Piccadilly Cafeteria Lemon Ice Box Pie: A Southern Classic Made Simple

The summer I turned twelve, my grandmother and I would visit the Piccadilly Cafeteria every Thursday after her weekly hair appointment. While she enjoyed their famous carrot soufflé, I had eyes only for the lemon ice box pie. I watched eagerly as the server carefully placed that perfect yellow slice with its cloud-like topping onto my tray. This beloved Piccadilly Cafeteria dessert breaks all the rules of traditional pie-making, using cake crumbs instead of graham crackers for the crust. The result is a uniquely textured base that perfectly complements the silky, bright lemon filling. What makes this pie special is its perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors, creating a refreshing dessert ideal for warm weather gatherings or any time you need a taste of Southern comfort food tradition.

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Why This Recipe Works

The science behind this pie’s perfection lies in its unconventional approach. Using cake crumbs instead of the typical graham cracker or cookie crust creates a softer, more absorbent base that melds beautifully with the filling. The custard-based lemon filling achieves its perfect consistency by carefully tempering egg yolks, preventing curdling while creating a silky-smooth texture. The small amount of flour in the filling works as a stabilizer, ensuring the pie sets properly without becoming rubbery. The final touch of Cool Whip provides the ideal creamy counterpoint to the tangy lemon filling.

Ingredients

• Cool Whip – Creates the signature light, fluffy topping
• Jiffy Mix Yellow Cake Mix – Creates a uniquely soft, sweet crust unlike traditional pie bases
• Granulated sugar – Sweetens both the crust and filling to balance the lemon’s tartness
• Flour – Acts as a thickening agent that stabilizes the lemon filling
• Salt – Enhances flavors and balances sweetness in the filling
• Whole milk – Provides rich creaminess and helps create custard consistency
• Egg yolks – Add richness while helping the filling set properly
• Lemon juice – Delivers bright, tangy flavor central to the pie’s identity
• Vanilla extract – Adds depth and warmth to balance the citrus notes

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare the Jiffy Yellow Cake Mix according to package directions.
2. Bake the cake as directed and allow it to cool completely.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 275°F.
4. Crumble the cooled cake finely and measure out 2 cups of crumbs, patting down lightly when measuring.
5. In a small bowl, combine the cake crumbs with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and mix well.
6. Spray a 9-inch pie pan with non-stick cooking spray.
7. Press the cake crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan, creating an even crust.
8. Bake the crust in the preheated 275°F oven for 7 minutes, watching carefully to prevent scorching.
9. Remove crust from oven and let it cool completely.
10. In a 2-quart saucepan, whisk together 1½ cups sugar, 5 tablespoons flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2¼ cups whole milk.
11. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a low boil.
12. Continue cooking and stirring for 2-3 minutes until the filling thickens.
13. Remove from heat and scoop out ½ cup of the hot mixture.
14. Slowly add this hot mixture to the 3 beaten egg yolks, whisking continuously to prevent curdling.
15. Return the saucepan to low heat and slowly pour the egg yolk mixture back into the pan, whisking constantly.
16. Add ⅓ cup lemon juice and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, stirring to combine.
17. Bring to a soft boil and cook for 2-3 minutes longer, whisking continuously to prevent lumps.
18. Remove from heat when the filling is thick and smooth.
19. Allow the filling to cool until warm but not hot before pouring into the prepared crust.
20. Refrigerate the pie for at least 3 hours, or until completely chilled and set.
21. Before serving, spread Cool Whip evenly over the top of the chilled pie.
22. Sprinkle with reserved cake crumbs and garnish with fresh lemon zest if desired.

Chef’s Notes

The key to this pie’s perfect texture is patience during cooking. Keep your heat medium to medium-low, and never stop whisking during the critical steps. When tempering the egg yolks, pour the hot mixture in a thin stream while whisking vigorously to prevent scrambling. If you notice any lumps forming in your filling, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve before pouring it into the crust. For an extra-special presentation, reserve some lemon zest to sprinkle over the whipped topping just before serving.

Storage Instructions

• Store the pie in the refrigerator, covered loosely with plastic wrap or in a pie keeper.
• The pie will keep well for up to 3 days refrigerated.
• For best texture and flavor, consume within 2 days of preparation.
• This pie is not suitable for freezing as the texture of both the filling and topping will deteriorate.
• Always serve chilled directly from the refrigerator for the proper consistency.
• If the whipped topping begins to weep after storage, gently blot with a paper towel and refresh with a thin new layer if needed.

Authentic Piccadilly Cafeteria Lemon Ice Box Pie | Creamy Citrus

This nostalgic Piccadilly Cafeteria copycat features a unique cake crumb crust and silky-smooth lemon filling that creates the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: icebox pie, Lemon Pie Recipe, Pie

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 386kcal

Author: Stephanie Manley

Ingredients

• 1 Box Jiffy Mix Yellow Cake Mix (prepared as directed)
• 2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 5 tablespoons Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 2 1/4 cups whole milk
• 3 beaten egg yolks
• 1/3 cup Lemon Juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
• 8 ounces Cool Whip

Instructions

• Crumble cooled prepared cake and measure 2 cups of crumbs, pat crumbs lightly down when measuring. Place crumbs in a small bowl and mix in the sugar. Spray a none stick spray in 9″ pie pan and pat cake crumbs in pie pan along the sides and on the bottom. Place pie crust in a preheated oven at 275 for 7 minutes.
•  Watch crust carefully so the crumbs will not scorch. This process will help to lightly set the crust. When done remove and cool crust. Filling In a 2-quart saucepan mix sugar, flour, salt, and milk. While stirring constantly bring ingredients to a low boil and cook for two or three minutes until filling becomes thick. 
• Remove pan from heat and add 1/2 cup of hot mixture to beaten egg yolks and whisk together. Place filling back on stove at a low heat and slowly pour egg yolks into filling while whisking together. Pour lemon juice and vanilla into filling and bring to a soft boil and cook for two to three minutes long. Using a whisk throughout the cooking helps to eliminate lumps. When filling is thick remove from heat and set aside to cool down. 
• The filling may be poured into the crust while still a little warm but not hot. Place pie in refrigerator for several hours to set and chill completely. When chilled, top with whipped topping and sprinkle the two tablespoons of crumbled cake crumbs. Fresh lemon zest may be added to garnish. Please note if you can not find Jiffy Cake mix, you can use a regular cake mix, but you will have twice as much crust than you need. So making two pies might be a solution.

Nutrition

Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 405mg | Potassium: 157mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 61g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 1mg