No-Bake Pancho Cake
Delicate, airy, sweet, incredibly tasty, and simple! No-Bake Pancho Cake is perfect when you need a quick dessert for tea. Made with ready-made sponge layers, it’s even better than store-bought.
Updated : 02 June, 2025
Easy
Ingredients
400 grams
Sponge cake layers
700 grams
Sour cream
350 grams
Pineapple
200 grams
Walnut
150 grams
Sugar
80 grams
Chocolate
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Use thick sour cream with at least 30% fat. Thinner cream can become runny and the cake may collapse after flipping. You can use fresh pineapple instead of canned.
Step 2
In a bowl, combine the sour cream and sugar. Beat with a mixer until fluffy and the sugar dissolves completely. Adjust sugar to taste. If you can’t find thick sour cream, use 20–25% and mix in 8–9 g (1 packet) of gelatin dissolved in 3 ½ tbsp (50 ml) of water to help stabilize the cream.
Step 3
Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet.
Step 4
Then chop the walnuts with a knife or pulse them in a blender. You can substitute with hazelnuts, cashews, etc.
Step 5
Remove the pineapple from syrup, squeeze out excess juice, and cut into small pieces. You can also use pre-cut pineapple chunks.
Step 6
Cut two sponge cake layers into small pieces. Reserve the third whole layer for the base. You can use white or chocolate sponge.
Step 7
Line a 2-liter (about 8 cups) bowl with plastic wrap and lightly grease it with oil. Sprinkle some chopped nuts on the bottom, then a few pineapple pieces. Dip chocolate sponge chunks into the cream and layer them into the bowl. Continue layering nuts, pineapple, and cream-soaked sponge until all ingredients are used.
Step 8
Cover the top with the whole sponge cake layer, pressing it halfway into the cream. Trim the layer if needed to fit snugly.
Step 9
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2–3 hours or overnight. You can also assemble the cake in a springform pan or cake ring, starting with the whole layer on the bottom.
Step 10
For the glaze, break the chocolate into pieces and melt over low heat or in the microwave, stirring constantly. Transfer to a piping bag and snip the tip.
Step 11
Remove the wrap and carefully flip the cake onto a plate. Drizzle with the melted chocolate glaze and chill for another 10–15 minutes.
Step 12
Decorate your no-bake Pancho cake as desired, slice, and serve. Enjoy!