A Simple Lemon Blueberry Icebox Cake

Nothing says summer more than an ice box cake. Cool, refreshing and made with summer fruits, these desserts are simple to create. I found this recipe at Bon Appetit a few years ago and have always had good success with it. My mom used to make ice box cake, usually lemon, for church lunches. I like the addition of blueberries to this recipe. An ice box cake is really a story of assembly. Make sure you have a good non-stick loaf pan. If it's worn, chipped or warped-toss it. They are inexpensive and you want to use a well constructed one for this recipe. A loaf pan is also called a bread pan and it should be a basic part of your kitchen. They can be made from steel, aluminum or stoneware and can be found at almost every discount store for under $15. Just remember that this recipe is a mix and assemble project.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces mascarpone or plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, room temperature
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
• 2½ cups chilled heavy cream
• 1 cup homemade or store-bought lemon curd, divided
• 16 graham crackers, divided
• 1½ cups Blueberry–Chia Seed Jam, divided. Plain blueberry jam is acceptable.
• ⅓ cup fresh blueberries

Recipe Preparation

• Line a 9x5" loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving overhang on all sides. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat mascarpone, powdered sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low; gradually add cream. Increase speed to medium as mixture thickens; beat until medium peaks form. Transfer two-thirds of mascarpone mixture to another large bowl and fold in ½ cup lemon curd. Cover remaining mascarpone mixture; chill until ready to unmold and cover cake.
• Place a single layer of graham crackers over bottom of prepared pan, breaking as needed to fit. Using a small offset spatula, evenly spread a quarter of lemon cream over graham crackers. Dollop ½ cup jam over top, then gently spread evenly over lemon cream. Drizzle ¼ cup lemon curd over. Spoon a third of remaining lemon cream over curd and top with another layer of graham crackers. Repeat layering process with half of remaining lemon cream, ½ cup jam, and remaining lemon curd. Finish with a final layer of lemon cream, then graham crackers. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze at least 6 hours. Cover and chill remaining jam until ready to serve cake.
• Uncover cake and invert pan onto a platter. Using the plastic overhang to help you, unmold cake; peel off plastic. Spread top and sides of cake with reserved mascarpone mixture (if mixture looks a little loose, whisk until soft peaks form before using). Chill in freezer at least 15 minutes.
• Just before serving, mix blueberries into reserved jam and spoon over cake.

You can store this in your freezer for up to 3 weeks with no visible problems. Make sure to keep it covered and store in an airtight container if you have one. This is a dessert that just screams for ice cream!