This no-bake Island cake in cups is easier and less messy to make! Made of delicious and creamy dulce de leche cheesecake, ground graham crackers crumbs and flavoured pandan jelly. With the tools and step-by-step tutorial for a cute island cake in cups!
What you’ll need to make Island Cake in cups
Equipment
12 of 200 ml cups glass or plastic
3 food-safe small paint brushes
Ingredients
250 g cream cheese softened
300 ml dulce de Leche
1¼ cup whipping cream or 2 1/2 cup whipped cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the crust
9 sheet honey graham crackers ground or may use Biscoff cookies
⅓ cup butter melted
2 tbsp sugar optional or to taste
For chocolate ganache
75 g semisweet chocolate chips
3 tbsp heavy cream
For the jelly
¼ cup unflavored gelatine
5½ cup water
⅓ cup sugar or to taste
5 to 6 drops of blue food colouring
For the white chocolate ganache
50 g white chocolate chips
1 tbsp heavy cream
2 drops of green food colouring
For the grass, sand, and waves effect
50 g Marie biscuits half ground, half finely ground
6 drops of Green food colouring or more
2 tbsp vanilla whipped cream
For optional flavouring
Pandan leaves or almond extract
How to make Island Cake in cups (No-Bake)
Step 1. Prepare the crust
Crush or grind honey graham crackers in a bag, and use a rolling pin or a food processor.
Transfer in a medium-sized bowl. Add melted butter and mix until combined. If using a food processor, pour the melted butter inside the food processor with the ground graham crackers and press pulse to combine.
Scoop 2 tbsp of graham mixture in each cup. Press it down with the back of the ice cream scoop. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or longer to set.
Step 2. Make the Dulce de leche cheesecake mixture
In a chilled bowl, beat cold whipping cream and pure vanilla extract until stiff peaks.
In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth and add the dulce de leche. Scrape the bowl, and continue beating until silky smooth.
At low speed, add the vanilla and whipped cream. Mix until blended.
For easy and clean transfer of the cheesecake mixture in cups, use a piping bag and cut the end about half an inch. Place the cups slanted in the muffin pan. Start piping in the slanted side of the cups, about half part of the cups layering from the bottom up. Leave about half-inch headroom from the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until set and firm.
This is the same recipe I made for my No-Bake Dulce de leche cheesecake in cups. So if you feel like making just the cheesecake, feel free and check this recipe here on my website🙂
The texture of this no-bake dulce de leche cheesecake is cross between mousse and cheesecake.
For a more firm cremier texture try here my no-bake cheesecake recipe.
Step 3. Make the chocolate ganache
Heat the heavy cream in a microwave for a few seconds, then add to chocolate chips. Mix until the chocolate melts. Let it cool but not set.
Use small food-safe paintbrushes. Apply the chocolate ganache that has been cooled on the firm and set cheesecake. Make an illusion of layered rocks.
Chill in the refrigerator until the ganache is firm and set.
Step 4. Prepare the jelly
In a saucepan with the water, add the Jello or follow the instructions on the packaging. Add the pandan or almond flavouring and bring to a boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pandan leaves. Turn off the heat then add the food colouring.
Strain and transfer in a small pitcher with a spout for easy pouring into the cups with the cheesecake. Let it cool but not set.
Slowly pour the jelly liquid into the cups with the chocolate-covered cheesecake that has been set about 3/4 full. Refrigerate until set and firm for about 4 hours.
Step 5. Prepare the grass/trees and sand effect
For the grass/trees effect, crushed 25g of biscuits. Add a few drops of green food colouring.
For the sand effect, grind the remaining biscuits in a coffee grinder for a finer texture.
Step 6. Make the white chocolate ganache
For the white chocolate ganache. In a small bowl add the heavy cream and white chocolate over hot water. Mix until melted and smooth.
Add a few drops of green food colouring. Set aside and let it cool but not set.
Step 7. Making the island effect
Cover the jelly part with plastic wrap. Using a food-safe paintbrush. Paint the chocolate ganache with the green ganache and sprinkle the green ground biscuit.
Sprinkle the fine ground biscuit in between the green ground biscuit. Remove the plastic wrap.
To make the waves (effect). Start painting the jelly with the whipped cream, about a quarter-inch from the sand effect. Retouch with the fine ground biscuit if needed.
Storing
Keep refrigerated and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Island Cake in cups (No-bake)
Watch How to Make It
Equipment
- 12 200 ml cups glass or plastic
- 3 food-safe paint brushes
Ingredients
- 250 g cream cheese softened
- 300 ml dulce de Leche
- 1¼ cup whipping cream or 2 1/2 cup whipped cream
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the crust
- 9 sheet honey graham crackers ground
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- 2 tbsp sugar optional or to taste
For chocolate ganache
- 75 g semisweet chocolate chips
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
For the jelly
- ¼ cup unflavored gelatine
- 5½ cup water
- ⅓ cup sugar or to taste
- 5 to 6 drops blue food colouring
For the white chocolate ganache
- 50 g white chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 drops green food colouring
For the grass, sand, and waves effect
- 50 g Marie biscuits half ground, half finely ground
- 6 drops Green food colouring or more
- 2 tbsp vanilla whipped cream
For optional flavouring
- Pandan leaves or almond extract
Instructions
Prepare the crust
- Crush or grind honey graham crackers in a bag, use a rolling pin or use a food processor.
- Transfer in a medium-sized bowl. Add melted butter, and mix until combined. If using a food processor, pour the melted butter inside the food processor with the ground graham crackers and press pulse to combine.
- Scoop 2 tbsp of graham mixture in each cup. Press it down with the back of the ice cream scoop. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or longer to set.
Make the Dulce de leche cheesecake mixture
- In a chilled bowl, beat cold whipping cream and pure vanilla extract until stiff peaks.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth and add the dulce de leche. Scrape the bowl, and continue beating until silky smooth.
- At low speed, add the vanilla and whipped cream. Mix until blended.
- For easy and clean transfer of the cheesecake mixture in cups, use a piping bag and cut the end about half an inch. Place the cups slanted in the muffin pan. Start piping in the slanted side of the cups, about half part of the cups layering from the bottom up. Leave about half-inch headroom from the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until set and firm.
For the chocolate ganache
- Heat the heavy cream in a microwave for a few seconds, then add to chocolate chips. Mix until the chocolate melts. Let it cool but not set.
- Use a small food-safe paintbrush. Apply the chocolate ganache that has been cooled on the firm and set cheesecake. Make an illusion of layered rocks.
- Chill in the refrigerator until the ganache is firm and set.
Prepare the jelly
- In a saucepan with the water, add the Jello or follow the instructions on the packaging. Add the pandan or almond flavouring and bring to a boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pandan leaves. Turn off the heat then add the food colouring.
- Strain and transfer in a small pitcher with a spout for easy pouring into the cups with the cheesecake. Let it cool but not set.
- Slowly pour the jelly liquid into the cups with the chocolate-covered cheesecake that has been set about 3/4 full. Refrigerate until set and firm for about 4 hours.
Prepare the grass/trees and sand effect
- For the grass/trees effect, crushed 25g of biscuits. Add a few drops of green food colouring.
- For the sand effect, grind the remaining biscuits in a coffee grinder for a finer texture.
For the white chocolate ganache
- For the white chocolate ganache. In a small bowl add the heavy cream and white chocolate over hot water. Mix until melted and smooth.
- Add a few drops of green food colouring. Set aside and let it cool but not set.
Making the island effect
- Cover the jelly part with plastic wrap. Using a food-safe paintbrush. Paint the chocolate ganache with the green ganache and sprinkle the green ground biscuit.
- Sprinkle the fine ground biscuit in between the green ground biscuit. Remove the plastic wrap.
- For the waves. Start painting the jelly with the whipped cream, about a quarter-inch from the sand effect. Retouch with the fine ground biscuit if needed.
