This no-bake caramel cream cake brings together the best of indulgent layers—velvety whipped cream, rich caramel drizzle, and buttery cookie crunch—in a dessert that looks impressive but comes together with zero oven time. It’s a little Southern comfort, a little French patisserie flair, and all-around magic for your sweet tooth.
Built on the foundations of chilled-set desserts you’d find across Europe and the American South, this one’s all about texture: pillowy cream, soft layers, and a caramel finish that tastes as good as our other dessert favorites like Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes and Cake Mix Toffee Bars.
Whether you’re layering it up for a birthday or just want a fuss-free treat that stuns, this cake invites experimentation—try espresso whipped cream or a dash of sea salt on top for a global twist.
Perfect For Sweet Moments!
- And the flavor? Dreamy, creamy, caramel goodness—like a cold-weather hug dressed up for summer.
- I first made this on a sweltering summer day when turning on the oven felt criminal—now it’s my favorite “set-it-and-forget-it” dessert for hot-weather entertaining.
- It fits beautifully into my busy weeknights when I want something special but low-effort—prep it in advance and let the fridge do the work.
- Over time, I’ve played around with adding crushed pretzels or cinnamon graham crackers for different textures—every version has its own personality.
- Swapping in light whipped topping and low-fat cookies made it surprisingly friendly for my sweet cravings during calorie-watching weeks.
No-Bake Caramel Cream Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Flexible spatula
- Whisk
- Citrus juicer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- Offset spatula
Ingredients
- 1 jar prepared caramel topping or 1 1/4 cups homemade caramel
- 2 boxes instant French vanilla pudding
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ⅔ cups cold whole milk
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- 2 cans apple pie filling
- 1 box graham crackers
- 1 ¼ cups cold heavy cream
- 1 medium lemon
- Flaky salt optional
- Chopped toasted pecans optional
Instructions
- Whisk the instant French vanilla pudding with cold whole milk in a large bowl until smooth and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, beat cold heavy cream until medium peaks form, then gently fold it into the pudding until fully combined.
- Stir together the apple pie filling, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and kosher salt in another bowl.
- In a 9×13-inch dish, layer graham crackers to cover the bottom, spread half the pudding mixture on top, then half the apple filling.
- Repeat with the remaining pudding and apple mixture, finishing with a final layer of graham crackers.
- Pour caramel topping over the top and smooth it out.
- Chill for at least 8 hours or overnight, then garnish with flaky salt and chopped pecans if desired.
Notes
- Folding gently keeps the whipped cream airy, preventing the pudding layer from deflating.
- A sharp serrated knife makes slicing through soft layers cleaner and neater.
- Lemon juice balances sweetness and brightens the apple pie filling’s flavor.
| Calories | 393kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 67.6g |
| Fiber | 2g |
| Fat | 12.9g |
| Protein | 4.7g |
