This chocolate éclair cake may be the easiest no-bake dessert ever. All you do is layer pudding and graham crackers in a baking pan and top with a simple homemade ganache and then let the refrigerator do the work for you.
Like other icebox cakes, the longer the dessert hangs out in the fridge, the softer the graham crackers get, creating cake-like layers. If you're looking for a no-fuss, crowd-pleasing dessert, I guarantee this recipe will be a big hit!
I love having this easy recipe for dessert in my back pocket. Because it's so impressive, everyone thinks I spend hours putting it together. But in fact, it's just the opposite. You don't even have to turn on the oven.
It's also easily customizable--just change up the flavor of instant pudding mix, chocolate chips, and/or graham crackers to satisfy your sweet tooth, no matter what you're craving. I love to serve it around Valentine's Day too--kids and adults alike gobble it up.
Looking for another perfect dessert that's great for a crowd? My Southern chocolate Coca Cola cake is one of my favorite desserts. So is my crescent roll apple dumplings recipe. For another no-bake treat, be sure to check out this no-bake strawberry pie.
Or, if you're looking for other easy dessert recipes perfect for Valentine's Day, you'll love my fresh raspberry and lemon cream cheese frosting spread on top of cupcakes. This easy cherry dump cake is another great option. But let's get to why you're here. Let's make that eclair cake!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this recipe:
- instant French vanilla pudding
- whole milk
- Cool Whip
- vanilla extract
- graham crackers
- semisweet chocolate
- heavy cream
(See printable recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, let's make this chocolate éclair cake recipe:
- First, whisk together the pudding mix, cold milk, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until smooth. Let stand until set. Fold in the Cool Whip.
- Then, arrange one package of graham crackers in the bottom of a 13- x 9-inch baking dish or pan, breaking or cutting some of the crackers in half if necessary to fit.
- Next, spoon half of the pudding mixture over the crackers. Top evenly with another single layer of graham crackers followed by the remaining pudding mixture. Top with the last pack of crackers. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, make the ganache topping. Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream until bubbles form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir the mixture until smooth. Let the chocolate cool until thickened and spreadable. Pour the chocolate over the top layer of graham crackers and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate overnight. Cut into squares before serving.
Hint: To help speed up the thickening process of the ganache, take it in and out of the freezer until the desired consistency is reached. (You want it to be slightly thick and spreadable like frosting.)
Hint #2: Thaw the Cool Whip in the refrigerator overnight. It'll be creamier and fluffier that way.
Substitutions
Want to make some ingredient swaps? Here are some ideas:
- French vanilla pudding - Instead of French vanilla pudding mix, use regular instant vanilla pudding if you prefer.
- Semisweet chocolate chips - For a sweeter cake, go for milk chocolate chips; for a richer cake, go with bittersweet chocolate chips.
- Graham crackers - I used regular graham crackers for this recipe but you can also use cinnamon. Or, use another thin cookie.
- Cool Whip - You can substitute sweetened whipped cream for the Cool Whip.
Variations
Check out these easy ways to change up this no bake chocolate eclair cake:
- Triple Chocolate Eclair Cake - If you're a chocaholic, you may want to use chocolate graham crackers and chocolate pudding in addition to a chocolate ganache topping.
- Butterscotch Banana Cream Pie Eclair Cake - Swap out banana cream pudding for the French vanilla. And, instead of chocolate chips, make a ganache out of butterscotch chips.
- Lemon Pie Eclair Cake - Instead of French vanilla pudding, go for lemon pudding mix and use white chocolate chips for the ganache.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need for this no bake eclair cake recipe:
- liquid measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- large bowl
- whisk
- medium or small saucepan
- medium bowl
- 13- x 9-inch baking pan or dish
- dry measuring cups
- rubber spatula
Storage
Store the cake, covered with plastic wrap or foil in the refrigerator in the baking pan for up to 4 days.
Technically, you can freeze this cake. Wrap it tightly with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place it in the refrigerator overnight. Note that the texture of the pudding may be loose and the crackers will be very soft.
Tasty Tip
This is one of those desserts that gets better the longer it has to set in the fridge. The pudding softens the layers of graham crackers so that they become cake-like.
Frequently asked questions
Traditionally, eclairs are filled with a custard--crème pâtissière, or pastry cream, to be exact. Then, they're topped with a chocolate glaze or ganache.
They are very similar, but the shape of the donut is very different from the classic French pastry. And, a donut has a fluffier texture whereas an eclair is an egg-based dough that's piped.
Yes! Because the cake requires refrigeration to allow the cookies and pudding to set, this is an icebox cake.
Before there were refrigerators, people had iceboxes--literal blocks of ice were used to keep food cool.
This type of dessert, similar to a trifle, was made layering cookies and cream and was kept in an icebox until the layers melded together creating cake-like layers with no baking required.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this chocolate eclair cake:
🍽Get the recipe
The Most Delicious No Bake Chocolate Éclair Cake
Equipment
- liquid measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- large bowl
- whisk
- medium saucepan
- medium bowl
- 13- x 9-inch baking pan or dish
- dry measuring cups
- rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 2 (3.4-ounce) boxes instant French vanilla pudding
- 2 ¾ cups cold whole milk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
- 1 (14.4-ounce) box graham crackers
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Whisk together the pudding mix, milk, and vanilla extract in a large bowl according to the package directions. Let stand until set, about 5 minutes. Fold in the Cool Whip.
- Arrange one sleeve of graham crackers in the bottom of a 13- x 9-inch baking pan or dish. (You may need to cut or break some of the graham crackers to fit into the pan.)
- Top the graham crackers with half of the pudding. Top with another sleeve of graham crackers in a single layer.
- Repeat the process with the remaining pudding and ending with the final sleeve of graham crackers on top. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, make the chocolate ganache topping: Pour the chocolate chips into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until the chocolate is smooth.
- Let the ganache stand or refrigerate until slightly thickened and spreadable. Pour over the graham crackers and spread in an even layer to cover. Refrigerate overnight.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator and cut into squares before serving.
Video
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
Danielle W says
Hi! The package of the pudding says 2 cups of milk for each - so four cups. But your recipe list says 2 3/4 so I was curious if you recommend less milk? Thanks!
AshleyFreeman says
Hi Danielle! Great question--yes, I call for less milk than you would use for 2 packages. That accounts for the Cool Whip that's being folded in and helps the cake become "slice-able".
Laurie L says
You can use up to 3 cups whole milk, 1/2-12/2 or perhaps even heavy cream and it'll work out great. Heavy cream may thicken it a bit more than you wish...
Also thanks to the author here for posting the ganache used. In the original recipe, there were no tubs of chemically enhanced "frosting", ok I'm ancient now LOL but it used a very simple ganache similar to this that was thinner (it firms right up in the fridge) and more deeply flavorful versus a tub of.. stuff.
I'm very old school. I can't help it; I was raised then, and I loved to cook, even as a child. When this recipe came out it was a huge hit, and I was a very young mother of two cherubic daughters who adored this "cake", as my husband did, too. I loved how simple it was, a good summertime no oven dessert.
I love seeing it come around again. I had forgotten it over the decades.
So thanks to little black skillet! I just popped this into the chill for my grandkids coming to stay tomorrow. 🙂 they've never had it. Their mom will attack it haha first so I'll have them entertain her as I plate it. Memories of making it with my young daughters made this time a very happy mixture to make today.
Memories are everything, to all you young ppl out there. Make them! Keep them. You'll be so glad you did.
May God bless anyone reading this with His love and hope.
Mary Edwards says
Hi I making this for today didn’t realize the overnight bit. Can I just put it in the freezer? For a bit
AshleyFreeman says
I don't recommend freezing it--it'll make the pudding weep. Just refrigerate it for as long as you can. The longer it chills, the softer the graham crackers get, turning them into a cake-like layer.
Tisha says
I have made this recipe so many times that it is a favorite especially when I'm taking a dessert to a get-together! Everyone LOVES it and it doesn't last long!
AshleyFreeman says
It is such the perfect dessert for a potluck. Thanks for giving it a try!
Criss says
Creamy, chocolatey, and no-bake—this éclair cake is a treat!
AshleyFreeman says
All my favorite things!
Marie-Pierre Breton says
As a kid, éclairs were my ultimate dessert! This dessert is fantastic and impossible to miss, plus it brought me right back to my young self!
AshleyFreeman says
Yay! I love that!
Oscar says
I made this no-bake éclair cake, and the creamy pudding layers with the ganache on top were incredible. Such an effortless dessert.
AshleyFreeman says
Woohoo! You're right--it's so easy!
Nicole Kendrick says
I love a good icebox cake! This is one of my favorite flavors.
AshleyFreeman says
Me too! Such an easy dessert!
Nisha says
What a brilliant way to make this no-bake dessert, it turned out very delicious . The pudding, graham crackers, and ganache together tasted awesome. Sure to make this many more times.
AshleyFreeman says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it!
Carol J Horton says
I have a similar version of this recipe. Instead of making the ganache I use chocolate frosting put it in the microwave for 45 seconds and pour it on top of the graham crackers / pudding spread it out and put it in the refrigerator.
AshleyFreeman says
Love that idea Carol! Thanks so much for sharing!
Darlene M. says
I've made this "easy éclair cake" for my family & friends for many years.
It is a "demanded dessert" for Thanksgiving & Christmas.
I haven't found anyone that has tried it that didn't just love it.
My son & nephew fought over who got the left overs. The next family gathering, they each got their own cake.
I'm going to surprise my family & try the lemon with white chocolate topping version.
Anxious to see how that turns out & what my family thinks of it! (lemon pie is also a demanded dessert for the holidays.)
AshleyFreeman says
Love that Darlene! My family gobbles it up too--can't wait to hear what everyone thinks of the lemon version!