Strawberry Gingersnap Icebox Cake

By Melissa Clark

Published May 29, 2018

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour, plus chilling
Rating
4(1,528)
Comments
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Fluffy swirls of strawberry cream are layered with spicy gingersnaps in this summery, no-bake confection. The deep strawberry flavor comes through twice here: once in the mascarpone cream, which is whipped with berry purée, and in a scarlet topping spiked with lime zest and grated fresh ginger. We used Nabisco gingersnaps, but any brand should work, as could vanilla wafers. This cake is best made the day before you want to serve it, giving the gingersnaps a chance to soften into a luscious, soft cake.

Featured in: An Icebox Cake Casts Its Spell on Strawberries

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

  • 1 pound/455 grams strawberries

  • 12 ounces/340 grams mascarpone

  • ¼ cup/28 grams confectioners’ sugar, more as needed

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 ¼ teaspoons finely grated lime zest, more to taste

  • ½ teaspoon fresh lime juice, more to taste

  • 32 gingersnaps (about 8 ounces)

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  • ¾ teaspoon grated fresh ginger, more to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

34 grams carbs; 43 milligrams cholesterol; 309 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 18 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 1 gram fiber; 249 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein; 20 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Set aside half the strawberries, choosing the smallest, prettiest ones. They'll be used for serving. Hull the remaining berries.

  2. Step 2

    Using a blender or food processor, purée the hulled strawberries, then strain through a fine mesh strainer. You should have about ⅔ cup of purée.

  3. Step 3

    In the bowl of an electric mixer set on low speed, whisk together strawberry purée, mascarpone, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, ¾ teaspoon lime zest and the lime juice. Once the cream mixture is combined, but not fully whipped, taste and add more confectioners’ sugar if necessary (this will depend on how sweet your strawberries are). Whip to medium-stiff peaks.

  4. Step 4

    On a serving platter, lay 2 rows of 4 cookies (for a total of 8) in a rectangle. Spread ½ cup cream mixture over the cookies, spreading it to the edges. Top with another 8 cookies, and spread with another ½ cup cream. Repeat 2 more times, so you have 4 layers of cookies. Top with remaining cream, spreading it along the sides like frosting. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours, and preferably overnight.

  5. Step 5

    Half an hour before serving, hull and quarter remaining strawberries (cut them in eighths, if they’re large). Toss berries in a medium bowl with granulated sugar, remaining ½ teaspoon lime zest and the ginger. Let sit for at least 30 minutes, and up to 1 hour; they should release their juices, which will turn syrupy from the sugar. Taste and add more lime zest, ginger and a squeeze of lime juice, if you like.

  6. Step 6

    Just before serving, arrange strawberries on top of the cake and drizzle with accumulated syrupy juices. Serve at once, cutting cake into slices.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,528 user ratings
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Comments

Tucsonbabe

Make this in a cheesecake pan and put very thin slices of strawberry around the perimeter of the pan when you add the cream mixture. This is beautiful when unmolded and makes for a very elegant presentation. TJ's triple ginger snaps are wonderful in this.

Libby

Can you tell me the dimensions of the serving platter? This recipe looks yum and I would love to try it.

Martha Solomon

New York Times...... We miss the Meliisa Clark video series!! This and all her recipes are better watching and listening to her womderful humor and delivery!!

Bettina

This was an extremely rich dessert. I tried it out thinking it would be good for my Supper Club but after trying it I think not. Would be better with more rows of ginger snaps and less of the mascarpone filling.

cq

Outstandingly delicious. The lime and ginger is really good with the strawbs. I'd only heard of icebox cakes being made in a pan lined with cling-wrap and then un-molded, so I wasn't sure how this simple stacking technique would work - but it worked beautifully! You just have to be a little careful stacking - gently does it!

Easy recipe

I made the first one exactly like the recipe but it was a flop. The second time around, I used cream cheese instead of mascarpone. I used sugar free strawberry fruit spread instead of the actual strawberries. I used the actual strawberries in between the layers and on top. It was delicious. I don’t think the mascarpone was sweet enough. Also the strawberry preparation as provided, was too runny and ruined the whole presentation.

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