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Blueberry-Lemon Icebox Cake

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Blueberry-Lemon Icebox Cake – the perfect summer dessert!

 

A platter of frozen icebox cake and a slice of cake on a plate with blueberry sauce in a jar

This is a wonderful frozen dessert you’ll be thrilled to serve your family or friends.

Our Blueberry-Lemon Icebox Cake is made with tender pound cake layered with fluffy lemon curd mascarpone cream and a fresh blueberry sauce. Slice this frozen icebox cake into thick pieces and dollop more blueberry sauce right on top.

We love a make-ahead dessert that’s easily sliced as needed, and this Blueberry-Lemon Icebox Cake is always needed at our house!

 

 

A frozen icebox cake with blueberry sauce on top

How to make Blueberry-Lemon Icebox Cake

1. First, start with a loaf pan pound cake:

Make a pound cake in a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or pick up your favorite store-bought pound cake. Trim all the dark edges off the cake.  Slice the cake either horizontally into three equal size pieces or into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Set aside until needed.

2. Next, make the blueberry sauce:

Using fresh or frozen blueberries, lemon juice and sugar, make a simple sauce on the stovetop. Set aside too cool and then refrigerate until needed.

3. Make the mascarpone cream:

Combine mascarpone cream, lemon zest and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Add the whipping cream and beat until medium stiff peaks form. Remove 1/3 of the cream to a sealed container and set aside. This will be used to frost the cake.

Fold in 1/2 cup of the lemon curd and set aside.

4. Assemble the icebox cake:

Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving extra long pieces hanging over the edges.

Build the icebox cake from the bottom up, freezing the cake for 10 minutes in between layers. This helps create beautiful clean layers for great visual appeal.

  • Place a layer of pound cake in the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread 1/4 of the lemon cream over the cake and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Pop the pan in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.

  • 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 and then spoon 1/3 of the remaining lemon cream over the curd. Smooth evenly with the back of a spoon and 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.

  • 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 and serve with dollops of blueberry sauce.

 

A slice of blueberry lemon icebox cake with blueberry sauce on top

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. Freezing between layers makes the final product much prettier and a little more tidy when sliced.

 

A platter with slices of icebox cake and a spatula

Icebox cakes are really 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.

 

A jar of homemade blueberry sauce with a spoon

Can you use store-bought ingredients instead of homemade for this Blueberry-Lemon Icebox Cake?

Yes you can! 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.

 

Thanks for PINNING!

A platter of sliced blueberry and lemon icebox cake drizzled with additional blueberry sauce

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5 from 2 votes

Blueberry-Lemon Icebox Cake

Prep Time: 1 hr
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 1 d 1 hr 30 mins
Yield: 10 servings
Course: Dessert, Frozen Treat
Author: Tricia
PRINT RECIPE
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 all summer long!

Ingredients

For the blueberry sauce:

  • 3 cups fresh blueberries plus ⅓ cup, divided
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • juice of ½ large lemon about 1 tablespoon

For the lemon cream:

  • 8 ounces mascarpone cheese room temperature
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • zest of 1 large lemon
  • 2 cups (16-ounces) heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup lemon curd divided (storebought or homemade)
  • 1 (9x5) pound cake, trim off the top, bottom and sides (save for another use)

Instructions

To make the blueberry sauce:

  • Combine 3 cups of fresh (or frozen) blueberries with ½ 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 ½ 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 ½-inch pieces removing the dark ends, and sides if desired for a prettier presentation. Set aside.

To prepare the lemon cream:

  • 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 ⅓ 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 ½ 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 ¼ 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 ½ 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 ¼ cup of the lemon curd over the blueberry sauce. Spoon ⅓ 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 ½ of the remaining lemon cream, ½ 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 ⅓ cup fresh blueberries into the remaining blueberry sauce and spoon over the cake.

Recipe Notes

  • 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:

     

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!

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

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49 Comments

  1. Mitzi says

    5 stars
    Made this for my mom’s birthday. It was so, so good! I’m going to make a deconstructed version into a Trifle this weekend because I loved it so much! I used my Vitamix to make homemade lemon curd (so easy!). I added a scant tbsp of cornstarch to the blueberry sauce to help it set up a bit more.

    reply to this comment >

  4. Andrea says

    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!

    reply to this comment >

  5. Anne says

    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. ?

    reply to this comment >

  8. 2 Sisters Recipes says

    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!

    reply to this comment >

  9. cheri says

    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.

    reply to this comment >

  12. Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners says

    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!

    reply to this comment >

  14. Monica says

    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.

    reply to this comment >

    • Tricia Buice says

      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!

      reply to this comment >

  20. monique says

    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:)

    reply to this comment >

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