• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Bake Offs
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • About
  • Work With Me
  • Nav Widget Area

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
The Pancake Princess

The Pancake Princess

A baking blog curating internet recipes.

You're here: Home > Pancake Princess > Cake

Funfetti Icebox Cake

by erika 5 Comments

Moving.

Moving is the worst. Heavy boxes and bedframes, unexpected sharp angles and things falling out of boxes, mattresses that almost but don’t quite fit into the back of your car, sweaty summer heat making your hair stick to your neck and your clothes stick to all the unflattering inches of your body, and, of course, the fatigue in your sore, long-unused moving muscles the day after.

(I’ve been moving. Can you tell?)

But–moving can also be the best, in a strange way. I got to hang out with my favorite group of people living in the same complex as me (well, not anymore, I guess) as they moved their entire life out the other day. Helping someone transport their life’s belongings one box at a time to the car, wrapping up dishes in plastic bags, and sitting on the ground surrounded by a year’s worth of magazines, half-folded tables and a debris of papers, laptops and odds and ends is a bonding experience.

Plus, you literally get to MOVE. Lifting all those heavy items and walking to and fro is like a workout in itself. And after a day of sitting in an office, I’m grateful for forced physical labor when I think about what I would have done otherwise (um, sit on my butt and watch Jane By Design, which, yes, is on ABC Family, which Lilly calls “the channel for home-schooled high schoolers who watch those shows to see what high school is like.”)

After all that moving in the sweltering heat, I think it’s only fair that you can have a piece of this icebox cake in return.

This cake is PUR-FECT hot weather cake. This contains exactly zero ice cream, but tastes like an ice cream cake. WIN!

Icy-cold layers of creamy pudding and cream that soak into layers of graham cracks that soften irresistably into cake-like chunks and get a little flaky in places that aren’t all the way soaked. It was hard to believe this could be so satisfying and non-boring with no chocolate whatsoever, but cake batter flavoring kicks the thing up a notch from plain vanilla, and the sprinkles–let’s be real. Nothing can be boring with sprinkles. Hello, eye candy. Apple of my eye. 

Notes

This cake has been bastardized from its probably lovely, creamy, fresh original self. And not in a good way, the way I planned–probably for the worst, in the name of convenience.

Sometime in the near future, I will be going with my original plan and replacing either the whipped cream or the pudding with some kind of Greek yogurt concoction, but when I originally made, it, I realized my yogurt was running low. And then I realized I didn’t want to experiment with swapping Greek yogurt frosting instead of whipped cream for SOMEONE ELSE’S BIRTHDAY CAKE (one of my friends who was moving).

Not. At. All. I also realized I had about an hour to prep the cake (not counting the extensive freezing time), and so making a half-hour pudding was hardly feasible. Suffice it to say, this is an icebox cake, lazy-person/in-a-rush style.

Oh yeah, and I don’t know if making cakes in a loaf pan makes it more ice box-y, but I also realized my boyfriend still had my loaf pan from the banana bread I baked. So mine was decidedly flat and less ice box-y. But still cold and sweet and looking all fancy with its flaky layers of graham and icy layers of pudding YUM!

Funfetti Icebox Cake, Easier 
Adapted from How Sweet It Is

makes one 9×13 sheet-style cake (or any other size pan. This is the max size pan I’d use for the amount of graham crackers listed below, however.)

2 14 oz. canisters whipped cream
1 14-ounce box of graham crackers
Sprinkles
1 batch cake batter pudding (recipe below)

Begin by making the cake batter pudding so it has ample time to cool. It’s great if you can make it ahead of time.

Line a 9×13 pan with plastic wrap that overlaps the edges and is long enough to help lift the cake from the pan.

Using one of your two canisters of whipped cream, spray a layer (about 1/2 inch thick) of whipped cream all along the bottom and sides of the pan. Place a layer of graham crackers on top (as many as you can fit), spread with whipped cream, top with sprinkles, then place another layer of grahams. Spread a layer (again, about 1/2 inch thick) of pudding over the grahams, then place another layer of grahams. Repeat until you reach the top, making sure to push whipped cream and pudding down the open sides, then end with a layer of whipped cream. Place in the freezer, freezing at least 4-6 hours, or overnight.

Remove from freezer and lift the cake out, flipping over onto a small pan or cutting board that will fit in the freezer. Spread whipped cream all over cake for a finishing presentation, then cover in sprinkles. Freeze for at least another 2 hours, or as long as needed. When ready, cut and serve immediately. Additionally you can just scoop it out of the pan and serve it in bowls. Keep in the freezer.

Cake Batter Pudding

1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup yellow cake mix (do NOT put more of this in, as I was tempted to do.  Your pudding will be enormously thick, not in a good way)
pinch of salt
3 cups cold milk (I used 2%)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together corn starch, sugar, cake mix, salt and milk until combined. Microwave for 3 minutes on high, stir, and microwave for 1 minute thereafter, stirring in between until thickened. Let cool completely before using.

Alternatively: you can use a smaller microwave-safe bowl (that’s all I had) and do this part in three batches, microwaving for 1 minute initially instead of 3 minutes. It will still be much faster than stirring constantly over the stove for 30 minutes!

FacebookTweetPin28

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Lianna

    March 14, 2013 at 9:07 pm

    wah I can’t see your pictures for some reason! regardless, your description pretty much makes up for it so i’m already daydreaming about making a cake like this that will almost trick my mind into thinking i’m eating an icecream cake, yummah!

    Reply
  2. rynnasaryonnah

    August 11, 2012 at 11:56 am

    I make something similar. It’s called Mango Float ans I think it’s much simpler. Start with a layer of crushed graham cookies or digestives mixed with a little butter so they stick together. Then pour a layer of cream and sweetened milk pre-mixed on top. Then top that with small cubes of mango. Start with the graham cookies again and you can repeat that as many times as you want. Freeze it for about two hours. Eat. It’s a big hit at work!

    Reply
    • ekwee

      August 13, 2012 at 9:06 am

      That sounds awesome! Reminds me of a frozen, no-bake cheesecake…except there’s no cream cheese. A frozen custard parfait? In any case, SOUNDS DELICIOUS!

      Thanks for following–I love your blog/writing as well!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Baking recipe curator and tester.

I’m here to give you confidence that you are finding the recipe that’s right for you.

I test recipes side-by-side and use a data-driven approach to analyze and rank the “best” recipes and put it all together for you.

Get to know me.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Subscribe to get the latest

Popular Now:

12 different cake cake slices Best Carrot Cake Bake Off
a slice of carrot cake with a fork on a white plate next to a window Pappas Family Carrot Cake Recipe
Best Lofthouse Cookie Copycat Recipe // The Pancake Princess Best Lofthouse Cookie Bake Off
Best Levain Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Bake Off
best lemon poppy seed muffin bake off Best Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Bake Off
Gingerbread Coffee Cake
Best Gingerbread Cookie Bake Off
Campfire Crunch Cookies

Instagram

Why do I use @whitelily flour in this carrot cake? Why do I use @whitelily flour in this carrot cake? The soft winter wheat has a lower protein content than other all-purpose flours which helps ensure a more delicate and tender cake crumb. #sponsored

You can find the recipe for this Truluck’s-inspired carrot cake with @whitelily flour, candied pecans and brown sugar caramel posted on my last reel! (The cake base is based on the winning recipe from the carrot cake bake off 🎉)

Let me know what other kinds of cake bake offs you’d like to see in the comments!
Carrot cake bake off is now live!! 🎉🎉🎉 th Carrot cake bake off is now live!! 🎉🎉🎉 this was a bake off where I felt weird about the rankings because mix ins were a huge confounding factor and everyone’s preferences were really wildly different and so when you’re looking at the rankings, please remember that they’re all fantastic recipes and I’d happily make them all again except for one!! (Looking at you, currants 😖)

Tap to see all the participating recipes 🥕🥕 and big thanks to @imperial_sugar for sponsoring this bake off!! Their consistent and high-quality pure cane sugar products always help ensure the creamiest of frostings and perfectly sweet cakes.

Let me know what you’re making for Easter! And if carrot cake is on the list, which recipe are you planning to try?!
Huge thanks to the Pappas family for sharing their Huge thanks to the Pappas family for sharing their incredible carrot cake recipe and converting me into a carrot cake fan! This was the only recipe in the carrot cake bake off that wasn’t published somewhere on the internet and with the Pappas’ permission, it’s now live on the blog (link in profile). And yes, the carrot cake bake off post is following close behind 🎉

A few notes:
- this recipe is very similar to the one from Silver Palate in case you’re familiar
- I strongly recommend you make the recipe as is, raisins and pineapple and all (and this is coming from a raisin hater!)
- No, having pineapple in this does not make it a hummingbird cake. Also, the pineapple is crushed so it’s fairly undetectable
- Thanks also to @m_cgraham for being an all-star neighbor and delivering this cake to me 🥕🥕
.
.
.
Also, I’m so curious to know: are you a loaded carrot cake fan (ie. all the nuts/fruit in your carrot cake) or a plain spice cake-esque carrot cake fan?? #carrotcake #carrotcakerecipe #cake
The Lofthouse copycat bake off is now live on the The Lofthouse copycat bake off is now live on the blog!! I am excited to share that we found a recipe that comes very very close to the original (but is, of course, way better in my opinion!)

Link is in my profile/story and let me know which cookie you’re most excited to try! Or if you’re baking something else fun this weekend!

A huge thank you to the sponsor of this bake off, @imperial_sugar!! Their sugar products are just hands down the best—I use them in every single bake off! #sponsored #pancakeprincessbakeoff
The Levain dark chocolate pb copycat cookie bake o The Levain dark chocolate pb copycat cookie bake off is live 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 since my handwriting is getting progressively tinier and hard to see, tap the photo to see all the participating bloggers/recipes 🤗 which do you think looks the best?

This was a hard bake off to judge because pretty much all the cookies tasted like a peanut butter brownie ie. SUPER DELICIOUS 😩 thanks to the bloggers for all the work that went into developing these incredible recipes!! #pancakeprincessbakeoff #bakeoff #levain #levainbakery #levaincookies #chocolate #chocolatelab #cookies #cookiesofinstagram
@THEPANCAKEPRINCESS

Footer

Back to Top
Bake Offs
Recipes
Travel
About
Work With Me

Subscribe to get the latest:

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

  • Best Carrot Cake Bake Off
  • Pappas Family Carrot Cake Recipe
  • Best Lofthouse Cookie Bake Off
  • Best Levain Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Bake Off
  • Best Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin Bake Off

Privacy Policy and Terms of Service · © Pancake Princess · Site by Meyne