I wasn’t exactly sure what to call this dessert, but I settled on Butterscotch Icebox Cake! Soft layers of butterscotch pudding between graham crackers, with whipped cream and toasted almonds on the top. It’s divine.
Regardless of the name, this dessert is super special. My grandmother Memere first created it!
Growing up, it was my dad’s favorite dessert – a real treat, since Memere didn’t particularly enjoy baking or cooking!
You know when a smell or taste brings you right back to a particular moment in time? This butterscotch dessert became just that for my dad, and then to me, who’d eagerly watch him boil butterscotch pudding on the stove and then help him layer it between graham crackers to form this soft, creamy, comforting
treat.
Making this butterscotch icebox cake today has me feeling like a little kid again. It’s a good feeling.
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Equipment
- 5"x9" loaf pan
Ingredients
- 2 cook & serve butterscotch pudding mixes Jell-O brand is the best (this is not an ad). Do not use instant pudding mix!
- 4 cups milk
- 1 box original graham crackers
- ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
Instructions
- For toasted almonds: Toast almonds at 375 degrees for 3-4 minutes until golden. Set aside.
- For pudding: Make pudding according to box instructions. The Jell-O brand will require 4 cups of cold milk mixed into the pudding mix in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Don’t crank the heat up too high or the pudding will burn!
- When pudding is ready, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent skin from forming as it cools. Place pot directly in the fridge for 20 minutes. Make sure to put a hot pad (potholder) underneath your pot before placing in the fridge!
- To assemble cake: Pudding will be loose and creamy. In a 5”x9” loaf pan, add a single layer of graham cracker. You can break pieces to fit the bottom of the pan! Now add a layer of warm pudding that’s about twice as thick as the layer of graham cracker. Continue alternating layers of graham cracker and pudding (like you are layering a lasagna!) until you have about a 1/2 inch left in the pan or you run out of pudding. End with a layer of graham cracker!
- For whipped cream: Whip cream and vanilla extract for about 2 minutes on high speed until stiff peaks form. Use a spatula to add a generous layer of whipped cream to the top of your final graham cracker layer. Sprinkle with toasted nuts!
- To serve: Let layers set for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or two hours in the fridge, depending on if you want to serve the cake room temp or chilled!
Video
Notes
- The pudding mix comes in 3.5 ounces boxes. Get two boxes! Jell-O brand has the best butterscotch flavor (this is not an ad!). I tried using instant pudding mix and it did not turn out well. Avoid!
- I use non-fat or 1% milk. Using a dairy-free milk may yield a pudding that’s too runny. You might want to add a 1/2 cup less milk if you use a dairy-free milk. Warning: I have not tried to use dairy-free milk for this recipe!
- Keeps well in fridge, covered, for 2-3 days!
