Make the Strawberry Sauce: Stir together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl, making sure the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Add this and the strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a pot on the stove over medium heat. Stir, and bring the mixture to a simmer, mashing the berries down with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Once simmering, cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring lazily. The sauce should have thickened but still be a tad on the runny side compared to a true jam.

Remove from heat & stir in the vanilla. Allow to cool. You can cool the sauce quickly by pouring it into a shallow bowl or pie plate and placing in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.

1 lb strawberries, quartered,1/3 cup granulated sugar,1/2 tsp lemon juice,1 tbsp cornstarch,3 tbsp water,1/2 tsp lemon zest,1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Prep: Line a standard loaf pan with plastic wrap in both directions, pressing it against the sides well and leaving overhang to help you lift out the dessert later.

Make Whipped Cream: In a large bowl, beat together 1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream, 2 tsp of vanilla, and 2 tbsp (if using lemonade) or 4 tbsp (if using lemon juice) of powdered sugar just until it begins to thicken, then add 4 tbsp of lemon juice or lemonade and keep beating on high speed until stiff peaks form.

1 and 1/2 cups + 1/3 cup heavy cream, divided,2 tsp + 1 tsp vanilla extract, divided,5 tbsp lemonade, divided,6 tbsp powdered sugar, divided

Assemble Icebox Cake: Spread 3 tablespoons of the whipped cream in the bottom of your lined loaf pan. Cover the bottom with graham crackers, breaking into pieces as needed to fit. It’s fine if the edges aren’t completely covered. Spread ⅔ cup whipped cream over the graham crackers. Dollop on 1/2 cup of strawberry jam and spread evenly. This doesn’t need to be perfect! Repeat this two more times, then add the final layer of graham crackers and spread on a thin layer of the remaining whipped cream.

whole graham crackers

Chill: Cover icebox cake with foil and chill in the freezer for 3-4 hours before serving. Let it soften at room temp for 10 -15 minutes before serving. You can also chill this cake in the fridge for 1 hour before serving. This ensures things aren't frozen solid, but are still nice and chilled.

Serve & Store: Once the cake has rested, make the remaining whipped cream using 1/3 cup heavy cream, 1 tsp of vanilla, and the remaining 2 tbsp of powdered sugar. Mix in the same way as above, adding the remaining 1 tbsp of lemon juice after the mixture has thickened but before you reach stiff peaks.

Invert the icebox cake onto a serving platter, then add swoops of whipped cream on the top & sides. Decorate with strawberries. Slice and enjoy!

Store leftovers in the freezer for up to one week. If you need to make more servings, this recipe would fill an 8×8 or 9×9 square pan if doubled!

1 and 1/2 cups + 1/3 cup heavy cream, divided,2 tsp + 1 tsp vanilla extract, divided,5 tbsp lemonade, divided,strawberry slices, for topping,6 tbsp powdered sugar, divided