Place the hulled and quartered strawberries, granulated sugar, and lime juice into a blender or food processor. Blend on high until smooth, about 20–30 seconds. If the puree is very thick, add up to 1 tsp cold water and pulse once to reach a thick sauce consistency suitable for layering.

Taste and adjust sweetness: if strawberries are tart, add up to 1 additional teaspoon sugar and pulse briefly. Chill the puree in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest so it thickens slightly (5–10 minutes).

Ice Cream Layers

Soften ice cream slightly

Remove both the vanilla and strawberry ice creams from the freezer 5–8 minutes before assembling so they’re scoopable but still cold. If very soft, keep for less time to maintain layered texture.

Layer the sundae

Using four sundae glasses or coupe glasses (serves 4), divide the vanilla ice cream evenly to create the first layer (about 1/2 cup per serving). Spoon or drizzle approximately 1 tablespoon of strawberry puree over the vanilla layer in each glass, smoothing gently with the back of a spoon to create a thin layer.

Add the strawberry ice cream: place about 1/2 cup strawberry ice cream into each glass above the puree layer. For added visual contrast, gently swirl a little extra puree into the strawberry layer with the tip of a spoon (don’t fully mix; keep veining).

Repeat for a second set of layers if your glass height allows: a second thin vanilla layer (about 1/4 cup), a drizzle of puree (1/2 tbs), and a final strawberry scoop (1/4–1/2 cup) to top — leaving room for whipped cream.

Whipped Cream & Garnish

Make whipped cream

Chill a small bowl and beaters briefly. Pour the chilled cream into the bowl, add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whip with a hand mixer or whisk until soft peaks form (about 1–2 minutes with a mixer). Be careful not to overwhip.

Top the sundae

Pipe or spoon a generous dollop of whipped cream onto each sundae so it covers the top of the final ice cream layer. Add 3 thin slices of fresh strawberry to each sundae, placing them on the whipped cream. If using, top with a maraschino cherry for a classic look.

Finish: sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon crushed graham cracker over the whipped cream for a crunchy contrast and add a small mint leaf for color if desired.

Serve

Serve immediately with long spoons. Provide extra strawberry puree on the side if guests want more sauce.

If making ahead for a short time (10–15 minutes), keep assembled sundaes in the coldest part of the freezer and add whipped cream and fresh garnish just before serving to preserve texture.