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Eclair Cake
For those hectic times when you need to entertain, this chocolate eclair cake is such an easy recipe requiring very few ingredients.
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A decadent éclair cake simply takes all of the flavors of a classic eclair and makes them bigger and better—in cake form. This confection is stacked in sweet, creamy, delicious layers of graham crackers and pudding with a rich chocolate frosting finishing it off.
Eclair Cake Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 2 (3.4-ounce) boxes of instant French Vanilla pudding with ½ teaspoon removed from one of the bags
- 3½ cups of whole milk
- 16 ounces of Cool Whip
- 1 box of cinnamon graham crackers
- 1 (16-ounce) tub of dark chocolate fudge frosting
PRO TIP:
The pudding will not set with dairy-free or lactose-free milk. Make sure you are using regular milk in this recipe.
Substitutions And Additions
TOPPINGS: Cut the éclair cake into generous squares and make it yours with whichever toppings you prefer. What doesn’t go with chocolate and vanilla filling?
Sprinkle your piece with some chopped nuts or, if you believe you can never have too much chocolate, add chocolate chips.
I like to smother mine with some whipped cream or a layer of Cool Whip and top it off with strawberry slices.
You could also add sliced bananas or even pour hot fudge sauce on top. If you want to stick with simple, a dusting of powdered sugar would be a simple and elegant way to top off your treat.
PEANUT BUTTER: Try a variation with peanut butter by adding one cup to the pudding and milk.
PUDDING: For a real twist of flavor, change it up with banana or lemon pudding. Try strawberry pudding or chocolate pudding for one layer and vanilla for another. Mix and match.
Éclair cakes are both versatile and beautiful, so you can really play with flavor combinations.
GRAHAM CRACKERS: Get creative by alternating between honey or chocolate graham crackers.
FROSTING: If you’re a milk chocolate fan rather than dark chocolate, go for it! Kids love the sweeter taste of milk chocolate, and I don’t blame them!
The frosting could even be delicious cream cheese frosting. The options are endless!
If you have a preferred homemade chocolate frosting recipe, you are more than welcome to use that too.
MILK: Skim or 2% milk can be used for this recipe, but it will change the thickness and consistency of the pudding layers resulting in a thinner cake.
Whole milk works best to get the thick, creamy layers.
How To Make This Eclair Cake Recipe
STEP ONE: Spray a 9×13×3-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray on the bottom and lightly on the sides.
It’s very important to use a dish that is three inches deep because it creates space for the graham crackers to be snug up against all of the edges.
PRO TIP:
Don’t forget to remove ½ teaspoon from one of the two pudding box bags before dumping them in your bowl! The ½ teaspoon you remove can be discarded, you won’t need it for anything in this recipe.
STEP TWO: Mix the pudding and milk using either a mixer with a whisk attachment or a mixing bowl and a whisk.
STEP THREE: Fold in the Cool Whip until it is fully incorporated, and there are no more white and yellow swirls.
You want the mix to be fully yellow and uniform.
STEP FOUR: Layer graham crackers along the bottom of the pan, covering the entire bottom to the edges.
PRO TIP:
A box of graham crackers usually comes with a broken piece or two, these pieces work great to fill in the gaps along edges or along the uneven edge of a cracker that’s slightly broken
STEP FIVE: Divide the pudding mixture in half.
PRO TIP:
If you want to weigh your pudding mixture after it’s been mixed to get a more precise measurement of it divided in half, you can!
Humidity can affect the weight and swell of Cool Whip, so that could slightly impact your weight. But generally, you want each pudding mixture in two different bowls to each weigh approximately 1468 grams or 3.2 pounds.
STEP SIX: Spread the first half of the pudding mixture on top of the first graham cracker layer using an offset spatula until fully covered.
Do your best to get each layer as level as possible so your end product is evenly distributed.
STEP SEVEN: Spread the second layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding layer to the edges.
STEP EIGHT: Fully spread the remaining pudding mixture over the second layer of graham crackers.
STEP NINE: Lay the third and final layer of graham crackers to the edges.
STEP TEN: Microwave your tub of dark chocolate fudge frosting (DO NOT microwave the frosting in the tub, transfer it to a microwave-safe bowl) for 30 seconds.
Remove and stir fully.
STEP ELEVEN: Microwave for another 30 seconds, stir and remove any lumps. Immediately pour the frosting onto the final layer of graham crackers and spread gently to the edges.
With two hands, give your whole dish a gentle shake back and forth for a few seconds to level out your layers!
STEP TWELVE: Cover in saran wrap and chill in the refrigerator for ten hours or overnight.
PRO TIP:
Chilling your dessert is not optional. It is very important that this step happens because the pudding and frosting need to set and the graham crackers need to soften up.
STEP THIRTEEN: When you’re ready to serve your cake, remove it from the fridge and let the cake sit uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes for it to get that beautiful shine restored to the frosting topping.
How To Serve
This no-bake chocolate eclair cake recipe is such a simple but decadent recipe. It would be perfect for the kids to whip up since there is no baking.
Serve a delicious slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce for a truly decadent treat.
For other no-bake desserts, try our no bake peanut butter pie and icebox cake recipes. So delicious!
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Store your eclair cake covered in plastic wrap in the fridge for four to five days.
IN THE FREEZER: Freeze this tasty dessert sealed in an airtight container for up to three months.
The creamy, rich layers of pudding, graham crackers, and chocolate make this delicious eclair cake the perfect dessert year-round. It’s cool and light in the spring and summer, and it’s the best comfort for cozying up in the house during fall and winter. You can’t beat the superb results for a treat that takes minimal effort to make.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different flavors?
There are several ways to change the flavors in this cake. Try mixing and matching pudding, graham cracker, and frosting flavors.
Can I serve this dessert right away?
You definitely need to plan to make this recipe at least a day in advance. It needs to chill, let the pudding set, and the graham crackers need time to soften up.
Do I have to use Cool Whip?
You can opt to use homemade whipped cream if you prefer in place of the Cool Whip.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Chocolate Icebox Cake
- Lemon Poke Cake
- Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake
- Banana Pudding Cake
- Banana Split Cake
Eclair Cake
For those hectic times when you need to entertain, this chocolate eclair cake is such an easy recipe requiring very few ingredients.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 10 hours 15 minutes
Servings 12
Ingredients
- 1 box cinnamon graham crackers
- 6.8 ounces French Vanilla instant pudding, (two 3.4-ounce boxes) with ½ teaspoon removed from one of the bags
- 16 ounces Cool Whip
- 3½ cups whole milk
- 16 ounces dark chocolate fudge frosting
Instructions
- Spray a 9x13x3-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray on the bottom and lightly on the sides. It’s very important to use a dish that is 3 inches deep because it creates space for the graham crackers to be snug up against all of the edges.
- Mix pudding and milk using either a mixer with a whisk attachment or a mixing bowl and a whisk.
- Fold in the Cool Whip until it is fully incorporated and there are no more white and yellow swirls. You want the mix to be fully yellow and uniform.
- Layer graham crackers along the bottom of the pan, covering the entire bottom to the edges.
- Divide the pudding mixture in half.
- Spread the first half of the pudding mixture on top of the first graham cracker layer (an offset spatula is great for this) until fully covered. Do your best to get each layer as level as possible, so your end product is evenly distributed.
- Spread the second layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding layer to the edges.
- Fully spread the remaining pudding mixture over the second layer of graham crackers.
- Lay the third and final layer of graham crackers to the edges.
- Microwave your tub of dark chocolate fudge frosting (DO NOT microwave the frosting in the tub, transfer to a microwave-safe bowl) for 30 seconds, remove, and stir fully.
- Microwave for another 30 seconds, stir and remove any lumps. Immediately pour the frosting onto the final layer of graham crackers and spread gently to the edges. With two hands, give your whole dish a gentle shake back and forth for a few seconds to level out your layers!
- Cover in saran wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 10 hours or overnight.
- When you’re ready to serve your cake, remove it from the fridge and let the cake thaw uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes for it to get that beautiful shine restored to the frosting topping.
Video
Notes
- The pudding will not set with dairy-free or lactose-free milk. Make sure you are using regular milk in this recipe.
- Don’t forget to remove ½ teaspoon from one of the 2 pudding box bags before dumping them in your bowl! The ½ teaspoon you remove can be discarded, you won’t need it for anything in this recipe.
- A box of graham crackers usually comes with a broken piece or two, these pieces work great to fill in the gaps along edges or along the uneven edge of a cracker that’s slightly broken
- If you want to weigh your pudding mixture after it’s been mixed to get a more precise measurement of it divided in half, you can! Humidity can affect the weight and swell of Cool Whip, so that could slightly impact your weight. But generally, you want each pudding mixture in 2 different bowls to each weigh approximately 1468 grams or 3.2 pounds.
- Chilling your dessert is not optional. It is very important that this step happens because the pudding and frosting need to set, and the graham crackers need to soften up.
Nutrition
Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 449mg | Potassium: 282mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 178IU | Calcium: 156mg | Iron: 2mg
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Comments
Toni Thomason says
This looks amazingly delicious! Makes my mouth water just looking at it!
Hazel says
This looks so good! I’m from New Zealand and we don’t have Graham crackers over here, are they kind of like pastry? Could I cook a couple of sheets of puff pastry to use in their place? And is cool whip just like cream? Thank you so much!
Layne Henderson says
Graham crackers are like a cracker with cinnamon sugar flavor. Puff pastry is different, so I think it would change the texture of the recipe. Cool Whip is similar to whip cream!
Fran says
In the U.K., digestive biscuits are what we call graham crackers in the US, if that helps. They are a slightly sweet, crisp, whole meal ‘biscuit’. Leibniz might work in their place. Hope that helps.
Layne Henderson says
Thank you, Fran!! ♥
Treena says
Love love love this recipe! I could eat it every single day.
Serena says
Love the recipe! My 5 year old had so much fun making it. I did find it to be a tad too sweet. Any suggestions on how to make it less sweet?
Thanks!
Aimee says
Instead of cool whip, I used homemade whipped cream with no sugar so it wasn’t as sweet 🙂
Kera says
How many days could you make this in advance and it still be ok? Would 3 days be too many? (I have so many things going on and travel for Thanksgiving so I’m trying to plan my time wisely)
Layne Kangas says
You could make it a day ahead of time, like maybe Wednesday morning for serving at Thanksgiving. I think three days and it would be a little too soggy to enjoy. Good luck 🙂
Carla says
One of my family’s favorite desserts! I add one additional ingredient … one 8 oz package of cream cheese! Adds some extra richness! (Not that it needs it, but so delish! )
Ginnie says
My husband loves eclairs so I had to try this. He really likes it. I won’t use the cinnamon Graham crackers next time. I would also use more pudding and less cool whip. But overall an easy and tasty crowd pleaser!!
Ariel says
My daughter and I made this today and it was fun to make and even more fun to eat!!! 🙂 So good, thank you!!
danielle says
What is the minimum amount of time i can refrigerate this for?
Layne Kangas says
You’ll need to let it chill for the 12-14 hours to have it turn out right. Enjoy!
Michaelene Bush says
Everyone loved it! I agree about the sweetness so the second time I made it, I didn’t put a full layer of chocolate on top. Instead I just kinda slung it around making a design. That helped a lot but everyone likes it however its made.