Graham cracker cake is a quick, old-fashioned dessert that’s simple to make and topped with a luscious stabilized whipped cream frosting. With warm cinnamon notes and a tender crumb, this single-layer sheet cake is perfect for everyday treats and special gatherings alike.
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This nostalgic graham cracker cake captures the classic honey-graham and cinnamon flavor in an easy-to-make, single-layer cake. The texture is tender and not overly sweet, and the stabilized whipped cream frosting adds a light, creamy finish that pairs perfectly with the crumbly graham flavor.
As busy bakers, we appreciate recipes that are unfussy yet impressive. This cake comes together quickly using pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients. Below you’ll find straightforward tips for making the batter, baking the cake, and preparing the stabilized whipped cream frosting so your finished dessert looks and tastes wonderful.
Why you will love this easy old-fashioned cake
- Simple to make — pantry and refrigerator staples combine in minutes.
- Well-balanced flavor — gentle cinnamon and graham notes, not overly sweet, with a light whipped cream topping.
- Easy to decorate — no advanced frosting skills required; spoon or spread the topping and finish with crushed graham cracker crumbs if desired.
- Versatile serving — ideal for snacks, family dinners, holidays, or anytime you want a no-fuss cake.
Ingredients needed
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
- Graham crackers — crushed to fine crumbs for the cake base and flavor.
- All-purpose flour — a small amount for structure.
- Baking powder and kosher salt — to give the cake a gentle lift and flavor balance.
- Cinnamon — ground, for that classic, old-fashioned taste.
- Unsalted butter — room temperature for creaming; if using salted butter, reduce or omit added salt.
- Sugar — granulated for the cake; confectioners’ sugar for the stabilized whipped cream.
- Eggs — room temperature for best incorporation.
- Vanilla — pure vanilla extract for depth of flavor.
- Sour cream — full-fat and room temperature to keep the cake moist.
- Cream cheese — used in the frosting to add flavor and stabilize the whipped cream; can be cold from the refrigerator.
- Heavy cream — cold heavy whipping cream (at least 36% fat) for a thick, stable whipped topping.
Pro tip — To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm tap water for 5–10 minutes.
How to make this graham cracker flavored cake
Preheat the oven and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper so the cake releases easily. Crush graham crackers to fine crumbs in a food processor or by placing them in a zip-top bag and crushing with a rolling pin. In a medium bowl, combine the graham crumbs with flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
Cream the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until combined, and stir in the vanilla. The batter may look slightly curdled after adding the eggs — this is normal.
With the mixer on low, add half the dry ingredients and mix until mostly combined. Add the sour cream and continue mixing on low for about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl, add the remaining dry ingredients, and mix on low until just a few streaks remain. Finish folding with a spatula to avoid overmixing, then transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.
The batter will be fairly thick — an offset spatula helps smooth it into an even layer. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 18–22 minutes depending on your oven. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
How to make stabilized whipped cream
For a stable, scoopable frosting, start by beating the cream cheese (it does not need to be room temperature), confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla together on low until the mixture begins to come together. It will look dry and clumpy at first; keep beating until smooth.
With the mixture smooth, add the cold heavy cream and blend on low to incorporate. Increase the mixer speed and whip until the frosting forms stiff peaks. This yields a light but stable whipped cream that spreads nicely over the cooled cake.
Tips for the best graham cracker cake
- Use finely crushed graham cracker crumbs for the best texture; a food processor yields the finest crumbs.
- Mix gently and avoid overmixing. Combine wet and dry ingredients on low speed and finish by folding with a spatula when only a few streaks remain.
- An offset spatula makes it easier to smooth the thick batter evenly into the pan.
- Do not overbake — check for doneness by inserting a toothpick; a few moist crumbs should cling to it.
- Use heavy cream (not light cream) for a thick, stable frosting.
- Make sure the cake is completely cool before frosting, or the whipped cream topping may soften and slide.
Remember to pin this recipe to Pinterest!
Other frosting options
This cake also pairs well with other frostings and toppings, such as:
Chocolate frosting — a simple chocolate buttercream or a portion of your favorite chocolate frosting recipe.
Coconut frosting — a vanilla frosting with a touch of coconut extract and a topping of sweetened, toasted coconut.
Peanut butter frosting — a creamy peanut butter frosting for a richer, nutty pairing.
Marshmallow topping — a cooked marshmallow layer for a fluffy, retro finish; be sure the sugar mixture reaches the proper temperature when preparing this style of topping.
Frequently asked questions
Graham crackers are slightly sweet crackers made from graham flour, commonly used in North American baking and desserts.
This recipe is designed for graham crackers; digestive biscuits or speculoos/Biscoff cookies could work as substitutes but will change the flavor. If using a less sweet cracker, you may wish to add a bit more sugar.
Stored covered in the refrigerator, the cake lasts up to 5 days.
Yes. Whipped cream freezes and thaws well; wrap tightly and freeze, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
How to store
Keep the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, wrap the cooled and unfrosted cake tightly and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting. The cake tastes best at room temperature, so let it sit 60–90 minutes before serving.
If you make this Graham Cracker Cake, please share a photo and tag @twosugarbugs on Instagram — it’s always a joy to see your baking results. Thank you and happy baking!
More simple snack cakes to try
- Chocolate Snack Cake
- Sugar Cookie Cake
- Pumpkin Snack Cake
- Vanilla Snack Cake
- Chocolate Malt Cake
- Gingerbread Snack Cake
If you try this recipe (or any from Two Sugar Bugs), please come back and leave a review and a star rating. I read every comment and love hearing from you!
Graham Cracker Cake
Graham cracker cake is an easy and quick dessert. This old-fashioned cake is topped with the BEST whipped cream frosting and is sure to become a family favorite!
20 minutes
20 minutes
40 minutes
Ingredients
cake
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full sheets / 120g)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (31g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (85g)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (67g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream, room temperature (60g)
whipped cream cheese frosting
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese (28g)
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar (60g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup cold heavy whipping cream (120mL)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Crush graham crackers into fine crumbs and place in a medium bowl.
- Stir in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and kosher salt with the graham crumbs and set aside.
- Cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add one egg and mix until combined, then add the second egg and vanilla, mixing until combined. The batter may look slightly curdled.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and mix on low until mostly combined. Add the sour cream and mix on low for about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl, add the remaining dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Finish folding with a spatula and smooth the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
- To make the stabilized whipped cream frosting: beat the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla on low until combined, then increase the speed and beat until smooth.
- Add the cold heavy cream and mix on low to combine, then whip on high until stiff peaks form, about 2–3 minutes.
- Spoon or spread the frosting over the cooled cake and garnish with graham cracker crumbs if desired.
Notes
I use Honey Maid graham crackers. A full sheet is one large cracker scored into four mini crackers; weights may vary slightly by brand. Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. The cake is best at room temperature; let it sit 60–90 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 146Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 92mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 2g
The nutrition information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on brands and portion sizes.
Did you make this recipe?
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