Sex in a Pan – crazy name for a dessert, but it’s one of the best desserts you’ll ever have, it’s mostly a pudding dessert with a crunchy pecan bottom crust.
Over 5 years ago I shared this amazing dessert with you and you guys loved it! It’s one of my most popular recipes on Jo Cooks and there’s a reason for that. It’s incredible, it’s decadent and luscious.
I thought it’s the perfect time to share this with you again with some updated pictures and a video. With Valentine’s day only a couple days away, I think this dessert will be spot on for that special day with a name like sex in a pan.
WHY IS IT CALLED SEX IN A PAN
The name itself is hilarious for a dessert, and hundreds of you have commented on here telling me all the other names that this pudding dessert goes by. I think it’s called sex in a pan because it’s six layers and from six layers in a pan it got it’s sex in a pan.
A long time ago, before I was married, my friend came over on a weekend and made this dessert for me. I had no idea what it was, but she promised me I was going to love it so we made it.
We did not come up with the name, that is the name that it was known to her and her mom had been making it for her for as long as she could remember. I think this dessert has really been around for decades but it still popular, not because of its name but because it really is incredible.
That first day we made this dessert I fell in love with it. I had never had anything like it before. It was so easy to make and so good.
WHAT IS SEX IN A PAN
Sex in a pan is a layered dessert. The bottom layer is the crust made with pecans, flour and butter. The next layer is a layer of cream cheese sweetened with powdered sugar and made fluffier with whipped cream. Then you have a layer of chocolate pudding, then another layer of vanilla pudding and top it off with whipping cream and then lastly you sprinkle it with chocolate. Does that not sound good?
And don’t worry about it looking perfect with perfect layers, this dessert is not about that. It will look sloppy with all the pudding and whipped cream layers. Nobody will care about how it looks like once they take a bite. It really is love at first bite.
I just had to share this wonderful dessert with you again because every single time I make it people fall in love with it and so many of them tell me it’s the best dessert they’ve ever had. Trust me, that’s the best compliment you can get for such a simple dessert. Have you guys had this before? Isn’t it to die for?
CRAVING MORE SEXY DESSERTS? TRY THESE:
- Better Than Sex Cake
- Tres Leches Cake
- Easy Tiramisu
- Apple Pie Cake
- No Bake Banana Pudding Dessert
- Luscious Lemon Pudding
Sex in a Pan
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Cream cheese layer
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup icing sugar use 1/2 cup for less sweetness
- 1 cup cool whip or whipped cream
Vanilla pudding
- 5.1 oz instant vanilla pudding
- 2 cups milk
Chocolate Pudding
- 5.1 oz instant chocolate pudding
- 2 cups milk
Toppings
- 2 cups cool whip or whipped cream
- shaved chocolate optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a mixer mix all the crust ingredients together and press the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake it for about 20 minutes.
- Prepare the vanilla pudding as per the instructions on the package. As noted I used 2 cups of milk instead of the 3 cups on the package instructions to get a firmer pudding.
- Prepare the chocolate pudding as per the instructions on the package. As noted I used 2 cups of milk instead of the 3 cups on the package instructions to get a firmer pudding.
- In a mixer add the cream cheese, powdered sugar and the cup of whipped cream. Mix until light and fluffy.
- Let the crust cool. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the crust evenly. Spread the vanilla pudding over the cream cheese layer, then the chocolate pudding. Spread the whipped cream as the last layer then top with shaved chocolate if preferred.
- Refrigerate for a couple hours until it sets before serving.
Video
Notes
- I used 2 cups of milk for my pudding, because I wanted a firmer pudding for the layers here, but feel free to use 3 cups of milk just as the instructions say.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition
Products you’ll need:
Originally Shared March 2012:
I can’t use pecans for the crust, my husband has allergies. What would u suggest?
You can make a plain graham cracker crust, or any other type of nuts if he’s not allergic to them 🙂
I underestimated how tasty this dessert was going to be but this was to diiieeee for! We couldn’t stop eating it! I replaced the chocolate pudding with chocolate mousse and it came out amazing! Great recipe!!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Hayley!
Ok, looks in the video like the layers don’t get messed up as you add each one — did you put the dessert in the fridge between layers or anything to encourage each layer to “stay put” and not mix in with the new one being added each time, or do the layers really behave well like that?
Since we used less milk than required on the package to make the pudding layers nice and thick, they will stay put as you layer!
It’s called sex in a pan because the adage was it’s better than sex. Lol.
Should the pudding be cooled before assembling the cake?
If it’s instant pudding it should be cold already but if you used the kind you have to cook then yes, it should be cooled.
I made homemade pudding and cooled it before I assmebled it.
I love this cake. I made this cake for the office for years by request. It’s a lite dessert after a big meal, like an office party. Thank you for posting the Better Than Sex cake recipe.
Is it possible to entirely omit the cream cheese layer? we are not big fans of cream cheese fillings at all
It’s totally up to you! You could sub some mascarpone for the cream cheese so you still have a third creamy layer, but with a much lighter flavor.