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Icebox Cake is the no bake miracle your grandmother knew by heart, layers of graham crackers and fluffy pudding cream that melt together overnight into a sliceable cake, and when I made this coconut version on a hot July afternoon, the girls declared it better than ice cream. It is in the same beloved no bake family as our no bake cheesecake.
Fifteen minutes of layering, one overnight chill, and the refrigerator does every bit of the baking.
Icebox Cake Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 15 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 176kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Cool creamy coconut with soft cake like graham layers
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, even simpler than our sand pudding cups
Quick Answer
Whisk instant coconut cream pudding mix with cold whole milk for about a minute until it thickens, then fold in half of the whipped topping. Layer a 9×13 dish with graham crackers, spread a third of the pudding mixture on top, and repeat until you finish with a final graham cracker layer. Smooth the remaining whipped topping over the top, cover, and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. The crackers soften into tender cake layers, then top with toasted coconut and slice.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The overnight chill is the baking. As the cake rests, the graham crackers absorb moisture from the pudding cream and transform into soft, sliceable cake layers, no oven involved.
- Instant pudding gives foolproof structure. It thickens in one minute and holds the layers firmly, so every slice comes out clean instead of sliding apart.
- Folding in whipped topping lightens everything. Straight pudding would be dense, cutting it with whipped topping turns the filling into a fluffy mousse that eats like cream cake filling.
- Whole milk matters here. Instant pudding needs the fat in whole milk to set fully, skim or plant milks leave the layers loose and weepy.
- Toasted coconut goes on at the end. Adding it just before serving keeps the topping crunchy and aromatic against the cool creamy layers instead of softening overnight.
- A glass dish is the pro move. You can see the layers as you build and serve, and the crackers do not react with glass the way they can with metal pans on a long chill.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The oven stays off, making it the perfect dessert for hot summer days and packed holiday ovens alike.
- It slices like a real layer cake but takes 15 minutes of actual work.
- Make it a full day ahead, it only gets better as it chills, just like our better than sex cake.
Key Ingredients
Five simple ingredients stack into a bakery worthy no bake cake.
- Instant coconut cream pudding mix: The flavor and the structure in one box, two 3.4 ounce boxes set the whole cake.
- Whole milk: Full fat milk is what lets instant pudding set up thick and sliceable.
- Whipped topping: Half gets folded into the pudding for a mousse like filling, the rest blankets the top.
- Graham crackers: Three sleeves become the tender cake layers as they soften overnight.
- Toasted coconut: The golden, crunchy finish that makes every slice look bakery made.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
One layering method, endless flavor directions.
- Make the classic chocolate icebox cake by swapping in chocolate pudding and chocolate graham crackers with a cocoa dusted top.
- Use vanilla pudding and layer in sliced fresh strawberries or bananas for a fruit stand version.
- Swap the graham crackers for chocolate chip cookies dipped quickly in milk for a cookie icebox cake.
- Stir a quarter teaspoon of coconut extract into the pudding for double coconut intensity.
- Love creamy layered desserts with a fruit twist? Our white chocolate raspberry cheesecake is the no bake sibling to try next.
How to Make Icebox Cake
- In a large bowl, add the coconut pudding mix and the cold whole milk. Whisk until combined, then continue to mix for about 1 minute until it starts to thicken.
- Fold in 8 ounces of the whipped topping gently with a spatula until no streaks remain. Set the mixture aside.
- Place a quarter of the graham crackers into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish in a single layer. Break some crackers as needed to fill the gaps.
- Add a third of the pudding mixture on top and smooth it out to the edges. Repeat the cracker and pudding layers 2 more times, finishing with the last of the graham crackers on top.
- Smooth the remaining container of whipped topping over the top so none of the graham crackers are exposed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or best overnight.
- Just before serving, top with the toasted coconut, then slice and serve chilled.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Chill it overnight if you can. Six hours works, but 12 hours gives the crackers that perfect soft cake texture all the way through.
- Toast the coconut in a dry skillet. Two to three minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly, it goes from pale to burnt fast.
- Break crackers to fill every gap. Solid layers mean clean slices, big holes make the cake slump.
- Whisk the pudding just to soft set. One minute is enough, over whisking makes it too stiff to spread smoothly.
- Use a hot dry knife to slice. Run it under hot water and wipe between cuts for picture perfect layers.
- Cover it well in the fridge. Plastic wrap pressed to the dish edges keeps the topping from absorbing fridge odors overnight.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Serve it cold straight from the refrigerator with summer berries on the side, or spoon our strawberry sauce over each slice for a coconut berry combo that tastes like vacation.
It is the make ahead hero of potlucks and cookouts, riding in the same dish it chills in, right alongside crowd pleasers like our strawberry earthquake cake.
For a full no bake dessert table, pair slices with our jello cloud mousse and a tray of our sand pudding cups, three desserts and the oven never turns on.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, the layers hold beautifully. You can also freeze the whole cake for up to a month and thaw it overnight in the fridge before serving.
Icebox Cake FAQs
An icebox cake is a no bake layered dessert where crisp cookies or crackers are layered with a creamy filling and chilled until the layers soften into sliceable cake. It dates back to the early days of home refrigerators, when the icebox itself did the work of the oven. This version uses graham crackers and coconut pudding cream.
At least 6 hours, but overnight is the sweet spot. The chill time is what softens the graham crackers into tender cake like layers, so do not rush it. If the crackers still crunch, it simply needs more time in the refrigerator.
Soggy usually means the pudding was too loose, either from low fat milk or under whisking. Use cold whole milk, whisk a full minute until the pudding visibly thickens, and always finish with a solid cracker layer under the topping so the top does not slide.
Absolutely, it is the ideal make ahead dessert. Build it up to 24 hours before serving and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Hold the toasted coconut until just before serving so it stays crunchy against the creamy layers.
Yes, use stabilized whipped cream so it holds through the long chill, about 3 cups to replace the 16 ounces of whipped topping. Regular fresh whipped cream can weep overnight, so add a tablespoon of powdered sugar per cup and whip to stiff peaks.
The original American icebox cake is chocolate wafer cookies layered with sweetened whipped cream. This coconut graham cracker version follows the exact same method with pantry friendly ingredients, and the variations section shows how to build the classic chocolate one.
Made this Icebox Cake? Leave a comment and a star rating below, and tell me which flavor combo you layered!
Coconut lovers should not miss my two chocolate coconut candy cups.
My no bake blueberry cheesecake is the sliceable showpiece of the no bake family.
Our no bake strawberry icebox cake is another easy icebox favorite.
Love chilled desserts? Make our banana icebox cake.
Our oatmeal cream pie ice cream bars are a cool make ahead favorite.
Icebox Cake (Coconut)
Ingredients
- 6.8 ounces instant coconut cream pudding mix 2 3.4 ounce boxes
- 3 cups whole milk
- 16 ounces whipped topping
- 3 sleeves graham crackers
- ½ cup toasted coconut
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the coconut pudding mix and the milk, whisk until combined and then continue to mix until it starts to thicken, about 1 minute.6.8 ounces instant coconut cream pudding mix, 3 cups whole milk
- Fold in 8 ounces of whipped topping. Set aside.16 ounces whipped topping
- Place 1/4th of the graham crackers into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. You may need to break some of the graham crackers up to fit.3 sleeves graham crackers
- Add ⅓ of the pudding mixture on top and smooth it out. Repeat 2 more times. Add the last of the graham crackers on top, you may have a couple small pieces left over, that’s okay.
- Smooth out the remaining container of whipped topping so none of the graham crackers are exposed. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or even best overnight.
- Top with the toasted coconut, slice and serve.½ cup toasted coconut
Notes
- Try chocolate graham crackers for a twist on flavors.
- You can make other flavors of this cake, see my tips above.
- This needs to chill for at least 6 hours to set up and make the crackers soften.
- This can be frozen, see my tips above.
- You can toast your coconut or use regular coconut, I tell you how to toast it above.
- This can be cut in half if you are serving a smaller crowd.
- Make sure you use instant pudding and not cook and serve.
Nutrition
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