Chocolate Peppermint Pudding Cake
This chocolate peppermint pudding cake is so low effort but so incredibly good! It’s completely no bake, made up of a simple homemade chocolate peppermint pudding that’s layered with chocolate graham crackers and topped with the best whipped cream you’ve ever had (using a very unexpected ingredient). It chills overnight so that the pudding can set and the graham crackers can soften, making every bite deliciously smooth. Make this dessert for your holiday party and everyone will be grabbing seconds!
No Bake Chocolate Peppermint Cake
This dessert is inspired by a no bake eclair cake which consists of vanilla pudding mix folded with cool whip and layered with graham crackers. It’s then topped with a can of melted chocolate frosting. It’s so good but I wanted to make something just as easy but completely from scratch.
The base of this recipe is a very easy chocolate pudding. You’re basically making your own instant pudding mix, but heating on the stove with milk until thickened. Once thick, it’s mixed with vanilla, peppermint, and Nutella. This unexpected ingredient makes the pudding so silky and rich but goes completely undetected. It just tastes like REALLY good chocolate pudding!
After the pudding has cooled, it’s folded with our magic whipped cream (more details on this later). Then it’s time to layer everything together.
First, arrange a layer of chocolate graham crackers at the bottom of a 9×13 dish, cutting them down as needed to completely fill the space. Spread half of the pudding on top then lay down another layer of graham crackers.
Spread the rest of the pudding and top with a final layer of graham crackers, again cutting them down as needed. Top with the remaining whipped cream and it chills overnight!
This is when the magic happens. The pudding softens the graham crackers into a cake-like consistency, making each bite tender and smooth. It’s truly the dreamiest no bake dessert.
Magic Whipped Cream
When developing this chocolate peppermint cake, I stumbed upon this little hack for the BEST whipped cream. I shared the testing process of this cake online, and someone commented that she likes to mix her cool whip with marshmallow fluff. I thought this was genius and had to try it with homemade whipped cream!
The result is magic. It’s perfectly light and fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness. The fluff also makes the whipped cream incredibly stable, meaning this dessert can last in the refrigerator for quite some time.
It also adds just the slightest hint of marshmallow flavor to this dish, and who wouldn’t want marshmallow, chocolate, and peppermint? I’m truly going to have the hardest time NOT adding marshmallow fluff to my whipped cream from here on out!
Chocolate Peppermint Pudding Cake FAQs:
Yes! You can replace the graham crackers with Simple Mill’s Chocolate Sweet Thins, or up the mint flavor even more and use their mint chocolate flavor! It just takes a little bit more time to layer since the crackers are so tiny.
If you just want a pure chocolate no bake cake, definitely feel free to leave out the peppermint extract!
Any thin chocolate wafer cookie will work. Dewey’s Bakery brownie crisp cookies are a great option. However, you can also use regular honey graham crackers!
It needs to chill overnight, so at least a day in advance. Otherwise, it can sit in the refrigerator for about 2 days and still taste just a fresh on that third day!
Unfortunately not! Candy canes are pure sugar, so they will just dissolve into the whipped cream, leaving a melty mess on top. Candy cane baking bits can be used although I’ve had a hard time finding them this year!
For more holiday recipes, check out my:
- Sugar Cookie Cheesecake
- Blossom Cookies
- Salted Peanut Butter Christmas Trees
- Gingerbread Marshmallow Treats
- Fudgy Peppermint Brownies
- Gingerbread Cake
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram and leave a review below if you make this chocolate peppermint pudding cake. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
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Chocolate Peppermint Pudding Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour + Overnight Chill
- Yield: 12 servings
Description
This no bake chocolate peppermint pudding cake is the dreamiest holiday dessert! A simple no bake chocolate peppermint pudding is layered with chocolate graham crackers and topped with magic whipped cream. Leave it overnight to chill the crackers soften into a cake-like consistency that makes every bite soft and creamy!
Ingredients
Chocolate Peppermint Pudding Cake
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
- 1/4 cup (35g) cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups (600g) whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp peppermint extract
- 13 oz jar Nutella
- 2 1/2 cups (600g) heavy whipping cream
- 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff
- 12 oz box chocolate graham crackers
Instructions
Chocolate Peppermint Pudding Cake
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt.
- Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth, then whisk it all in.
- Place over medium heat and whisk until it just starts to bubble and becomes thick like pudding. This should take 5 to 10 minutes depending on if you have a gas or electric stovetop.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla, peppermint, and Nutella until smooth.
- Pour into a large bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap, ensuring it touches up against the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, add the heavy cream to a large mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed just until it starts to thicken slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Scoop in the entire jar of marshmallow and continue to whip until you reach firm peaks, about 30 seconds.
- After those 30 minutes, the pudding should be cooled off but still slightly warm. Remove the plastic and scoop in half of the whipped cream. Fold to combine.
- Arrange a single layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 9×13 dish. Pour over half of the chocolate pudding and spread evenly.
- Arrange another layer of graham crackers on top and spread the other half of the pudding over it.
- Lay down one more layer of graham crackers and top with the remaining whipped cream.
- Dust with some cocoa powder and chill in the refrigerator overnight. No need to cover it.
- Slice and serve chilled. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
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Meet Jenna
I’m the creator, baker, and photographer behind Butternut Bakery. Here I share desserts for every diet because I believe everyone should have a chance to indulge!
