Key lime icebox cake (carlota de limón)

Today, we’re making icebox cake, a chilled confection that’s a celebration of whipped cream—but we’re doing it with zero dairy. This one is based on Carlota de limón, a traditional Mexican icebox cake that consists of layered cookies and a creamy lime filling. The name translates to Lime Charlotte, and some folks say it’s inspired by a French icebox cake made with ladyfingers called a Charlotte Russe.

Being that this is an extremely dairy-heavy dessert, we had to make several swaps. The first is pretty easy: A typical Carlota de limón calls for Maria cookies, but those contain whey powder, so we replaced them with Biscoff biscuits, which are natively free of any animal products. Replacing the filling takes a little more doing: It’s usually a blend of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and lime juice. We traded both milks for their coconut-based counterparts (we like the brand Nature’s Charm, which we can usually find at Walmart or the grocery store), and added plant-based cream cheese to the mix, which helps the cake set and slice better. We used key lime juice to up the tang. 

The whole thing comes together in a blender and chills out in the fridge to set, while the cookies soften up to a cakelike texture. Sure, it’s not technically cake or a key lime pie, but this dessert has the best bits of both and is perfect for the hottest summer days. 

Key Lime Icebox Cake (Carlota de Limón)

Yield: One 8-inch square cake, 9 slices 

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup key lime juice (or lime juice)

• One 12-ounce can evaporated coconut milk* 

• One 11-ounce can condensed coconut milk* 

• 8 ounces plant-based cream cheese

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• Two 8.8-ounce sleeves Biscoff cookies

• 9 ounces dairy-free whipped topping*

• Lime zest, to garnish

Procedure:

1. Make the filling. In a blender, add the lime juice, coconut milks, plant-based cream cheese, and vanilla. Blend until slightly thickened, 3–5 minutes.

2. Layer the cake. In an 8-inch square glass dish, spread a thin layer (about 3–4 tablespoons) of the lime filling on the bottom. Top with a layer of Biscoff cookies (about 10–12). If you have gaps, you can break the cookies into smaller pieces. Add another layer of lime filling to cover the cookies and use a spatula to evenly spread it to the edges. Repeat with three more layers, alternating cookies and the lime filling. You’ll have 4 layers of cookies total with a layer of filling on top. 

3. Chill. Wrap the pan with foil or a beeswax wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight (recommended). 

4. Adorn and serve. Remove the cake from the fridge (the last layer of lime filling will have vanished into the cookies, which is what’s supposed to happen). Evenly spread the top with nondairy whipped topping. Garnish with lime zest and a couple crushed Biscoff cookies before serving.

Notes and Substitutions:

• Evaporated and condensed oat milk would also work here. If neither are available to you, use the creamiest plant milk you can find, like this one from Califia Farms.

• We used Miyoko’s plant-based cream cheese, which is tangier than other plant-based versions and perfect for this cake. 

• We used So Delicious Cocowhip for the nondairy topping. It comes frozen and needs to thaw in the fridge for 4 hours before using, so take it out of the freezer when you put the cake in the fridge. 

• This is meant to be a creamy dessert, but the longer it sits in the fridge, the firmer it will get. For an even firmer texture, you can freeze it for 2 hours.