Strawberry Cream Cheese Icebox Cake is an easy to make no-bake dessert that combines creamy filling with sweet strawberries and graham crackers to make a cool refreshing dessert that is great to make on a hot day or any time you need a last minute dessert. It is a very easy and yet flavorful recipe that does not need an oven.
In order to prepare this delicious dessert, you have to begin with your strawberries. Wash and dry 2 pounds of fresh strawberries, cut off the tops and cut them into 1/4-inch slices. Put aside the slices. Place a single layer of graham crackers in a 13×9 inch baking dish (3-quart capacity) breaking them to make them fit evenly.
Put one 8-ounce package of cream cheese (at room temperature) and one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the mixture using an electric mixer until it turns smooth and creamy. After mixing, add two 3.4-ounce packages of instant cheesecake-flavored pudding mix to it and 3 cups of milk. Keep on beating at low speed 4 to 5 minutes, or until mixture thickens a bit. Next, fold in lightly 2 cups of the whipped topping of a 12-ounce container until the filling is smooth and well-blended.
Pour half of the mixture of cream cheese over the graham crackers in your dish and spread it out. Slice strawberries on top of the cream mixture in one even layer. Place another layer of graham crackers on the strawberries and then the remaining filling of the cream cheese. Spread it over with a spatula. Complete the assembly by placing the remaining slices of the strawberries on top of the cream layer.
Place the dish with plastic wrap or lid and refrigerate the cake at least 6 to 8 hours, or overnight. This resting period is to enable the graham crackers to take the moisture of the filling and become soft like a cake.
Pour the remaining whipped topping on the top of the dessert just before serving. To top it off, use any remaining graham crackers and crush them up and sprinkle the crumbs over the whipped topping to give it a little crunch and look. Serve cold and relish the fresh, creamy and fruity layers that make this Strawberry Cream Cheese Icebox Cake a favorite with the crowd.
The dessert is simple to make, and it is versatile. You may substitute it with other berries or flavored pudding, although the traditional strawberries, cheesecake pudding, and whipped cream are difficult to resist. It is light, refreshing and decadent, a great make-ahead dessert to serve at a party, birthday, or simply a sweet finish to any day.