Carlota de Limon (Key Lime Ice Box Cake)

This is my absolute favorite dessert! Carlota de limon ( in some regions of Mexico it is known simply as pay de limon) is a deliciously decadent Mexican lime icebox cake layered with Maria cookies and a sweet-tart lime custard cream. 

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

It is an extremely easy, no-bake dessert, which makes it perfect for hot summer days! It uses a classic Mexican cookie, galletas María, which adds a sweet vanilla flavor, that when combined with lime cream, gives this perfect dessert a key lime pie feel. Plus it is vegan and can be made gluten-free with gluten-free Maria cookies. 

Fun Fact

You might not know this but Maria cookies are not Mexican, they were created by the London bakery Peek Freans in 1874 to commemorate the marriage of the Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia to the Duke of Edinburgh. They became popular across Europe, and eventually made their way to Mexico. 

Ingredients

Maria Cookies: A rich tea biscuit that originated in England, but over the years became popular across Europe then eventually made its way to Mexico. There are vegan Maria cookies, but if you can’t find them you can use graham crackers or animal crackers instead. 

Key Lime: A small round green lime, the most commonly used lime in Mexico, with a distinctive tart lime flavor. This dessert can be made with Persian limes, but the lime flavor won’t be as intense. 

Silken Tofu: The softest of all tofus, commonly used in desserts, and smoothies. It can be found at your local Asian grocery store or in the health food section of your grocery store.

Sugar:  I use granulated sugar, but you can also use sugar substitutes like monkfruit.

Strawberries: I like to top my Carlota de Limon with strawberries, but in Mexico, it is usually served without fruit, or decorated with lime slices or zest.

Making Carlota de Limon Step by Step 

Place tofu, sugar, and almond milk in the blender and puree until smooth.

The cream should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Slowly pour in the lime juice while the blender is running.

Line the bottom of an 8×8 glass baking dish with parchment paper, add a layer of lime cream and cover it with a layer of cookies.

Expert Tricks and Tips

• Use key lime juice for a more intense lime flavor.
• As you’re layering your cookies and lime cream don’t press down on the cookies, because the cream will spread to the sides making the distribution of cream uneven. 
• I like to use berries to contrast the sweet flavor of the ice box cake.
• If you don’t have a sweet tooth, I recommend using only 1/2 cup of sugar. To make this a lower-in-sugar dessert use 1/2 cup of your favorite sugar substitute.
• Instead of a baking dish you can also use a springform pan, but be sure to line the bottom with parchment paper. 

Serve after the Carlota de Limon has set in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Storing

Store in the fridge in an air tight container, covered, for up to three days.