Eclair Cake

This recipe for Eclair Cake is a simple one that you will love because it is so easy to make and tastes delicious!  It is a crowd pleaser which makes this a great dessert recipe for the holidays!

Éclair Cake is one my mom used to make when I was a kid. I remember always being so excited when she was making it. It still is a favorite dessert recipe of mine.

It is quick and easy to prepare which always scores points in my book!  I love recipes that are simple to make and taste great!  It will take you about 20 minutes to prepare this dessert and then it just needs to chill in your refrigerator.  

With this recipe being no bake, it is perfect for summer entertaining.  No need to heat up your oven! 

This also makes a great holiday dessert.  It is so easy to prepare which gives you more time during the busy holiday season when you are busy with so many things to do.

Five ingredients are all it takes to make this delicious dessert!  You will need:

• Graham crackers
• Vanilla Pudding
• Cool Whip
• Milk
• Chocolate Frosting

How to make Eclair Cake:

Whisk the pudding mix and milk together in a large bowl for two minutes, until the pudding mix is dissolved. Using a spatula, gently fold the Cool Whip into the pudding mixture until well blended.

Line the bottom of your 13 x 9 baking dish with graham crackers.  You want the graham crackers to go from end to end of the pan.  When I make it in my pan I use two full graham crackers and one fourth of another cracker to fill up the bottom of the pan. 

Spread half of the pudding mix onto the graham crackers evenly so that it so it covers all of the graham crackers.

Add another layer of the graham crackers over the pudding mix using the same amount as the first layer on the bottom of the pan.

Spread the rest of the pudding mix on the graham crackers.  Add one more layer of graham crackers to the top of the cake.

Frost the top of the cake with the chocolate frosting.  Spread the frosting evenly over the top. 

I like to use an angled icing spatula to get the frosting as smooth as possible.  Frosting is really not my thing so this tool helps out a lot!

Place the cake in your refrigerator to chill for 8 hours or overnight.  Leave it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.

Store any leftovers in your refrigerator.

Recipe tips:

To make the frosting smoother and a little easier to work with you can place the frosting in the microwave for 15 seconds.  Be sure to remove the foil liner on the frosting container before placing in the microwave.  Stir the frosting and then frost the cake.

If you want the frosting to be even smoother so that it pours onto the cake, microwave it for 15 seconds, stir and then heat for another 15 seconds.  Pour the frosting right onto the cake and spread it out to make sure all areas are covered with the frosting.

When frosting the cake, I usually drop a few spoonfuls of the frosting over the graham crackers.  Then take an icing spatula or knife and spread out the frosting evenly over the graham crackers.

Sometimes it is hard to get all the way to the edges of the pan.  Just spread the frosting as far over the vanilla mixture as you can.  

While this dessert can be made quickly, it does need to chill in the fridge overnight or 8 hours to set.

The Eclair Cake can be frozen.  Once it is made and has chilled enough so that the frosting sets, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and then foil.  When ready to serve, place it back in the refrigerator to defrost for at least an hour. It can be frozen for up to one month.

Looking for more dessert recipes?  Check out some of our favorites to make like Easy Apple Pie, Homemade Brownies, or Puff Pastry Heart dessert.

Follow me on Instagram or Pinterest for all of my easy to make family friendly recipes!  Thanks and have a great day. 

5 from 4 votes

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Eclair Cake

Eclair Cake is an easy no bake dessert that can be made ahead of time.  Perfect for holidays but also is a nice dessert for any kind of day!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword no bake dessert, easy dessert recipe, eclair cake

Prep Time 20 minutes

Chill time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes

Servings 24

Author Jeannie Z

Ingredients

• 2 boxes (3.4 ounce packages) vanilla instant pudding mix
• 3 1/2 cups cold milk
• 8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
• 1 (16 ounce container) chocolate frosting
• 1 (14 ounce package) graham crackers

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and milk for two minutes, until pudding mix is dissolved.

2. Using a spatula, gently fold in the cool whip until well blended.

3. Place a single layer of the graham crackers on the bottom of 13x9 baking dish.

4. Evenly spread half of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers.

5. Repeat layering the graham crackers and spread the other half of the pudding mixture onto the graham crackers.

6. Top with another layer of graham crackers.

7. Spread chocolate frosting evenly on the top layer of graham crackers.

8. Chill cake overnight (or 8 hours) until it is set before serving.

9. Serve chilled.

10. Store any remaining cake in the refrigerator.

Recipe Notes

To make the frosting smoother and a little easier to work with you can place the frosting in the microwave for 15 seconds.  Be sure to remove the foil liner on the frosting container before placing in the microwave.  Stir the frosting and then frost the cake.

If you want the frosting to be even smoother so that it pours onto the cake, microwave it for 15 seconds, stir and then heat for another 15 seconds.  Pour the frosting right onto the cake and spread it out to make sure all areas are covered with the frosting.

When frosting the cake, I usually drop a few spoonfuls of the frosting over the graham crackers.  Then take an icing spatula or knife and spread out the frosting evenly over the graham crackers.

Sometimes it is hard to get all the way to the edges of the pan.  Just spread the frosting as far over the vanilla mixture as you can.  

While this dessert can be made quickly, it does need to chill in the fridge overnight or 8 hours to set.

The Eclair Cake can also be frozen.  Once it is made and has chilled enough so that the frosting sets, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and then foil.  When ready to serve, place it back in the refrigerator to defrost for at least an hour. It can be frozen for up to one month.

 

This post is not sponsored, but you will find affiliate links on this page.  The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but I may make a small commission based on your purchase. 

Update Note: This recipe was originally posted in 2017, but was published again in 2019 to include step by step directions and new photos.