I knew that I had to go buy mascarpone right away and made this blueberry lemon icebox cake after I came across the recipe from Bon Appetit. But then I got busy and I got a very forgetful mind. And I just forgot to buy it every time I went to a grocery store.
Weeks went by, I still didn’t have mascarpone. But the craving of this beautiful cake, Oh The Craving!!! So what did I do? I substituted mascarpone with cream cheese filling. And we’re all good! All satisfied in the eyes and in the belly.
To make this recipe even easier, you could skip the lemon curd and instead add some lemon zest in the cream cheese filling. The lemon zest will give the cream cheese layer a subtle citrus flavor. If you are not as desperate as I was when layering the cake, I would suggest you to chill the cake in the freezer for at least 15 minutes before adding each layer (except the graham crackers). It will help to spread the layers easily. And the cake will look more neat when sliced.
Ingredients (one loaf cake):
Blueberry Sauce
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup water
Lemon Cream Cheese Filling
1 cup whipping cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup store bought or home-made lemon curd
Others
16 graham crackers, divided
Directions:
Line a 9 x 5″ loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving overhang on all sides.
To prepare blueberry sauce, mix all ingredients in a small bowl and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture begins to thicken, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool completely.
To prepare filling, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream until it holds firm peaks. Remove cream from bowl and keep cold in fridge.
In the same bowl, use a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until it’s soft and creamy.
Gently fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten the mixture, then add the remaining cream and continue folding until incorporated.
Fold in lemon curd until combined.
To assemble, place a single layer of graham crackers on the bottom of the prepare pan, breaking as needed to fit in. Using a small offset spatula, evenly spread a quarter of lemon cream cheese filling over graham crackers, then 1/2 cup of blueberry sauce and another quarter of lemon cream cheese filling. Repeat layering process with graham crackers, cream cheese filling, blueberry sauce, cream cheese filling. Finish with a final layer of graham crackers.
Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 4 hours.
Using the plastic overhang to unmold the cake. Slice cake into layers and serve with the remaining blueberry sauce.
11 comments
OMG amazing! This is perfect for my dinner party this weekend, Thank you!
Great, Mary! Hope you enjoy the recipe! :)
Wow this is seriously the perfect summer cake, and the layers of cookie with lemon cream cheese and berry sauce is just beautiful. I just wish I had a slice in front of me now haha! :)
Thanks, Claudia! :)
Hi Fanny!! I know I have repeatedly told you YOUR PHOTOS ARE AMAZING!! I want to print it and put up on the kitchen wall :) But first a little nibble. xo :)
And I believe I have said this too – you make my day! :)
This looks delicious! I think cream cheese is a perfect substitution!
Thanks, Sarah! Cream cheese did do its wonderful job!