Roasted Strawberry Icebox Cake

This roasted strawberry icebox cake is the perfect overnight dessert, and it's so easy to make! It's sweet and simple, with light and fluffy cream cheese filling in between juicy roasted strawberries and super-soft Nilla wafers. You can assemble it ahead of time, leave it in the fridge overnight to set, and the next day you'll have a beautiful icebox cake to enjoy, and you'll barely use your oven. What could be better during these last hot days of the summer?

For more strawberry recipes, try Roasted Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls, White Cake with Strawberries and Mascarpone Frosting, No Churn Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream, and Strawberry Peach Cobbler.

Why you'll love this roasted strawberry icebox cake

• Soft Nilla Wafers & Impossibly Creamy Filling: As this cake chills overnight in the fridge, the Nilla wafers absorb the strawberry purée and moisture from the filling and turn into this irresistible, melt-in-your-mouth texture, while the filling thickens up into a creamy almost cheesecake-like consistency.
• Roasted Strawberry Purée: Fresh, juicy strawberries bubbling in the oven create the most heavenly smell wafting throughout your kitchen. As they roast in the oven, their juice becomes more concentrated and flavor more pronounced.
• Semi No Bake Dessert: Though the roasted strawberry purée means that this is not entirely no bake, it only requires 30 minutes in the oven and adds a gorgeous depth of flavor to the strawberries. If you need this recipe to fully no bake, you can absolutely skip this step and just purée the fresh strawberries, or even use store bought strawberry jam!

Ingredient Notes

• Strawberries: I recommend using fresh strawberries to make the purée for the best overall flavor.
• Nilla Wafers: Use your favorite flavor of Nilla wafers - mine is classic vanilla!
• Cream Cheese: For best overall flavor and results, use cold, block-style cream cheese.
• Heavy Cream: Use cold, high-quality heavy cream.
• Powdered Sugar: Sift your powdered sugar for the smoothest filling.
• Vanilla: Add a high quality vanilla extract for optimal flavor.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this roasted strawberry icebox cake recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.

STEP 1: Roast strawberries. In a medium bowl, toss together the strawberries, sugar, vanilla, and salt. On a small baking sheet, spread the strawberries out into an even layer. Bake the strawberries for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until they have broken down and the juices are bubbling.

STEP 2: Blend strawberries. Transfer the roasted berries to a medium bowl. Use an immersion blender (or place in a blender or food processor) to blend them into a puree until smooth. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to cool.

STEP 3: Make cream cheese filling. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, add cream cheese, powdered sugar, and salt. Use an electric hand mixer to beat on low speed until fully combined and smooth. Continue mixing on low speed while pouring in the heavy cream in 2-3 additions. Once all heavy cream has been added, turn mixer up to medium speed and beat until stiff peaks form.

STEP 4: Assemble cake. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with plastic wrap. Spread about ⅓ of the cream cheese filling into the pan. Spoon a generous amount of the roasted strawberry purée on top, then arrange whole vanilla wafers and pieces to fill the gaps. Repeat this one more time, finishing with a final third layer of cream cheese filling. Press plastic wrap over the top of the cake, then chill in the fridge overnight. When ready to serve, turn the cake out onto a serving tray and decorate with fresh strawberries. Slice the cake and enjoy with extra roasted strawberry purée!

Expert Baking Tips

• If you need a true no bake dessert, skip the roasted strawberries. It's true, roasted strawberries are heavenly and 100% superior to fresh strawberries. But if you can't be bothered to turn the oven on, you can absolutely just purée fresh strawberries. 
• Use a cookie scoop to measure the cream cheese filling. Use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop to add about 10 scoops of filling per layer, so they'll come out even! 
• Use your favorite cookie or cracker. If Nilla wafers aren't your thing, you can swap them out for your favorite! Graham crackers would be a delicious substitute. 
• Serve the cake with more strawberry purée! Save the leftover roasted strawberry purée to serve with each slice of cake. 

All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

Happy baking! x