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Nothing says “hello, summer!” quite like a chilled slice of Coconut Berry Icebox Cake.
With layers of toasted‑coconut cookies, a lusciously light coconut‑rum cream, and bold bursts of strawberries and blueberries, this patriotic beauty is tailor‑made for Memorial Day, the Fourth, or any scorching afternoon when the oven deserves a break.
Why I’m Obsessed with Icebox Cakes
Not only is this no bake dessert easy to make, but it’s rather gorgeous.
Cookies transform into a tender, cake‑like crumb while the cream firms up into a creamy and only slightly sweet frosting. It’s similar to my Strawberry Pretzel Salad but requires no baking at all.
The best part? You can build the whole thing in 20 minutes, forget it overnight, and unveil a bakery‑worthy dessert the next day.
Stand‑Out Ingredients
Just the highlights. Full amounts live down in the recipe card.
- Unsweetened Coconut Cream – Whips into silky peaks and lends pure tropical flavor without extra sugar.
- Coconut Rum – A splash boosts the coconut flavor and quietly preserves the berries so they stay plump and bright for days.
- Toasted‑Coconut Cookies – Thin, crisp wafers from Trader Joe’s melt into sponge‑cake layers once chilled. Keep in mind that graham crackers work in a pinch, but the thin coconut cookies are worth it.
- Fresh Berries – Firm strawberries and blueberries keep their shape and provide that red‑white‑and‑blue pop.
How to Make Ice Box Cake
It’s all about properly layering and chilling.
- Whip the Filling – Start with coconut cream, sweeten with powdered sugar, drizzle in coconut rum, then finish with heavy whipping cream for cloud‑like volume. This dual‑cream combo gives structure that won’t weep in the fridge.
- Layer Like a Tetris Champ – Spread a thin amount of cream on a dinner plate (or you can use a cake stand) to anchor the base. Alternate cookies and cream to ensure every cookie is touching a cream layer.
- Add Berries – After every two cookie‑and‑cream tiers, blanket the cake with a single, dry layer of berries. The berries’ juice gently flavors the surrounding cream as it rests.
- Chill for the Magic – Loosely wrap and refrigerate at least two hours, but overnight is ideal. Time lets the cookies soften into “cake” and makes slicing easy.
- Serve & Store – Garnish with extra berries, slice with a sharp, hot knife, and watch faces light up. Leftovers last several days; the rum and coconut keep everything tasting freshly assembled.
Make‑Ahead & Freezer Notes
Build it up to a couple days in advance (flavor only improves).
I freeze individual slices on a sheet tray, then transfer them to a container. Then, no thaw is needed when you want a soft; they’re pleasantly soft straight from the freezer, ice‑cream‑cake style.
Assembly Shortcuts
A couple of strategic gadgets can shave minutes off prep time.
- Use a spring‑form pan lined with parchment if you’d like perfectly straight cake sides—just unlatch and lift when it’s set.
- Grab a large offset spatula to spread cream evenly without dragging up cookie crumbs.
- A berry huller or straw pops strawberry stems out in seconds and keeps slices neat.
Icebox Cake FAQ
Quick answers to the questions I get every summer.
Absolutely. Just replace the rum with a teaspoon of coconut extract or vanilla.
Not well. They release too much liquid and can make the layers runny. Stick with firm, fresh fruit.
Covered and refrigerated, it’s fabulous for 3–4 days; freeze slices up to a month for an ice‑cream‑cake vibe.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 14 ounces unsweetened coconut cream
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon coconut rum
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 9 ounces thin coconut cookies I used a box of Trader Joe's Toasted Coconut Cookie Thins, can substitute with 2-3 sleeves of graham crackers
- 1 pound blueberries fresh
- 1 pound strawberries fresh, sliced very thin
Instructions
- To make cream filling, start by whipping 14 ounces unsweetened coconut cream in bowl of stand mixer with whisk attachment on medium speed until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup confectioners sugar and mix on low until incorporated. Add 1 tablespoon coconut rum and mix on low until combined. Scrape sides, add 1 cup heavy whipping cream, mix on low to incorporate and then increase speed to medium high for about a minute. Scrape walls and base of bowl, then continue mixing on medium high speed until nice peaks form, about 3-5 minutes.
- To make the cake, spread some of the cream mixture on the base of the plate. Start to layer and arrange 9 ounces thin coconut cookies so that their sides are touching but they do not over lap. Cover cookies with a spoonful of cream, using the spatula to spread. Top with a second layer of cookies, rotating their pattern to cover any gaps, then follow with a layer of cream. Thickness in between layers should be thick enough so that there is a creamy layer in between, but not so thick that your ingredients aren't level or they slide around.
- Next, cover with a single layer of some of the fresh 1 pound blueberries. Top with cream, then top with two cookie/cream layers.
- Next, cover with a single layer of some of the sliced 1 pound strawberries. Top with cream, then top with two cookie/cream layers.
- Repeat until you run out of ingredients. I portioned everything so that my top and bottom layers would be the cookies surrounded by the cream.
- Garnish with additional berries on top.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours or up to several days before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
One of the best cake recipes I’ve seen recently – fantastic looking and with some of my favorite ingredients. Yum!
This cake is so fun! And it’s a total showstopper while still being super easy to make!
Currently obsessed with anything that is no bake! Love the flavors of the berries with the coconut!
I love ice box cakes! This looks fabulous!
The coconut cookies are the perfect crunchy layer in this! Definitely a favorite easy cake to make 🙂
Can you skip rum or any non alcoholic substitute?
Sorry for the late reply. You can omit the rum. No issue.