Our Chocolate Eclair Cake has more than a hundred 5-star reviews, and for good reason. This recipe has been tested and perfected over the past nine years, and friends and family always beg me to bring it! It is filled with creamy layers of vanilla pudding sandwiched between sheets of graham crackers and covered with chocolate fudge frosting.
Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe
Are you struggling with what to make for dessert? This no-bake Eclair Cake Recipe might be the answer you’ve been looking for! With thousands of shares on Facebook and Pinterest and just 5-ingredients, it is a tried-and-true winner.
This recipe is reminiscent of cream puff dessert, where graham crackers take the place of the choux pastry and pudding replaces the cream.
What makes this recipe easy and unique is that it mimics the flavors of the classic single-serving cream puff but is prepared like an icebox cake! Just 20-minute prep time and you are ready to go!
Eclair Cake Ingredients
- Cinnamon graham crackers: Honey graham crackers, chocolate graham crackers, or even vanilla wafers can be used in this recipe. When placed in the fridge to chill, the cookies absorb the creamy pudding and soften into something cake-like and luscious.
- French Vanilla Instant Pudding: While I love the rich flavor of French vanilla pudding in this recipe, feel free to make your cake with regular instant vanilla pudding, chocolate pudding, or banana pudding instead. Make sure to use instant pudding, not the cook-and-serve kind.
- Cool Whip: Use your favorite frozen whipped topping or make your own Homemade Whipped Cream. It will be folded into the pudding mixture to make a light and fluffy filling.
- Milk: Whole milk works best for the thick, creamy layers. Skim or 2% milk can be used for this recipe, but it will change the thinness and consistency of the pudding layers, resulting in a thinner cake.
- Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting: I use a store-bought tub of frosting for my topping, but you can make your eclair cake with chocolate ganache if you prefer.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Eclair Cake
- Prepare The Pudding: Whisk together the pudding and milk. Fold in the Cool Whip until fully yellow and uniform.
- Assemble: Layer graham crackers along the bottom of the pan and spread the pudding mixture on top. Cover with a second layer of graham crackers followed by pudding, and lay down the third layer of graham crackers to the edges.
- Top: Microwave the chocolate frosting for 30 seconds, stir, and heat for another 30 seconds. Stir again and spread the frosting over the final layer of graham crackers.
- Chill: Cover in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 12 hours or overnight.
- Serve: Allow the cake thaw uncovered for 15-20 minutes before serving and slicing. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This eclair cake is a rich and decadent dessert that makes the ultimate summer slice! Why heat up your house when it’s already hot outside? Perfect for backyard barbecues, potlucks, and parties.
Eclair cakes can be customized to fit your festivities. Top it with a dollop of whipped cream, chocolate chips, colorful sprinkles, or a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Tips & Variations
- Prepare The Pan: I like to spray both the bottom and sides of my 9×11 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Make sure 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.
- Don’t Discard: 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.
- Make With Mix-Ins: Feel free to mix in your favorite kinds of candy or cookies into the pudding mixture! I love mini chocolate chips, M&Ms, crushed Health Bar, and Butterfinger pieces.
- Set Before Serving: This cake needs to sit for at least 12 hours so the pudding mixture can set and the graham crackers can absorb it and become soft. I recommend letting your eclair cake set in the refrigerator overnight. (I have chilled for as little as 8 hours, but the longer the better)
Proper Storage
- To Store: Cover the éclair cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- To Freeze: You can wrap and freeze this éclair cake for 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Make Ahead: This eclair cake is fully set after 12 hours and ready to serve, but it’s also a great make-ahead cake that can be left in the fridge overnight.
More Great No-Bake Desserts
- Chocolate Lasagna Recipe
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Balls
- Edible Cookie Dough Recipe
- Oreo Cream Pie
- Funfetti Dip
- Banana Eclair Cake
- Cake Pops Ice Cream Cones
- Caramel Apple Eclair Cake
If you tried this Eclair Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!!!
Eclair Cake Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 box cinnamon graham crackers
- 2 3.4 ounce boxes French Vanilla Instant Pudding
- 12 ounces cool whip make sure to defrost it four hours before needed
- 3 ½ cups milk
- 1 tub dark chocolate frosting
Instructions
- Spray a 9×11 pan with non-stick spray
- Mix pudding and milk using a mixer2 3.4 ounce boxes French Vanilla Instant Pudding, 3 1/2 cups milk
- Fold in cool whip using a spoon12 ounces cool whip
- Lay a layer of graham crackers along the bottom of the pan covering the entire bottom1 box cinnamon graham crackers
- Divide the pudding mixture in half and spread the first half on top of the graham cracker layer
- Lay a second layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding layer
- Spread the remainder of the pudding mixture over the second layer of graham crackers
- Lay a final layer of graham crackers
- Microwave the frosting for 20-30 seconds to make it easier to spread.
- Spread the warmed frosting over the top layer of graham crackers evenly1 tub dark chocolate frosting
- Refrigerate for 12- 24 hours
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Cover the éclair cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- To Freeze: You can wrap and freeze this éclair cake for 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Make Ahead: This eclair cake is fully set after 12 hours and ready to serve, but it’s also a great make-ahead cake that can be left in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition Info
Originally posted – November 4th, 2015
Just Wondering Could You Used Pastry Puffs Instead Of Gram Crackers. With Gram Cracker It Would Be Like My Ice Box Cake But Without My Chocolate Pudding
I haven’t tried that, but sounds great. You would need to bake it then!
Has anyone considered using sugar free pudding and sugar free cool whip to lower the sugar content? How about 2% milk or an alternative milk to lower fat and lactose. There are even recipes on Pinterest to make sugar free graham crackers. I bet it would taste just as good, and be a lot healthier.
I haven’t made it yet, but if it taste as good as it sounds, then I would certainly give it 5 stars.
I have made this many times. Always a big hit.
we had this Christmas. Our daughter inlaw made it and poof it was gone. I can’t wait to make it. Also, can’t wait to try the other recipes. Thank you for sharing! 😋
Thanks you for sharing your yummy no bake Eclair 🎄
Cannot wait to make this for Thanksgiving this year.
I made this vanilla Eclair cake it was so easy and so Delicious. Can’t wait to make them all. Thank You so much for sharing. I love all these recipes.
Thanks Again!
I ‘m making a chocolate chip and heavy cream frosting. Also you can make 1 layer chocolate and 1 vanilla! There’s so many different variations. It’s fun to experiment!
I have been making this cake for nearly 50 years. It is requested at every family function, at every picnic, and every birthday. Rather than microwave the frosting I refrigerate the cake for 2 hours exactly before frosting. Then it is easy to spread without the graham crackers moving around. Over the years I have tweaked the recipe and I use more French vanilla pudding. I now use five of the small boxes with the 12 oz of Cool Whip.
I prefer to use plain graham crackers for my crust.
I forgot to add that also for the milk, I use half the amount called for on the pudding box.
Thanks for the tips ❤️