This delicious No-Bake Graham Cracker Cake can be made with just 3 ingredients! It's creamy sour and whipped cream filling makes it tender and moist, with a delicious layer of sweet Graham Crackers to bring it all together.
You’ll get a beautiful cake that has a tangy creamy filling that pair perfectly with the Graham Crackers.
Plus, sometimes you just need a bit of a break from the hot oven, right? Or maybe you need to produce a delicious treat but you're in a time crunch.
Well, this is where this No-Bake Honey Graham Cracker Cake will certainly come to your rescue. No cooling this cake on a wire rack, this Graham Cracker cake requires no baking whatsoever!
It is so easy that most kids can nail it. This little creation is practically fail-proof! It’s the ideal dessert to make ahead and serve to your guests. Everyone loves the creaminess of the filing with the sweetness and texture from the Graham crackers.
Want to learn how to make this delicious Graham Cracker Cake? Then keep on reading!
Table of Contents
- What is a Graham Cracker Cake?
- What Makes This Graham Cracker Cake Recipe Special?
- Why Use Sour Cream for This No-Bake Graham Cracker Cake?
- What You Need to Make Graham Cracker Cake
- How to Make No Bake Graham Cracker Cake (Step-by-Step)
- Why Refrigerate Graham Cracker Cake After Assembling?
- How to Slice This Cake Easily
- Flavor Variation Ideas for Graham Cracker Cake
- How to Store No-Bake Graham Cracker Cake
- How to Make This Graham Cracker Cake Ahead of Time?
- Recipe Card
- No-Bake Honey Graham Cracker Cake (Only 3 Ingredients!)
- Comments
What is a Graham Cracker Cake?
A Graham Cracker Cake is a delicious cake with layers of graham crackers that are filled with a delicious cream that absorbs into the crackers for deliciously tender layers.
While some Graham cracker cakes are baked, the best ones are the ones you can assemble quickly and just refrigerate. No baking required!
And that’s exactly what the cake I’ll be sharing with you today is. This is a beautifully tender cake, layered with Graham crackers with homemade cream in every layer.
Follow my recipe and you'll get a no-bake cake that is so easy to make that even kids can nail it! It’s a foolproof cake that tastes delicious every single time.
What Makes This Graham Cracker Cake Recipe Special?
This Graham Cracker Cake recipe is the best one you’ll ever make! It has everything that makes this cake perfect. It has perfectly balanced flavors with the right mix of cream and crackers in every layer.
It’s perfect cream filling soaks just right into every Graham cracker giving it the perfect level of moistness. You’re going to get a beautiful texture in every single bite.
And what’s seriously the best part is that it only requires three ingredients to make it! Yes, you read that right! By using just three ingredients, you get this beautiful cake.
That means you don’t need a cake mix, or even all-purpose flour, eggs or baking powder to make it! It’s a batter free cake that can be prepped in minutes!
This recipe is also the perfect one if you’re looking to make your dessert ahead of time. It can be made up to 2 days in advance and so it’s the best one to make when you’re prepping for guests coming over and want to serve the best dessert to them.
Why Use Sour Cream for This No-Bake Graham Cracker Cake?
Sour cream is what I like to call the secret ingredient in this three-ingredient recipe! It has the right level of moistness and creaminess to absorb well into the Graham crackers to soften them to the right level.
If you were to just use heavy cream or even whipping cream for the cream filling, it wouldn’t absorb into the crackers as well. It would also take a lot longer for the cake to soften and be ready.
Sour cream makes the process quicker and adds a delicious tanginess to the flavor that pairs beautifully with the honey graham crackers and heavy whipping cream.
Trust me, you’re going to fall in love with this delicious No-Bake Graham Cracker cake.
What You Need to Make Graham Cracker Cake
- Honey Graham crackers: Graham crackers are the perfect base for this cake, and the cream absorbs perfectly into them. And I love the flavor of honey Graham crackers with the sour cream and heavy whipping cream filling. I prefer this cake a little less moist, so I usually make it using Walmart's Great Value brand graham crackers as it's a little drier. You can try other brands to see which end result you'll like better.
- Heavy whipping cream: I recommend using for some heavy whipping that’s 40% fat. It will help make your cream filling creamier in texture and give it a delicious smoothness.
- Sour cream: This is the secret ingredient that I swear by! It absorbs perfectly into the Graham crackers and makes them just the right level of tenderness for this delicious cake. The light tanginess from the sour cream mixed with the honey flavor of the crackers goes beautifully well together.
How to Make No Bake Graham Cracker Cake (Step-by-Step)
Let's start by making the delicious cream filling. Start by pouring heavy whipping cream into a large bowl and beat it at medium-high speed until it just thickens.
Next, add sour cream and beat once more until combined about 30 seconds or so. Using a silicone spatula scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl in between mixing to ensure all the cream gets combined and well mixed in.
You can use either an electric mixer or a stand mixer to make the cream. In fact, it’s so easy to whip up that you can also use a hand whisk to make it.
How to Assemble Graham Cracker Cake
Time to assemble this delicious no-bake cake! It’s so easy to assemble that you don’t even need parchment paper to line a cake pan. All you need is a serving plate or cake stand.
Start by smearing a little cream onto the cake stand. This will help stick the crackers to the plate a bit and keep it stable when you’re assembling it. Next place the first layer of crackers on it.
You can use as little or as much cream as you like in between each layer of the crackers. I like to use enough to nearly double the thickness of the cracker.
Add cream and spread it out evenly on top of the layer of crackers. Hold the crackers in place when spreading the cream. Repeat with each layer and tower it as tall as you like. I had 10 layers of graham crackers.
Crush about 3 whole crackers in a Ziploc bag using a pin roller. Alternatively, you can also pulse it in a food processor instead.
Sprinkle the top and the sides of the cake with the Graham cracker crumbs.
Next, place the cake into the fridge and let sit and absorb for at least 4 hours or overnight so that the cake softens thoroughly. You will be surprised at how soft and moist this cake will be compared to the hard and crunchy crackers you were just stacking.
This cake is best served right out of the fridge. Alternatively, you can also serve it at room temperature.
Why Refrigerate Graham Cracker Cake After Assembling?
By refrigerating this No-bake Cake, you give each Graham Cracker Cake layer time to absorb the cream filling and soften to just the right level.
You’ll be surprised at just how moist and tender the layers get when they absorb the richness of the whipping cream and sour cream mixture.
It perfectly balances the flavor and will give you the most delicious Graham Cracker Cake you’ve ever had.
To get just the right level of tenderness in each layer, I recommend refrigerating this cake for at least 4 hours.
How to Slice This Cake Easily
You're probably wondering, do we really need cake-cutting instructions? Most of us have no problem hacking into a delicious cake... right?
Usually, in most recipes, it's just common sense as to how to slice yourself a piece of cake. Well, not if you appreciate cleanliness and presentation.
If you like nice and clean slices of a cake it is important to know a few tips. This is a cake you'd want to use this hack for as the cake sticks to the knife and crumbles easily.
If you like nice and clean slices of a cake it is important to know a few tips. This is a cake you'd want to use this hack for as the cake sticks to the knife and crumbles easily.
How to Heat the Knife for Slicing the Cake
Place a long knife into a tall cup filled with hot water. Remove the knife from the water and dry it using a paper towel. The hot knife will cleanly slice if you cut in only one downward manner and pull it out.
Then warm that knife again, wipe it clean using a paper towel and make another one way cut into the cake. Repeat with each cut you make into the sticky deliciousness.
Flavor Variation Ideas for Graham Cracker Cake
This cake recipe is incredibly versatile and will give you the perfect balance of flavors. But for this very reason, you can play around with the ingredients to customize its flavor according to your preference.
Here are some flavor variation ideas you can try:
Cracker variation: Try changing up the flavor of your cake by swapping out the Honey Graham Crackers with other flavors such as cinnamon, chocolate, or even the original flavor. Let me know what type and flavor of the crackers you like best.
Frosting options: You can top this delicious cake with a bunch of different ingredients. Add a vanilla frosting on top, or even buttercream for some extra sweetness.
Topping options: You can also top it off with some shaved dark chocolate or mini marshmallows. Another idea is to drizzle on some caramel sauce or dust it with some powdered sugar.
Nut layer option: You can add some chopped nuts such as walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts in each layer while assembling the cake.
Berry layer option: Another great idea is to add your favorite berries in each layer while you’re assembling this delicious no-bake Graham Cracker Cake.
How to Store No-Bake Graham Cracker Cake
You can refrigerate this cake for up to two days before serving it and in total it will last in the fridge for up to 4 days.
I don’t recommend freezing this cake since it will change the texture of your Graham crackers. This should definitely not be a problem since this cake is so easy to make!
How to Make This Graham Cracker Cake Ahead of Time?
This is seriously the perfect cake to make ahead of time! You can make it the night before you plan on serving it, or even make it up to 2 days in advance.
I recommend serving it within 1 to 2 days after preparing it, although it will last in the fridge for up to 4 days as I mentioned above.
My preferable way to enjoy a slice of this cake is with a cup of hot black tea. What cake beverage would you choose?
Looking for More NO BAKE desserts? Please check these out:
- No Bake Raspberry Almond Coconut Bites
- White Chocolate Peppermint Oreo Cookies
- No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Parfaits
- S' mores Tiramisu Cake Recipe
- No Bake Strawberry Kiwi Cheesecake Parfaits
- Pudding Chocolate Cups with Chocolate and Cream
- Oreo Egg Truffles
- Edible Sugar Cherries
Check out all dessert recipes HERE.
Recipe Card
No-Bake Honey Graham Cracker Cake (Only 3 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
Honey Graham Cracker Cake Ingredients
- 9 packs or 3 boxes - Honey Graham crackers
- 5 cups – heavy whipping cream (I used 40 % fat)
- 24 oz - sour cream
Instructions
How to Make No Bake Graham Cracker Cake
- Let's start by making the delicious cream filling. Start by pouring heavy whipping cream into a large bowl and beat it at medium-high speed until it just thickens.
- Next, add sour cream and beat once more until combined about 30 seconds or so. Using a silicone spatula scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl in between mixing to ensure all the cream gets combined and well mixed in.
- You can use either an electric mixer or a stand mixer to make the cream. In fact, it’s so easy to whip up that you can also use a hand whisk to make it.
How to Assemble Graham Cracker Cake
- Time to assemble this delicious no-bake cake! It’s so easy to assemble that you don’t even need parchment paper to line a cake pan. All you need is a serving plate or cake stand.
- Start by smearing a little cream onto the cake stand. This will help stick the crackers to the plate a bit and keep it stable when you’re assembling it. Next place the first layer of crackers on it.
- You can use as little or as much cream as you like in between each layer of the crackers. I like to use enough to nearly double the thickness of the cracker.
- Add cream and spread it out evenly on top of the layer of crackers. Hold the crackers in place when spreading the cream. Repeat with each layer and tower it as tall as you like. I had 10 layers of graham crackers.
- Crush about 3 whole crackers in a Ziploc bag using a pin roller. Alternatively, you can also pulse it in a food processor instead.
- Sprinkle the top and the sides of the cake with the Graham cracker crumbs.
- Next, place the cake into the fridge and let sit and absorb for at least 4 hours or overnight so that the cake softens thoroughly. You will be surprised at how soft and moist this cake will be compared to the hard and crunchy crackers you were just stacking.
- This cake is best served right out of the fridge. Alternatively, you can also serve it at room temperature.
Notes
Thank you for following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
This is an updated recipe. The picture (below) is from August 6, 2014, when the recipe was originally posted.
Lee Thayer says
I made the chocolate graham cracker version on 23 May, half of your original recipe, and wow, that is tasty! Thank you again.
Valya's Taste of Home says
You are most certainly welcome! Thank you for sharing your feedback.
Lee Thayer says
Hi Valya, I did cut the cream and sour cream in half to make a smaller cake, and used Kroger brand honey graham crackers, and I will say, this is the best cake I have made, hands down! I asked my family on a scale of 1 to 10 what they thought, and they all said 12! Thank you for the great recipe! I will post a photo on instagram shortly.
Valya's Taste of Home says
That is so awesome! I can't agree more the best and the easiest cake ever! I'd love to see pictures. Please tag @valyastasteofhome so I can see them. Thank you for an amazing review!
Lee Thayer says
You are certainly welcome for the review. I just tagged it the correct way, I hope 🙂 And next week I will make this again with the cinnamon graham crackers and will make a comment on that version 🙂
Valya's Taste of Home says
Thank you! Also, try chocolate graham crackers as well it tastes amazing!
Anuj says
Hi Valyas I tried this one and trust me the receipe turned out to be awesome. Everyone loved it. Thanks for your wonderful receipe. I have tagged you in facebook and Insta with the pics
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you kindly for coming back and leaving an amazing review!
Tanya says
Made this cake with my daughter last night. Very simple and delicious! Thank you for the step by step recipe. Will be making it again!
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
I'm so happy to hear you liked it. Thank you for coming back and leaving an amazing review!
Olga says
Hello, Valya. I just came across your blog through Pinterest. This is amazing, where was I before? I also grew up with some of these great meals but like others said my mother always eyeballed things and didn't have any sense of teaching me when I asked. I have 5 children young children now and this blog has come in handy this weekend when we were expecting company. It would be so awesome to meet you in person if only you lived on the northwest side of Washington 🙂 Thank you again. I have so many tabs open, just have to decide what we will do next. I love sweets and baked stuff but do it so rarely since I always have at least 2 or 3 helpers in the kitchen with me at all times it seems.
www.valyastasteofhome.com says
Welcome aboard! I'm glad to hear you enjoy my recipes! That would be nice! You are always welcome to send private messages. Yes, it's understandable. Its kind of taught to get things done in the kitchen with little helpers, who constantly organizing kitchen utensils in every single drawer 😀 Trust me, they will not be little for very long, time flies so fast and by the time you know it they are grown up! 🙂
Ekaterina says
Hi, Valya. I have not made this cake yet but I love that you don't have any sugar in the frosting. It looks amazing and sounds really easy, even compared to some other no-bake graham cracker recipes.Thank you for your blog. I will be coming back for more recipes.
www.valyastasteofhome.com says
Sugar in this cake frosting is not needed do to super sweet graham crackers. It all evens out in sweetness. Thank you for kind words Ekaterina! 🙂
Angie says
I would like to make this cake but just for my husband and I. Can I half the recipe?
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Yes, of course! Just divide all the ingredients in half. Enjoy!
Ivanna says
Looks very much like a medovik but without the need to slave in the kitchen for two hours. Does this taste like it?
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Tastes very similar. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Anastasiya says
Hi Valya. I was wondering, do I need to refrigerate this cake or let it stay at room temperature for 4 hours? Thank you
valya'stasteofhome.com says
After assembling refrigerate for 4 hours for the crackers to soften. I hope this helps.
Anastasiya says
Thank you Valya for the recipe! It was super easy to make and turned out very delicious !
valya'stasteofhome.com says
You are very welcome Anastasiya! I'm very happy to hear that. It's our number one cake to go to if we crave a cake and don't want to cook, lol. Thanks for your feedback 🙂