Cannoli Icebox Cake

With the not-too-sweet creamy filling inside a crispy shell, cannoli are a nearly perfect dessert. Making your own is a fun little project but a little time consuming, and frying the shells can be intimidating. This easy cake is a great alternative. The filling is similar: sweetened ricotta and orange zest combine with whipped cream to make the cake even lighter. My favorite cannoli toppings are pistachios and chocolate chips, so I folded some into the mixture and topped the icebox cake with it. If you like one more than the other, you could stick with just one or add your own favorite topping into the mix.

Graham crackers are used in place of the shells so that you don’t have to bring out the pot full of frying oil. They work so well in an icebox cake and soften as they sit in the cream but still help hold up the layers. It’s an easy dessert that requires very little assembly and absolutely no heat, making it perfect for those hot summer months, but would be just as good as a comforting, rich dessert in the winter.

This can be made and kept in the freezer, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 month.

Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!