The Magic Behind This Dessert
This delightful icebox cake combines the zesty flavors of lemon curd, airy Italian meringue, and crunchy crackers to evoke the essence of a traditional lemon meringue pie. By allowing the cake to chill for at least six hours, you give the crackers ample time to absorb moisture and soften perfectly. The use of salty Ritz crackers adds a unique salty-sweet twist that elevates this dessert.
A few years back, I was introduced to Bill Smith’s Atlantic Beach pie by a friend. This nostalgic dessert reflects Smith’s childhood summers in North Carolina and features a buttery saltine crust filled with tangy condensed milk and lemon juice, topped with fluffy whipped cream. It captures the essence of summer days spent at the beach in every bite. That unforgettable first taste inspired me to recreate it each summer—and now I’ve developed an icebox cake recipe that pays homage to this classic.
While my version draws inspiration from both Smith’s pie and traditional lemon meringue pie, there are some notable differences. Instead of using crushed Saltines for the crust as Smith does, I prefer Ritz crackers for their rich flavor—eliminating the need for extra butter. Rather than mixing lemon juice with condensed milk and egg yolks for filling, I layer in luscious lemon curd (which can be homemade or store-bought) along with whipped cream. To finish it off, I top it all with a beautifully torched Italian meringue.
The best part? No baking is required! Simply layer your ingredients in a loaf pan, refrigerate overnight before your gathering, and voilà! Your dessert will be ready by morning—just unmold it and toast up that meringue using a kitchen torch. Like my favorite citrus desserts, this icebox cake strikes an ideal balance between tanginess from the lemons and sweetness from whipped cream.
7 Essential Tips for Crafting Your Lemon Icebox Cake
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Make Fresh Lemon Curd: While store-bought options are convenient, crafting your own allows you to control sweetness levels better. My method involves rubbing sugar into fresh lemon zest before cooking; this enhances flavor by releasing aromatic oils.
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Prepare Your Loaf Pan: Line your loaf pan with plastic wrap before assembling your cake; ensure there’s enough overhang so you can easily lift out your creation later on.
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Choose Savory Crackers: For that perfect salty-sweet contrast essential in desserts like these cakes or pies, opt for savory crackers like Ritz or saltines instead of sweet varieties such as sugar cookies or vanilla wafers.
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Let Refrigeration Work Its Magic: Chill your assembled cake for at least six hours; this allows time for flavors meld while softening those crunchy layers into something more akin to cake texture!
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Room Temperature Slicing: After freezing briefly post-unmolding (about an hour), let it sit out at room temperature briefly before slicing—this helps enhance flavor without risking dental disasters!
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Opt For Italian Meringue Frosting: Though making Italian meringue may seem intricate—it offers superior stability compared to other types! If you’re short on time though feel free substitute marshmallow fluff instead!
7 . Perfectly Toasted Meringues With A Torch: Using blowtorches gives even browning without heating up entire cakes too much—but if lacking one simply bake under high heat until golden brown after frosting!
Lemon Icebox Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
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For The Cake - 1½ cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon superfine or granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups (18½ ounces) lemon curd (homemade/store-bought) – About 32 Ritz crackers (4½ ounces)
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For The Italian Meringue – Four large egg whites
- One cup granulated sugar – Half cup water
Instructions:
1 . Line a loaf pan measuring approximately nine inches by four inches with plastic wrap.
2 . In either stand mixer bowl fitted whisk attachment combine heavy cream,sugar &salt then whip until medium-stiff peaks form(around two minutes). Alternatively use hand mixer if preferred.
3 . Spread half cup whipped cream evenly across bottom then layer eight Ritz Crackers gently pressing down followed by another half-cup spoonfuls worth(100g)of preparedlemoncurd.Repeat layering three more times finishing off last layerwith remaining eightcrackersand thin coatingofwhippedcream.Cover tightlywithplasticwrap&refrigerateforatleastsixhoursorup24hoursifneeded.
4 . Prepare rimmed baking sheet lined foil while removing plastic wrapfromtopcake&invertingonto linedsheet.Gently peel away remainingplasticwrapthen transfertofreezeruntilfirmenoughslice(approx.onehour).
5 . Meanwhile prepareItalianmeringuebymixingeggwhiteslow speedinstandmixerwhileheatingwaterandsugarinsmall saucepan.Bring mixtureboiluntilsyrup reaches240°F(115°C).Once reached removeheat immediately! 6 . Increase mixer speed medium &continue whisking untilsoftpeaksform.Slowly drizzlehot syrupinto sidebowlwhilecontinuouslymixing.Increasehighspeedwhipuntilstiffpeaksform&mixturecoolsdowncompletely(~10minutes).
7.Removecakefromfreezer&frostentire surfaceusingflexible spatula.Torchmeringuesurfaceevenlygoldenbrownusingblowtorchorovenmethodifpreferred!
8.Liftcarefullyofffoiltransfercuttingboardusingchefknife sliceintoeightslices serve chilled enjoy deliciousness!!
Special Equipment Needed:
- Loaf pan
- Stand/hand mixer
- Flexible spatula
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Instant-read thermometer
- Blowtorch
Storage Tips:
Unfrosted versions can be made ahead frozen week prior serving day just follow steps above when ready serve.Sliced portions keep well wrapped tightly parchment paper stored freezer upto five days maximum!