Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe (2024)

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Posted by Aimee 65 comments
Published: Oct 05, 2020 Last Updated: Feb 20, 2024

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This Chocolate Eclair Cake recipe is an old fashioned icebox cake with layers of graham crackers, pudding, and chocolate frosting. An easy no bake dessert recipe that everyone loves!

If you love no bake desserts, be sure to try this easy S’mores Icebox Cake and of course my no bake cheesecake recipe is always a hit!

Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe (1)

Table of Contents

  • What is an Eclair Cake?
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Step by Step Instructions
  • For the frosting
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Flavor Substitutions
  • More Easy Dessert Recipes:
  • Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe Recipe

What is an Eclair Cake?

There are desserts on this website that I have created over the years, and then there are some that my family made that are childhood treasures.

For example, this cinnamon swirl zucchini bread is the only one I grew up eating, even though I have created dozens more zucchini bread recipe variations!

And these Pecan Tassies were at every holiday gathering. You’ll love their buttery crust with pecan pie filling!

Today’s Eclair Cake though is the one dessert that I knew how to make at a young age. It’s easy enough for the kids to help make, and it tastes incredible.

Similar to our family’s dirt cake recipes, you’ll love the pudding filling!

A chocolate eclair cake is an easy, no bake dessert the resembles chocolate eclairs. Very similar to a Boston Cream pie.

Slightly different than my cream puff cake and cream puff desserts!

Ingredient Notes

Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe (2)

Today’s recipe has layers of graham cracker with pudding and whipped cream filling. It’s topped off with a homemade chocolate frosting!

  • Graham Crackers– you’ll need a whole box for this recipe!
  • Pudding Mix– be sure to choose INSTANT pudding. I like french vanilla, but regular vanilla works great too!
  • Milk– any variety
  • Cool Whip– or homemade whipped cream
  • Frosting- you can use canned frosting, or follow my homemade frosting recipe below!

Step by Step Instructions

Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe (3)

STEP 1: In a medium size bowl, whisk together pudding and milk. Fold in thawed cool whip and set aside.

STEP 2: In the bottom of a 13×9 baking dish, layer graham crackers, then half of the pudding mixture. Top with second layer of graham crackers and remaining pudding mixture. Finish with third layer of graham crackers.

STEP 3: Frost the cake by either making the homemade frosting recipe below. Or use a can of milk chocolate frosting. Remove foil liner, microwave 20 seconds. Stir and spread over the top of the cake.

STEP 4: Refrigerate cake for at least 8 hours. This is NON-negotiable. Refrigerating the cake allows the graham cracker layers to soften, which gives this dessert it’s signature flavor and texture.

Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe (4)

For the frosting

STEP 1: In a small saucepan, with double boiler, combine the baking chocolate with corn syrup. Heat on medium heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat.

STEP 2: Add vanilla, butter, milk and powdered sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined.

STEP 3: Frost the top layer of graham crackers. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Or, heat up a can of chocolate frosting and pour over the top of the cake! Either way works!

Recipe FAQs

How many packages of Graham Crackers for an eclair cake?

You will need one box of graham crackers. Each layer is approximately one packs (9 crackers), and there are three packs in a box.

How to do you store Eclair Cake?

Cover cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours before serving. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Can Eclair Cake be made in advance?

Yes! You can prepare and refrigerate eclair cake up to two days in advance.

Can you use canned frosting on eclair cake?

Yes. Instead of the homemade chocolate frosting, use one can of milk chocolate frosting instead. Remove lid and foil wrapper. Microwave 20 seconds. Stir and pour over top layer.

Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe (5)

Flavor Substitutions

  • ThisStrawberry Eclair Cakeis made usingCheesecake JELL-Oin the filling. Plus there’s no oven needed which means it’s perfect for the warmer weather!
  • Layers of cinnamon graham crackers, vanilla pudding and fresh banana make this no bakeBanana Eclair Cakea huge summer hit! To top it off, I literally topped it off a cinnamon glaze!
  • I couldn’t resist making a No Bake Pistachio Eclair Cake recipe, using pistachio pudding mix! Topped with a classic chocolate frosting, you’ll love this version.
  • Too hot to turn on the oven? Try making thisNo BakePeanut Butter Eclair cakeversion of aChocolate Eclair Cake! Packed with Reese’s and peanut butter, it’s a chocolate lover’s dream.

More Easy Dessert Recipes:

  • Pudding Cookies
  • Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
  • Lemon Cheesecake Bars
  • Bread Pudding
  • Banana Pudding
  • Kentucky Butter Cake

Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe (7)

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Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe

4.71 from 116 votes

By: Aimee

This Chocolate Eclair Cake recipe is an old fashioned icebox cake with layers of graham crackers, pudding, and chocolate frosting. An easy no bake dessert recipe!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 24 servings

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 1 box honey graham crackers 14.4 ounce
  • 2 packages instant french vanilla pudding 3.4 ounce each
  • cups milk
  • 12 ounce cool whip thawed

For the Frosting:

  • 2 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
  • 2 teaspoons corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • cups powdered sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons milk

Instructions

  • Mix pudding with milk in a medium size bowl. Fold in thawed cool whip.

  • Layer in a 13×9 dish: graham crackers, pudding, graham crackers, pudding, graham crackers.

  • For the homemade frosting, mix the baking chocolate with corn syrup in a double boiler over medium heat. Stir until smooth. Add vanilla, butter, milk and powdered sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined.

  • Frost the top layer of graham crackers. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours until serving.

Notes

  • You can swap out homemade frosting for one can of milk chocolate frosting. Remove lid and foil cover. Microwave 20 seconds, stir, and spread over graham crackers.
  • If you can’t find french vanilla pudding mix, swap it out for instant vanilla pudding mix.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 131kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 46mg, Sugar: 12g

Course: Cake

Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

This Eclair Cake recipe is an old fashioned icebox cake with layers of graham crackers, pudding, and chocolate frosting. An easy no bake dessert recipe!

Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is eclair cake made of? ›

To make an éclair cake, simply top layers of graham crackers and creamy French vanilla pudding with a decadent homemade chocolate ganache before popping it into the fridge for a few hours to set. That's it!

What are the ingredients in chocolate eclair ice cream? ›

Nutrition Facts

Ingredients: Lowfat Ice Cream Shell: Skim milk, sugar, corn syrup, cream, high fructose corn syrup, whey, contains less than 2% of artificial flavor, maltodextrin, guar gum, mono and diglycerides, xanthan gum, polysorbate 80, carrageenan, vitamin A palmitate.

What is the meaning of the word ceclair? ›

: an oblong pastry with whipped cream or custard filling. Etymology. French, literally, "lightning" Word Origin. The English word éclair comes directly from a French word whose chief meaning is "lightning" or "flash of lightning." No one is sure why a pastry was named after lightning.

Why is it called éclair? ›

The French éclair means "flash of lightning," and the scrumptious pastry got its name from the tendency people have to eat eclairs "in a flash." The 19th century Chambers Dictionary famously defined the eclair as "a cake, long in shape but short in duration." An eclair is like a stretched-out cream puff, choux dough ...

What is éclair filling made of? ›

Chantilly cream (French whipped cream for éclairs) – Simply beat together cream, vanilla, icing sugar (powdered sugar) and, if using the stabilised cream option which I highly recommend (see below), mascarpone as well until firm peaks form.

What kind of pastry is a classic éclair made from? ›

Choux pastry

What brand of chocolate is eclairs? ›

Cadbury Eclairs are a confectionery currently manufactured by Cadbury.

What are the ingredients in good humor chocolate eclairs? ›

NONFAT MILK, WATER, CAKE CRUNCH (BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, SUGAR, PALM OIL, CARAMEL, COCOA, BAKING SODA, SALT, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SOY LECITHIN), CORN SYRUP, MILK CHOCOLATE FLAVORED COATING (SUGAR, COCONUT OIL, CHOCOLATE (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), MILK, WHEY, SOYBEAN OIL, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, SOY LECITHIN, ARTIFICIAL ...

What flavor is chocolate eclair ice cream? ›

Chocolate lovers will delight in creamy, artificially flavored vanilla frozen dairy dessert with a thick chocolate flavored center, rolled in cake pieces.

What does anno domini mean? ›

The term anno Domini is Medieval Latin and means "in the year of the Lord" but is often presented using "our Lord" instead of "the Lord", taken from the full original phrase "anno Domini nostri Jesu Christi", which translates to "in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ".

What does ce stand for in email? ›

Write or say 300 BC or 300 before Christ, 300 BCE or 300 before common era, and 2015 CE or 2015 common era. However, AD comes before the year, so write or say AD 2015 or anno Domini 2015.

What is the new name for eclairs? ›

The announcement is emphatic - Cadbury Eclairs is now Cadbury Choclairs.

Who invented éclair cake? ›

Éclairs were created in the 19th century by chef Marie-Antoine Carême, one of the first celebrity chefs of French culinary history.

Why are eclairs so expensive? ›

As Serious Eats reported, luxury eclairs are the result of French chefs facing competition, and putting their skills to the test, which explains the high-end fillings and intricate decoration. For now, the Maitre Choux versions are made in the tiny kitchen beneath the shop.

What is the origin of the eclair cake? ›

In the 19th century, Antonin Carême, a famous pastry chef for French royalty, had the idea of removing the almonds, garnishing them with chocolate or coffee custard, and covering it with fondant sugar. The éclair was born! Eclair means “lightning” in French.

Is an éclair a chocolate or sweet? ›

Classic Cadbury chocolate eclairs – chewy caramels with a chocolate coating. These classic chewy sweets are often the last ones left in the Christmas tin..

What's the difference between cream puff and éclair? ›

The main differences between the three include the shape and serving method. Eclairs: Oblong choux pastry filled with cream and topped with a glaze or icing. Cream Puffs: Round choux pastry puffs filled with pastry cream and topped with icing or dusted with powdered sugar.

What's the difference between an éclair and a French éclair? ›

Other than form and name, they are continents apart in taste. An American eclair is made from frozen ingredients such as frozen pre-separated egg whites and yolks and frozen pre-made cream. A French eclair is fresh: freshly separated eggs, freshly stirred creme, freshly picked or ground ingredients.

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