Shop and Cook: S’mores Icebox Cake

When the summer heat won’t let up and all you want is something to cool you down, a sweet treat usually does the trick! And when that sweet is combined with flavors from a firepit favorite and doesn’t require any baking, you certainly have a winner.

We present to you, this easy and delectable s’mores icebox cake inspired by a recipe from Food 52. What makes it so easy? We modified our recipe for less prep, using instant pudding to save on time and avoid the stovetop. Ice box cakes in general are wonderfully simple in that there is typically no oven involved in their creation. All you need is a baking dish and a refrigerator to make the finished product that looks pretty similar to a regular cake, but with a lot less work (and sweating).

Shop

Just from its name, you could probably guess at least two of the ingredients needed for this s’mores cake – and you’d be right!  – but there are a few items you’ll need that aren’t necessarily synonymous with the quintessential summer sweet.

In order to create your icebox cake’s frosting and one of its layers, you’ll need 2 cups of heavy cream and four generous scoops of mascarpone along with a dash of vanilla extract. For the chocolate layer, you’re more than welcome to make your own chocolate pudding, but we couldn’t bear to turn on the stove, so we turned to Kozy Shack. The last two ingredients are, you guessed it, graham crackers and marshmallows. We chose mini marshmallows for our cake as they’re perfectly bite-sized for the filling layers, but feel free to use the large variety for the cake’s topping as a final touch.

Assemble

Start by lining your baking dish (an 8×8-inch square or loaf pan will work best) with plastic wrap, leaving the edges long on the sides. Set aside. Before you can start layering ingredients, you’ll need to whip up the frosting. Using a stand mixer or handheld, combine one cup of the heavy cream, a teaspoon of vanilla (or measure with your heart) and two heaping tablespoons of mascarpone until it becomes a spreadable consistency.

Build your layers in the following pattern inside the baking dish: graham crackers, mascarpone whipped cream, chocolate pudding, marshmallows. You’ll likely be able to repeat two or three times before ending with graham crackers last. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top and refrigerate the cake for at least eight hours or overnight.

Right before serving, whip the remaining cup of heavy cream and two tablespoons of mascarpone until it thickens to the same consistency as the filling. Remove the cake from the refrigerator, take off the plastic wrap on top and carefully invert the cake onto a serving dish before removing all remaining plastic wrap. Spread the freshly made mascarpone whipped cream over the top and all sides, covering the cake completely. Top your cake with more marshmallows and toast them with a kitchen torch for some added flair.

Ready to start (not) baking? You can find all the gadgets and accoutrements you’ll need to make this icebox cake for yourself in our curated shopping list below.

Will you be trying icebox cake this summer? Let us know in the comments!