Blueberry-Lemon Icebox Cake – tender pound cake layered between fluffy lemon curd mascarpone cream and a fresh blueberry sauce for a wonderful frozen dessert you’ll be thrilled to serve your guests.
And your guests will be thrilled too … especially if you slice it nice and thick, and glob another spoonful of the blueberry sauce right on top. I love a make-ahead dessert that is easily sliced as needed, and this Blueberry-Lemon Icebox Cake is needed at our house!
First of all … there are hard working men in my kitchen today. They’re not cooking but doing something so much more exciting. They’re laying a new tile floor. Over the last four months I’ve mentioned our kitchen renovation and hinted at the constant problems. If something could go wrong, it did. However, after a tremendous amount of perseverance, we have new cabinets, countertops, most of our appliances have been re-installed and today they’re laying the tile floor. I love our team and they’ve gone above and beyond when it comes to seeing this through.
With temperatures near 100 degrees here in Virginia today, I know our construction team will enjoy this cold and creamy dessert after working hard in my kitchen all day!
These guys are great taste-testers and I can’t wait to hear what they say about this one. Even though I like them both very much, I’m ready for them to be gone for good so I can get my house back, and especially my dishwasher! Oh how I’ve missed my dishwasher. I’m starting to feel like a food blogger without a kitchen. Even though my kitchen may be functional in a few days, there is still plenty of detail work to be done. It’s not over yet but prayers are being answered today!
Don’t be put-off by the layering and assembly of the icebox cake.
Once all the components are ready, it comes together easily. Take a little extra time to pop the cake in the freezer after adding each layer – if only for ten minutes or so. It will make the final product much prettier and a little more tidy when sliced.
Icebox cakes are so much fun to make. Most recipes include layers of your favorite ice cream, and I love those too!
However, there is something so refreshing about this lemon curd infused mascarpone cream. The cream freezes beautifully and once it rests at room temperature for a few minutes, it softens into a light and fluffy cloud of lemon, without melting into a puddle. Don’t get me wrong … I love a good ice cream puddle but on really hot days – this is perfect because it won’t melt completely.
If you don’t want to make homemade pound cake, no worries; buy a pre-made or frozen cake and slice it up.
Not into homemade blueberry sauce? Buy a good jar of blueberry jam … we won’t tell.
Never made easy homemade lemon curd? You can buy that too but don’t skip this homemade lemon mascarpone cream. With only 5 ingredients the cream mixes up in just a few minutes and really makes this dessert something special.
Lemons and blueberries are a classic combination for desserts and baked goods. Each layer of this Blueberry-Lemon Icebox Cake stands on it’s own but also blends together beautifully.
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- 3 cups fresh blueberries plus 1/3 cup, divided
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- juice of 1/2 a large lemon about 1 tablespoon
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- zest of 1 large lemon
- 2 cups (16-ounces) heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup store-bought or homemade lemon curd, divided
- 1 9x5 pound cake, trimmed of top, bottom and sides (saved for another use)
Combine 3 cups of fresh (or frozen) blueberries with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a deep saucepan. Heat on medium until the mixtures begins to boil. Reduce the heat slightly to maintain a simmer, and cook until the blueberries pop and the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and cook until the mixture is almost reduced by half (about 10 minutes.) You will need 1 1/2 cups of sauce. Remove from the heat and cool. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Keep the extra 1/3 cup of fresh blueberries ready - they are added at the end.)
- When ready to make the icebox cake, line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap making sure there is a lot of extra hangover on all sides. Set aside.
Prepare the pound cake by slicing into 1/2" pieces removing the dark ends, and sides if desired for a prettier presentation. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest. Blend until smooth. Turn the mixer on low and slowly add the whipping cream until it's incorporated and starting to thicken. Increase the speed to medium, then high, and beat until medium peaks form. It won't take long.
- Transfer 1/3 of the cream to a container with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate until needed. This will be used to "ice" the cake.
- Gently fold in 1/2 cup of lemon curd into the remaining mascarpone mixture. Now you're ready to assemble the icebox cake.
- Place a layer of pound cake in the bottom of the prepared pan, cutting to fit as needed. Spread 1/4 of the lemon cream over the cake and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface (place the remaining lemon cream in the refrigerator until needed again).
- Place the pan in the freezer for 5-10 minutes, then spoon 1/2 cup of the blueberry sauce in mounds over the lemon cream. Spread gently with a clean spoon to cover the cream. Place the pan back in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
- Drizzle 1/4 cup of the lemon curd over the blueberry sauce. Spoon 1/3 of the remaining lemon cream over the curd and smooth evenly with the back of a spoon. Top with another layer of pound cake.
- Repeat the process with 1/2 of the remaining lemon cream, 1/2 cup blueberry sauce, and the remaining lemon curd, freezing between layers as needed.
- Finish with a layer of lemon cream and a final layer of pound cake. The cake may extend over the top of the pan depending on how thick you cut the pound cake. This is where you need that extra long pieces of plastic wrap to come up and over the cake to hold it all in.
- Wrap the entire cake in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and invert the cake onto a serving platter. Peel off the plastic wrap and trim the sides of the cake with a knife, if desired, to make a straight edge.
- Spread the top and sides of the cake with the remaining mascarpone cream. If needed, whisk the cream until soft peaks form again.
- Place the iced cake in the freezer at least 15 minutes or until ready to serve.
- To serve, mix the 1/3 cup fresh blueberries into the remaining blueberry sauce and spoon over the cake.
The cake can be made two days ahead. Cover and keep frozen.
Mascarpone cream and the layering adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetit Magazine, July 2016
Blueberry sauce can be replaced with good quality blueberry jam.
Homemade lemon curd can be replaced with store-bought.
To make homemade pound cake - try our recipe found HERE.
You may have leftover pound cake depending on how thick it was sliced. Freeze for use in other recipes or as an add-in to ice cream.
Here are a few of my favorite products used for making this dessert. Click on the photos for more information:
The small print: If you decide to purchase something at Amazon after following my link, I receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog.
We love the combination of blueberry and lemon in just about everything like these Easy Blueberry Crumb Bars, and these delightful Lemon Blueberry Muffins with Crumble Topping. And don’t miss this classic Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake recipe too!
Here are a few more icebox cakes you might like!
- Pineapple Icebox Cake ~ from Brown Eyed Baker
- Icebox Tiramisu ~ from The View from Great Island
- Boston Cream Pie Ice Box Cake ~ from Dinner, Dishes and Desserts
- No Bake Pistachio Icebox Cake ~ from Spend With Pennies
- German Chocolate Icebox Cake ~ from A Dash of Sanity
Our temperatures are going to be crazy hot this weekend with 100+ degrees. These certainly are the dog days of summer and we are very thankful for air conditioning! Most of all I hope you have a wonderful weekend and thanks so much for stopping by!
Tricia
Summertime PERFECTION. I mean seriously, this is EXACTLY the kind of dessert I want on a super hot summer day. Cannot wait to try this out!
Thanks Bee! We LOVE this kind of dessert too. Enjoy and thanks for stopping by.
I made this as per your recipe with a homemade poundcake and store bought lemon curd (something I have always found hard to make). It was absolutely divine and earned rave reviews. Thanks for the great recipe!
Outstanding!!! Thanks so much for the feedback Andrea. I believe this dessert is worth the effort. Thanks again 😉
I made this over the weekend and it was DELICIOUS! Word of warning, though: if you buy a pre-made cake, make sure it’s 9×5. The BOX was 9×5, but the cake was 3×7. Made for a challenging assembly. 🙄
Great tip Anne – thank you so much for trying the recipe and for the feedback. All our readers appreciate hearing how the recipes go. Thanks again – you’re the best!
Gorgeous! This looks so amazing!
Thanks Eden – it is a favorite of ours!
It looks perfect Tricia, your photos are lovely! And wee Isabelle is just a cutie too 🙂
Thank you very much Sheena! Hope you’re having a wonderful summer.
Hello Tricia!
We have been MIA for a while and will be coming back soon. Just wanted to say HI! I made something similar to your fabulous Blueberry-Lemon Icebox Cake and haven’t had a moment to post it – BUT for sure YOURS is better than mine and can’t wait to try your recipe! Isabelle is gorgeous and we love her name! Congrats to you and your husband for initiating your own branch of your family tree!
Little Isabelle is a cute as a button. How nice to have your kitchen back after all the ups and downs. And what a wonderful way to celebrate than with this beautiful ice cream cake, you have done it again Tricia.
Love these kinds of dessert! So refreshing and fruity!
There aren’t enough adjectives to tell you how amazing this dessert looks! Bookmarked to try – this is totally up my alley.
Thanks Beth – I hope you love it as much as we do!
Oh, Isabelle is such a great name and she’s adorable! Time sure does go quickly!
I love berry desserts, Tricia, and this is an exceptional treat. I love pound cake too so I wish I was the one laying your tile today, lol. Although you wouldn’t want me laying it because there would be even more problems!
Love this deliciousness!
Hi Robyn! Thank you so much – and you don’t have to lay tile to eat at my house! Come on down 🙂
What a gorgeous little baby Isabelle is and bet she will love your heavenly icebox cake one day soon enough.
Have a beautiful week ahead Tricia.
🙂 Mandy xo
Aww thanks Mandy! Isabelle is a sweet baby – and I can’t wait to bake with her and brother Isaac! Hope you have a great week too 🙂
That is a beautiful icebox cake, Tricia, and so many great flavors in each bite. I love how you can make it as homemade as possible or take as many shortcuts as you like to put this together. I really can’t believe how much gorgeous food you are still churning out despite the major distraction of the kitchen renovation. I’m glad there’s been so much progress and I hope it continues and you will have a new and improved kitchen to settle back into very soon.
Thanks Monica! Each of these components are easy to make, then assemble the icebox cake. But in a pinch, anybody can get it together. Have a lovely week and thanks so much!
Absolutely beautiful and icebox cakes are perfect for this heat! So glad to hear your kitchen is finally coming together. The worst is definitely behind you now 🙂
Thanks Jennifer! I think I jinked our kitchen because after posting this they found two other problems that stopped all progress. Our house is such a mess 🙁 Heading to the laundry mat because they took out my washer and dryer! Ahhhhh! I just keep telling myself that we’ll get past this hurdle, then another, then another – oh well. At least we still have a house!
Isabelle is adorable! It doesn’t seem possible that she’s only a month old, she looks so grown up 😉 And your icebox cake is gorgeous, that blueberry lemon combo is unbeatable!
Thank you Sue! Hope you’re having a great weekend 🙂
What a cute little baby your granddaughter Isabelle is. Your cake looks so tempting . I hope every detail of your new kitchen turns out just right and pretty soon you get to enjoy it.
Thanks very much Gerlinde – unfortunately we ran into more trouble when removing the fixtures from the bathroom and laundry room. Nothing has gone well with this renovation! Hope you’re having a great weekend.
Beautiful Tricia! So happy your kitchen is starting to fall into place, that’s awesome. It’s funny how we take so much for granted!! That little Isabelle is absolutely precious. How blessed you are!
Thanks Chris! I know how much you enjoy your granddaughters too 🙂
This looks like the perfect treat for a hot day! Love the lemon and blueberry combo!
Thanks Karen – it is refreshing especially with the tart lemon curd – yummy!
Definitely pinning:)
I had clients that turned into friends that live in Palo Alto now..their daughter now 13..was maybe 4 when I worked with them the first time..Isobel is her name..Bella was her nickname:) I suggest it for you as she is BELLA:)
I love her dress and bow:)
Thank you Monique – pin away! I was thinking about calling her Izzy but I guess I’ll have to see what her mom says 🙂 She does look like a Bella!
so, so pretty. Don’t think i’ve ever made an ice box cake but this is most definitely on the list… just so pretty!
Thank you very, very much Dom. Hope you had a wonderful vacation!
Awww baby Isabelle!! This cake is absolutely beautiful, what a perfect way to showcase blueberries!
Thanks Sara! The blueberry sauce and lemon curd make for a very happy couple 🙂
Isabelle looks so lovely, sweet and beautiful!!!
All the gorgeous layers are just hard to resist…How wonderful!
Thanks Angie – Isabelle is a very good baby and so aware of everything. Such fun 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend!