Pineapple Icebox Cake
This straightforward pineapple icebox cake is made with layers of Nilla wafers, vanilla pudding, crushed pineapple, a Cool Whip topping. A big crowd pleaser!
Our grandma was the queen of icebox cakes – they were a regular appearance at her Sunday dinners, especially during the spring and summertime. Hers were always a very basic icebox cake recipe – layers of graham crackers alternating with layers of vanilla pudding. We put a springtime, Easter spin to that recipe for dessert this past Sunday. We used Nilla wafers instead of graham crackers, stirred crushed pineapple into the vanilla pudding, and topped the whole thing with Cool Whip and crushed Nilla wafers.
The pineapple icebox cake was a huge hit on Sunday, so much so that both our mom and mother-in-law suggested that we make it again for Easter Sunday to add to the dessert spread. It’s so speedy and straightforward, we immediately said yes!
If you have 20 minutes, you can throw this together, pop it in the fridge, and… done! We were meeting a friend for lunch on Saturday and we had precisely 30 minutes after we had finished getting ready before we had to leave, and we managed to make this AND clean up the kitchen before we left. We love speedy and straightforward desserts that end up being family favorites – great to keep in your back pocket when you need to throw something together fast!
This pineapple icebox cake makes a reliable Easter dessert – it’s light and refreshing, and the pineapple will get you ready for warm, sunny days!
Four years ago: Rhubarb Crumb Cake
Six years ago: Mario Brothers Birthday Cake
Pineapple Icebox Cake
Yield: 10 to 12 servings This straightforward pineapple icebox cake is made with layers of Nilla wafers, vanilla pudding, crushed pineapple, a Cool Whip topping. A big crowd pleaser!- 11 ounce (311.85 g) Nilla wafers
- 2 4-serving size boxes vanilla-flavored instant pudding mix
- 4 cups (946.35 ml) milk (whole or 2% is recommended), divided
- 40 ounce (1.13 kg) canned crushed pineapple, drained well, divided
- 8 ounce (226.8 g) tub Cool Whip
- Line the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with Nilla wafers, breaking them to fill in any big gaps along the edges.
- Whisk together 1 box of instant pudding with 2 cups of the milk for 5 minutes, or until the pudding thickens and appears set. Stir in 1 can of the crushed pineapple. Pour the pudding evenly over the layer of Nilla wafers, using a rubber spatula to spread into an even layer.
- Top with another layer of Nilla wafers, again breaking them into pieces if needed to fill any large gaps.
- Prepare the second box of pudding as you did the first, with the remaining 2 cups of milk. Stir the second can of drained crushed pineapple into the pudding. Pour the pudding over the 2nd layer of Nilla wafers, spreading it into an even layer with a rubber spatula.
- Top with the Cool Whip, using a spatula to spread into an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Prior to serving, garnish the top with additional crushed Nilla wafers.
Notes
Nutritional values are based on one serving
- Yield: 10 to 12 servings
- Prep: 30 minutes
- Total: 4 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 11 ounce ( 311.85 g ) Nilla wafers
- 2 4-serving size boxes vanilla-flavored instant pudding mix
- 4 cups ( 946.35 ml ) milk (whole or 2% is recommended), divided
- 40 ounce ( 1.13 kg ) canned crushed pineapple, drained well, divided
- 8 ounce ( 226.8 g ) tub Cool Whip
Method
- Line the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish with Nilla wafers, breaking them to fill in any big gaps along the edges.
- Whisk together 1 box of instant pudding with 2 cups of the milk for 5 minutes, or until the pudding thickens and appears set. Stir in 1 can of the crushed pineapple. Pour the pudding evenly over the layer of Nilla wafers, using a rubber spatula to spread into an even layer.
- Top with another layer of Nilla wafers, again breaking them into pieces if needed to fill any large gaps.
- Prepare the second box of pudding as you did the first, with the remaining 2 cups of milk. Stir the second can of drained crushed pineapple into the pudding. Pour the pudding over the 2nd layer of Nilla wafers, spreading it into an even layer with a rubber spatula.
- Top with the Cool Whip, using a spatula to spread into an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Prior to serving, garnish the top with additional crushed Nilla wafers.
