Pistachio and Raspberry Icebox Cake

Craving something sweet but don't want to turn on the oven? Try this no-bake pistachio and raspberry icebox cake for a delicious summer treat!

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Pistachios: Provide a nutty, rich flavor for the pistachio pudding layer and give a subtle green shade to the pudding.
• Milk: Forms the liquid base for the pistachio pudding, creating a creamy consistency in the pudding
• Cornstarch: The thickening agent helps thicken the pudding, giving it the correct consistency.
• Heavy cream: Heavy cream is whipped to create a light, airy texture in both the pistachio and raspberry layers.
• Raspberry jam: Raspberry jam provides a fruity, tart contrast to the sweet pistachio flavor.
• Graham crackers: Form the base and layers of the cake, providing structure. The crackers absorb moisture from the cream layers, softening to create a cake-like texture.

Substitutions and variations

• Fruit: Switch out the raspberries for another fruit that pairs well with pistachios such as strawberries, orange, or passionfruit.
• Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free graham cracker or buttery cookies.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Prepare pistachio pudding

What's great about this pistachio and raspberry icebox cake is that it's a no-bake dessert, which means you don't have to turn on the oven! In fact, most of the time is spent waiting for the cake to set in the freezer. Sounds easy enough, right?

Let's start with the pistachio pudding, the only component that requires any cooking. Begin by toasting and finely grinding 1 cup of unsalted shelled pistachios in a food processor until they form a paste, about 3 minutes. Add ¼ cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk, and pulse until a thick paste forms.

In a medium saucepot, whisk this paste with 2 cups of milk until well combined and warm over medium-low heat. If it's difficult to break up the paste, you can blend the ingredients.

In a separate heat-safe bowl, whisk together 1 egg, 2 egg yolks, ¼ cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. To properly temper the eggs, slowly stream the warm pistachio milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. This gradual addition prevents the eggs from curdling.

Once combined, pour the mixture back into the pot and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. The pudding is ready when it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, typically after 4-5 minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons of cold butter until fully incorporated. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface to prevent skin formation. Allow to cool completely. Feel free to make the pistachio pudding the day before.

Once the pistachio pudding cools, fold in whipped cream, lighting up the pudding. Set aside the remaining whipped cream.

Step 2: Make raspberry cream

For the raspberry cream, start by whipping 1 ½ cups of heavy cream until stiff peaks form. To properly whip cream, ensure your cream and equipment are cold, and start at a low speed, gradually increasing to medium-high. The cream is ready when it holds its shape and forms stiff peaks when the beater is lifted.

In a separate bowl, whisk ⅓ of this whipped cream into 1 cup of seedless raspberry jam until smooth. Whisking some of the whipped cream into the jam helps break up the jam and results in a smoother filling.

Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream, careful not to deflate the mixture. This folding technique preserves the light, airy texture of the whipped cream while incorporating it into the jam.

Step 3: Assemble the cake

Now that the two fillings are ready, it's time to assemble the icebox cake. Begin layering by placing graham crackers on the bottom of the pan. You can break the cracker sheets into smaller pieces to fit the pan.

Spread half of the pistachio cream evenly over the crackers, followed by half of the raspberry cream. Add another layer of graham crackers and repeat with the remaining pistachio and raspberry creams. Finish with a final layer of graham crackers and spread the reserved whipped cream over the top. If you want a pretty topping, take an extra step to swirl in raspberry jam in the whipped cream.

Freeze the cake for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the crackers to soften. If you want to enjoy the dessert as a richer, softer cake, chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Before serving, garnish with fresh raspberries and chopped pistachios for added texture and visual appeal.

I had one bite of this pistachio and raspberry icebox cake and was in pure bliss. The rich pistachio pudding with raspberry cream worked magically while the graham crackers soaked up flavors from both.

The best part? You can enjoy the cake as a more indulgent soft dessert, similar to banana pudding, or have it as a frozen treat!

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: You can make the pistachio pudding and raspberry cream filling the day before and assemble the cake the following day.
• Store: If enjoying the dessert as a frozen treat, store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. If serving as a chilled dessert, store it in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Frequently asked questions

More no-bake dessert recipes

Looking for more no-bake dessert ideas? Try these:

Recipe

Print Recipe

Pistachio and Raspberry Icebox Cake

9x9-inch baking pan

Total Time2 hours hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake

Servings: 12

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Pistachio pudding

• 1 cup toasted unsalted shelled pistachios (130 grams)
• ½ cup granulated sugar, divided (100 grams)
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch (20 grams)
• 2 tablespoons cold butter (28 grams)
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons powdered sugar (86 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Remaining ingredients

• 1 ¼ cup seedless raspberry jam, divided (360 grams)
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 18 graham crackers
• fresh raspberries for garnish
• chopped pistachios for garnish

Instructions

• Line an 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving few inches to overhang on all sides. Chill pan in the freezer until ready to use.
• Make pistachio pudding. In a food processor, pulse pistachios until finely ground and nuts begin to turn into a paste, about 3 minutes. Add ¼ cup sugar (50 grams) and 2 tablespoons of milk. Continue to pulse until a thick paste forms.
• Whisk together the pistachio paste and remaining 2 cups of milk until well combined. You can also blend the mixture together. Heat pistachio milk in a medium saucepot over medium-low heat until warm.
• In a heat-safe bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolks, remaining ¼ cup (50 grams) sugar, and cornstarch. Slowly add pistachio milk, whisking constantly, until well combined. Pour mixture back into the pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue to heat until pudding thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the butter, whisking until the butter melts and is fully incorporated. Transfer pudding to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool completely.
• Whip 1 ½ cups of heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Add 1 cup to the pistachio pudding, folding in the cream until well combined. Set aside the remaining whipped cream.
• Make raspberry cream. Whip 1 ½ cups heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Add ⅓ of the whipped cream to 1 cup of jam and whisk together until smooth. Fold in the remaining whipped cream, mixing until smooth.
• Remove the prepared pan from the freezer. Line the bottom with graham crackers and spread half of the pistachio cream on top. Carefully spread ½ of the raspberry cream on top and lay another row of graham crackers. Repeat with the remaining pistachio cream and raspberry cream. Finish with the final layer of graham crackers.
• Spread the reserved whipped cream on top of the crackers in an even layer. Add dollops of the remaining ¼ cup raspberry jam on top and swirl the jam into the whipped cream with a small spatula. Transfer the icebox cake to the freezer and let chill overnight or for at least 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, garnish the pistachio and raspberry icebox cake with fresh raspberries and chopped pistachios. Slice and serve.

Notes

The pistachio pudding can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.

You can chill the dessert in the fridge for a softer cake, similar to banana pudding, or chill in the freezer for a frozen dessert, similar to ice cream.