No bake cakes are where I send anyone who says they cannot bake, because there is nothing to bake. You layer graham crackers or cookies with pudding and whipped topping, and overnight in the fridge they soften into soft, sliceable cake-like layers.
This is the lane that made me fall for no bake desserts in the first place. No decorating, no frosting skills, no cake pans to grease. I build it in a 9×13, let it sit overnight, and cut clean squares the next day.
The most-shared recipe on my entire site lives right here, my eclair cake, and for a fresh fruit version I make my no bake berry icebox cake.
No bake cakes are my favorite corner of the whole no bake desserts collection.
Note from Jenn
What I’ve Learned About No Bake Cakes
These are forgiving desserts, but two things separate a clean slice from a soupy one.
Give it a full overnight in the fridge. The graham crackers need hours to drink in the pudding and soften into layers. Cut it too early and the crackers are still crisp and the layers slide apart.
Spread each layer all the way to the edges. Any gap lets the layers shift when you slice. Push the pudding and topping right to the corners of the pan.
Cut with a sharp knife wiped clean between slices. Once it has set overnight, a clean knife gives you those defined layers instead of a smear.
Eclair Cakes
My most-loved layered desserts. Graham crackers, pudding, and a frosting or glaze on top.
Title Goes Here
Icebox Cakes
Layered with graham crackers or cookies and fresh fruit, set soft in the fridge.
Title Goes Here
No-Bake Berry Icebox Cake
Graham layers, creamy pudding, fresh strawberries and blueberries.
Easy Icebox Cake
The simple original, graham crackers and whipped cream.
No-Bake Caramel Apple Eclair Cake
Caramel and apple layered for fall.
Banana Eclair Cake
Banana pudding and graham layers, a banana cream favorite.
Ice Cream Cakes and More
When I want a frozen cake or a fun base the kids love.
Title Goes Here
No Bake Ice Cream Cake
A full ice cream cake with no springform pan or special equipment.
Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
ce cream sandwiches stacked into a cake, layered and frozen.
Twinkie Cake
Twinkies as the base with a creamy pudding filling. A huge hit with kids.
No Bake Oreo Dessert
Frozen layers of Oreo, cream, and pudding.
Frequently Asked Questions
An eclair cake is a type of icebox cake. Both layer graham crackers or cookies with a creamy filling and chill until soft. Eclair cakes specifically copy the flavors of a chocolate eclair with vanilla pudding and a chocolate top.
Soggy usually means too much liquid or too-thin pudding. Still crunchy means it did not chill long enough. A full overnight in the fridge gives you that soft, sliceable middle.
Yes, and you should. These need the overnight chill anyway, so making it the day before is built right into the recipe.
More No Bake Recipes
- No Bake Dessert Lasagnas, layered crowd-sized desserts made in a 9×13 pan
- No Bake Pies, 25+ no-cook pies across chocolate, peanut butter, and fruit
