Caribbean Icebox Cake

I haven’t actually decided on the final order for the sections of the cookbook, so right now we’re just going through in alphabetical order, which means that section number two is Caribbean recipes. Caribbean food is, I think, a deeply underrated collection of cuisines. The melting pot of cultures in the Caribbean has created a lot of really incredible dishes. Some of my recipes are just my take on those, and some of them, like this icebox cake, are using Caribbean flavors in a dish that I know well.

Icebox cakes are perfect for buslife and camping. They’re delicious, but also they’re incredibly easy to make and, unlike most desserts, require neither an oven or a freezer. This icebox cake brings Caribbean flavors to the table, with alternating layers of lime-allspice whipped cream and mango-ginger whipped cream. Between the alternating creams are layers of graham crackers, which turn into a soft and delicious filling that, after a night in the fridge, have just enough tooth to keep the cake in order. All in all, a fairly simple dessert which brings a complex complement of Caribbean flavors to the table.

Caribbean Icebox Cake

A simple, no bake dessert overflowing with Caribbean flavors. Graham crackers and alternating layers of lime-allspice and mango-ginger whipped cream create an easy dessert with complex character.

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Course Dessert

Cuisine Caribbean

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tbsp lime zest
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• ¼ tsp allspice
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar divided
• ½ cup mango puree
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 3 sleeves graham crackers

Instructions

 

• Begin by whipping the cream with an electric mixer until it holds soft peaks. Divide the whipped cream evenly into two bowls
• To one bowl, add 1 tbsp powdered sugar as well as the lime juice, lime zest, allspice, and vanilla extract. Whip briefly to incorporate the ingredients evenly.
• To the other bowl, add the remaining powdered sugar as well as the mango puree and ground ginger. Again, whip to combine.
• Make a thin layer of one of the whipped creams on the bottom of a 9x9” baking dish. Place a layer of graham crackers on top of the cream. On top of the graham crackers add a layer of the whipped cream which you did not use for the base. Then another layer of graham crackers.
• Continue adding layers in this pattern until you reach the top of the baking dish, being sure to save enough whipped cream to add a thicker layer on top.
• Once finished, cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. As it sits, the cream softens the graham crackers, giving the finished dessert a wonderful cake-like texture.
• Serve the next day, straight out of the fridge.

The other recipes in the Caribbean section of the cookbook are:

-Beef Patty Cottage Pie
-Coconut Curry Mash
-Coquito
-Fish and Fungi
-Jerk Chicken
-Sweet Plantain Porridge
-Tembleque
-Tostones
-Trinidad Callaloo

If those sound good (I mean, of course they do), you’d better head on over to the Kickstarter page and pre-order yourself a copy of The Buslife Kitchen Volume 2 already.