my Sourdough Vanilla Cake has a similar richness.
- Spread a very thin layer of the cream cheese mixture on the bottom of the pan before adding the first layer of crackers. This prevents the crackers from sticking. For another layered treat that is a lot of fun to assemble, try my Sourdough Fruit Pizza.
How to Store
After assembling the sourdough ice box cake, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil and put it in the fridge. Let it chill overnight to set. It’ll stay fresh for up to 48 hours. Keep it cold until serving, then add fresh berries to the top of the cake, slice, and enjoy.
Sourdough Icebox Cake FAQs
Absolutely. You can swap the berries for chopped peaches, nectarines, or even sliced bananas. A little lemon zest in the cream cheese gives it a nice citrusy pop. Just use the same layering method. If you love peaches in summer desserts, try my Sourdough Peach Cobbler.
You sure can. You will need around 13 to 14 full-size graham crackers to make 3 layers in a 9×9 pan. Just break them as needed to fit. Store-bought ones work fine, but they will soften more and will not have that same slightly tangy flavor you get from the homemade sourdough version. A great thing about sourdough crackers is they hold up better after sitting in the fridge overnight. I have a full recipe for Homemade Sourdough Graham Crackers if you want to make your own.
The no-bake icebox cake became popular in the 1920s and 1930s, when people used the icebox, the early version of a fridge, to chill desserts. They were one of the original no-bake dessert recipes, which meant no oven, no bake time, and way less fuss. The classic chocolate cake used Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafer and whipped cream. People still make them today with all kinds of spins, like lemon icebox cake, chocolate icebox cake, or this one made with sourdough graham crackers.
You can assemble it up to 48 hours in advance. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap or foil and store in the fridge. It actually tastes better after sitting overnight because the graham crackers soften into a cake-like texture. Before serving, add fresh berries to the top of the cake and slice. For another make-ahead summer dessert, check out my Sourdough Ice Cream Sandwiches.
If you tried this Sourdough Icebox Cake recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sourdough Icebox Cake Recipe
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Ingredients
- 600 grams heavy cream, cold 2 1/2 cups
- 50 grams powdered sugar 1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon
- 6 grams vanilla extract 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 226 grams full-fat cream cheese, softened 8 ounces
- 13-14 sourdough graham crackers (2.25 x 5 inches)
- 380 grams fresh berries, like chopped strawberries, blueberries and raspberries 2 cups
Instructions
- McKenna’s Notes: To rid of any confusion, this sourdough icebox cake consists of 3 layers of sourdough graham crackers, 2 layers of a whipped cream/cream cheese mixture, 2 layers of berries and 1 layer of whipped cream. I used about 4 ½ sourdough graham crackers (2.25 x 5 inch each) per layer. You may need to break them in order for them to fit properly.
- Prepare my Sourdough Graham Crackers recipe in advance.13-14 sourdough graham crackers
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk together the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Place this in a separate bowl.600 grams heavy cream, cold, 50 grams powdered sugar, 6 grams vanilla extract
- In the clean bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese. Fold in all but 1 cup of the homemade whipped cream with a rubber spatula until evenly combined. (The remaining 1 cup of whipped cream will be used as the “frosting” for this cake) Set aside.226 grams full-fat cream cheese, softened
- Assemble the cake: Spread a very thin layer of the whipped cream/cream cheese mixture, a few tablespoons, on the bottom of an ungreased 9×9 pan. This helps the sourdough graham crackers from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Arrange the sourdough graham crackers on top; break them if you need to fit.
- Spread ½ of the whipped cream/cream cheese mixture on top of the graham crackers, then top with ½ of the berries. Follow with another layer of sourdough graham crackers.380 grams fresh berries, like chopped strawberries, blueberries and raspberries
- Repeat this pattern again with the remaining whipped cream/cream cheese mixture, remaining berries and a final layer of sourdough graham crackers.
- For the final layer, spread the reserved cup of whipped cream over the sourdough graham crackers evenly with an offset spatula. Cover the sourdough icebox cake with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight or up to 48 hours.
- When ready to serve, garnish with more fresh berries, slice cold and enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Sourdough Graham Crackers– Store the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking to long-ferment the crackers. Be sure to roll the graham crackers out very thinly before baking. Graham crackers that are too thick can make this dessert feel way too heavy.
- Homemade Whipped Cream– All you need is VERY cold heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to make the perfectly light and delicious whipped cream.
- Cream Cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese, not the kind found in the tub. Be sure to allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature before whipping.
- Berries – I love the combination of fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, especially if you make this dessert for the 4th of July, perfectly patriotic! But you can pick and choose your favorites.
- Tip: Do not use frozen fruit, as they will release moisture while they thaw and make a mushy dessert. Thawed and dried frozen fruit won’t give the best texture either. Stick with fresh fruit when making this recipe.
- Vanilla Extra – It adds flavor to the whipped cream. I recommend using pure vanilla extract for the best taste in this no-bake dessert.
- Powdered Sugar – Sweetens the whipped cream and helps it whip up smooth and stable.
My family loved this sourdough dessert! Tasted almost like a cheesecake. Simple to make and so tasty.