This foolproof no-bake chocolate cake is perfect for any celebration. My dad's been making it my entire life.

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Anneta KonstantinidesOct 10, 2021, 19:05 IST
This foolproof no-bake chocolate cake is perfect for any celebration. My dad's been making it my entire life.

My dad's celebration cake is an easy, no-bake dessert perfect for every family.Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

  • I learned how to make my dad's celebration cake, which he's been whipping up since I was a kid.
  • It includes layers of Nilla Wafers and chocolate whipped cream filling, plus chocolate chips.
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As a food writer, sometimes I get inspiration from the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Ina Garten. And, sometimes, I get it right from my dad.

As a food writer, sometimes I get inspiration from the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Ina Garten. And, sometimes, I get it right from my dad.
My dad is the mastermind behind some of my favorite recipes. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Sure Ramsay's breakfast sandwich is unbeatable, and no one makes a 9 a.m. cosmo quite like the "Barefoot Contessa." But sometimes the best food comes with a side of nostalgia.

My dad is behind one of my favorite pasta dishes with his incredible pastitsio, which I truly believe is better than lasagna.

After sharing that beloved family recipe, I asked my dad to teach me another one of his classics. And this time we're making dessert.

This easy, no-bake cake is something my dad makes for all of our birthdays - and it's perfect for any celebration.

This easy, no-bake cake is something my dad makes for all of our birthdays - and it's perfect for any celebration.
The celebration cake is foolproof, and super quick to make. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

We've dubbed it the Konstantinides Torte for as long as I can remember, but you can call it whatever you want (don't worry, my dad gives you permission).

This foolproof recipe barely takes 15 minutes to make. And you can easily modify the ingredients to satisfy any taste.

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Our family's celebration cake only needs a few simple ingredients.

Our family's celebration cake only needs a few simple ingredients.
The celebration cake includes Nilla Wafers, semi-sweet chocolate, and heavy whipping cream. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

To whip up the original version of my dad's cake, you'll need:

  • 1/2 box Nilla Wafers
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • ⅓ cup brandy
  • 1 4-ounce semi-sweet chocolate bar
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips

If you'd rather make a strawberry and whipped cream version of this cake, you can skip the chocolate bar and replace the chocolate chips with strawberries — or any other fruit — instead.

"You could also do the chocolate whipped cream with strawberries if you want," my dad added. "And if you still want to put chocolate chips, nobody's stopping you from putting chocolate chips!"

My dad, as you may have gathered, is very into chocolate.

The first step to making the celebration cake is melting the chocolate.

The first step to making the celebration cake is melting the chocolate.
First we melted the chocolate with an improvised bain-marie. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

My dad does this with an improvised bain-marie, which is a fancy French term for putting a pan inside another pan to avoid burning the chocolate.

First, fill a pot with just enough water so that the second pot touches it when you place it on top. Then, break the semi-sweet chocolate bar into smaller pieces and throw them in the second pot.

If that sounds like too much work, my dad said you can also just melt the chocolate in the microwave.

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The chocolate should take about five minutes to melt.

The chocolate should take about five minutes to melt.
When the chocolate is done, stick it in the fridge until you're ready to use it. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

Once the chocolate has melted, my dad recommends keeping it in the fridge until you're ready to add it to the whipping cream.

Then it was time to make the whipping cream.

Then it was time to make the whipping cream.
We added two tablespoons of powdered sugar to sweeten the whipping cream. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

First we added the two cups of heavy whipping cream (which amounts to one 16 fluid-ounce bottle) to our stand mixer.

Then we added two tablespoons of sugar to the cream and turned the mixer to high speed.

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Just before the mixer began forming soft peaks, we added the melted chocolate.

Just before the mixer began forming soft peaks, we added the melted chocolate.
After two minutes, we added the melted chocolate. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

The consistency of the whipping cream should look like the picture above. It'll take about two minutes of mixing in total.

My dad said this is also a great time to check if your filling is sweet enough.

"If you want more sugar, this is your time to add it," he told me.

Once you see the soft peaks, your whipping cream is ready.

Once you see the soft peaks, your whipping cream is ready.
This shows how stiff you want the peaks of your whipping cream to be. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

The entire process takes less than five minutes.

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Then it was time to prep the cookies.

Then it was time to prep the cookies.
We mixed milk and brandy to add to our cookies. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

First, we added the milk and brandy to a bowl and gave it a little swirl.

(If you want to go alcohol-free, that's totally fine! This recipe is completely customizable).

When we were ready to start building the cake, we threw a few Nilla Wafers into the bowl.

When we were ready to start building the cake, we threw a few Nilla Wafers into the bowl.
Only soak a few of the Nilla Wafers in the mixture at a time so they don't get soggy. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

My dad said this step not only infuses the cookies with more flavor, it also softens them — giving the cake a consistency and texture that's very similar to tiramisu.

And you don't need to place each cookie in the milk-and-brandy bath one by one. I did this at first and my dad just laughed at me.

"This would take all night if we did it that way!" he exclaimed.

But don't put too many cookies in the bath either. You don't want them to get too soggy before you place them on the pan.

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Constructing the cake is super easy. First we added a layer of Nilla Wafers to the bottom of the pan.

Constructing the cake is super easy. First we added a layer of Nilla Wafers to the bottom of the pan.
Feel free to break the cookies to help fit the empty spaces. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

We always use a 21-by-21 centimeter pan for the cake, but my dad said you could easily use a bigger pan too.

"It just means you'll use more cookies and have a thinner layer of whipped cream with this recipe," he added. "Or you can just make more whipped cream."

Then we added half of the whipped cream filling right on top.

Then we added half of the whipped cream filling right on top.
We used a spatula to spread and smooth the whipping cream. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

We used a spatula to spread and smooth the filling over the Nilla Wafers.

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We sprinkled chocolate chips all over the top of the first layer.

We sprinkled chocolate chips all over the top of the first layer.
Don't be shy when it comes to adding the chocolate chips. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

If you're opting for fruit instead, this would be when you add strawberries (or whatever fruit your heart desires). Just make sure you cut them into thin slices.

Then we added another layer of Nilla wafers.

Then we added another layer of Nilla wafers.
There will be two layers total of Nilla Wafers. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

We broke some of the cookies to help fill in the spaces.

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Then we added the rest of the whipped cream filling, plus more chocolate chips.

Then we added the rest of the whipped cream filling, plus more chocolate chips.
It barely takes 10 minutes to prep the ingredients and build the cake. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

And that's it, you're done! But don't forget the very important final step — licking the bowl.

"It's the reward for the chef — and whoever helps — to lick the bowl," my dad told me sagely.

We then covered the pan with plastic wrap and stuck it in the fridge.

We then covered the pan with plastic wrap and stuck it in the fridge.
The cake should sit in the fridge overnight. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

The cake needs to sit overnight, so some patience is required.

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The next day, we admired our latest celebration cake.

The next day, we admired our latest celebration cake.
My dad proudly shows off his latest celebration cake. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

My dad said that one of his favorite parts about this cake is that there's no baking required, which removes a lot of the stress that comes with making dessert for the family (don't ask him about the Great Souffle Disaster of 2001).

"You don't have to worry, 'Oh, is it ready? Did I overcook it? Is it going to raise?' like with other cakes" he told me.

Plus, the recipe is so simple. My dad didn't even have it written down until I asked him to for this article.

"It's very easy to remember," he said. "You don't even have to remember the proportions, you can just mix and match and put whatever you want there."

"It's always trial and error, and it's very hard to fail. If you put too much brandy? It's okay! And if you put too little, you know next time to put a little more."

It was finally time to dig in! And, as always, the celebration cake was absolutely delicious.

It was finally time to dig in! And, as always, the celebration cake was absolutely delicious.
The cake is super light and fluffy - you'll want to eat the whole pan. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

What I love about my dad's cake is how fluffy it is. It's lighter than a tiramisu or Ina Garten's similar no-bake mocha chocolate icebox cake (which I've also made), but it has this delicious crunch from the chocolate chips.

The chocolate in the mousse is sweet but subtle, and the Nilla Wafers add some great texture (plus who doesn't love a little kick from that brandy).

This cake is obviously great for the hotter months, but it's also perfect for any season. My dad makes this for my sister's birthday in November, and for my mom (with strawberries swapped for chocolate) a month later.

After all, chocolate and cookies taste good no matter the season.

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Obviously I'm biased, but I think my dad's celebration cake would fit in with every family.

Obviously I'm biased, but I think my dad's celebration cake would fit in with every family.
The celebration cake works great will all kinds of tastes. Anneta Konstantinides/Insider

When I asked my dad what inspired the Konstantinides Torte, he told me it was actually his older sister who first taught him how to make it. She used ladyfingers for the base, but when my dad moved to the US from Greece he couldn't easily find them in the supermarket, so he went with Nilla Wafers instead.

It's such a simple cake to pass down within the family. And, since it's so versatile, it's really easy to modify. As my dad told me, "One recipe can really be used for anything you want!"

But, mostly, this cake is super special to me because of its history, and I know I'll be making it for my own friends and family for decades to come.

I hope it brings you as much joy as it has for us.

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