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    Recipes » Desserts » Chocolate Eclair Cake

    Chocolate Eclair Cake

    Published: Mar 14, 2023 by Kate Shungu · This post may contain affiliate links

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    slice of layered chocolate eclair cake on a white plate, topped with chocolate frosting.
    hand pouring chocolate frosting onto a layer of graham crackers.
    layered chocolate eclair cake with chocolate frosting on a white plate.

    This old fashioned Chocolate Eclair Cake is the perfect no-bake dessert! With layers of graham crackers, creamy vanilla pudding, and canned frosting, it’s a make-ahead cake that everyone will love.

    layered chocolate eclair cake with chocolate frosting on a white plate.

    Vintage cookbooks have an array of no-bake cakes, such as Banana Split Cake and Strawberry Icebox Cake.

    This old fashioned Chocolate Eclair Cake, which was popular in the 1980s, is another one of those great no-bake cakes from generations past.

    With layers of vanilla custard, soft graham crackers, and chocolate frosting, it’s a decadent cake that requires zero time in the oven. And it has only 5 ingredients!

    It’s also a great make-ahead cake. In fact, it NEEDS to be made at least 24 hours in advance. As it sits in the refrigerator, the vanilla custard softens the graham crackers, turning it into a cool and creamy treat.

    I love this one for the summer (no oven needed!). It’s also great for holidays like Christmas and Easter, when oven space is at a premium and a make-ahead dessert is really appealing.

    So really, any time of year is a great time for Chocolate Eclair Cake!

    This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate links support Gift of Hospitality at no additional cost to you. I receive a commission if you choose to make a purchase through these links.

    Jump to:
    • Top tips
    • Origin of chocolate eclair cake
    • Ingredients
    • How to make old fashioned Chocolate Eclair Cake
    • Can I make chocolate eclair cake ahead of time?
    • Tips for slicing the cake
    • Variations
    • Can I freeze chocolate eclair cake?
    • More old fashioned cakes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Related recipes
    • 💬 Reviews
    cross section of chocolate eclair cake in a glass casserole dish.

    Top tips

    • Be sure to use instant pudding (not cook & serve) for this recipe.
    • Thaw the whipped topping the refrigerator for 24 hours before starting the recipe. If I know I’m making this recipe later in the week, I’ll put my whipped topping directly into the refrigerator after grocery shopping so I don’t forget!
    • Give the cake a full 24 hours in the refrigerator before serving so it sets up. You’ll get the nicest looking slices this way, too.
    • Don’t let the lid/plastic wrap touch the frosting as the cake is chilling in the refrigerator, so the top stays nice. I like using a classic Pyrex with a lid.

    Origin of chocolate eclair cake

    A chocolate eclair is a flaky French pastry, filled with pastry cream and topped with a shiny chocolate icing. According to this history of eclairs, they have been around since the 1860s!

    A chocolate eclair cake, however, is a highly simplified version of the classic French pastry, made into a cake. Instead of the choux pastry, we’ll use graham crackers. The pastry cream is instead a semi-homemade custard, made with vanilla pudding mix and whipped topping. The chocolate icing stays the same, but we’ll take a shortcut by using canned chocolate frosting.

    I’ve seen this cake recipe in cookbooks dating back to 1981, so it’s been around at least since then!

    Ingredients

    graham crackers, whipped topping, boxes of vanilla pudding, a can of chocolate frosting, and a glass cup of milk.

    You just need 5 ingredients for this old fashioned cake!

    • Graham crackers (use original or honey)—you’ll need a whole box
    • French vanilla pudding—make sure it says “instant” and NOT cook & serve
    • Whipped topping (thaw it first)
    • Milk (1%, 2%, or whole is fine)
    • Chocolate frosting from a can

    How to make old fashioned Chocolate Eclair Cake

    Start by whisking together the milk and the pudding mix. Whisk until smooth, then let it sit for 5 minutes to allow it to firm up a bit.

    Then, fold in the thawed whipped topping.

    vanilla pudding mixture in a glass bowl with a spatula.

    Spray a 13×9 inch dish with cooking spray, then layer one layer of graham crackers into the dish.

    Top with half the vanilla pudding mixture, then another layer of graham crackers, and the remaining vanilla pudding mixture.

    four steps to making eclair cake, showing various stages of the cake with graham crackers and vanilla pudding.

    Top the cake with a final layer of graham crackers. Then, remove the lid and foil from the chocolate frosting container, and microwave for 20–30 seconds. Stir until the frosting is pourable.

    Pour the frosting over the cake.

    hand pouring chocolate frosting onto a layer of graham crackers.

    Spread the frosting with an offset spatula to cover the graham crackers.

    Place a lid on the cake (you can also use plastic wrap, but make sure it doesn’t touch the top of the cake!). Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

    chocolate eclair cake topped with chocolate frosting in a glass casserole dish.

    Can I make chocolate eclair cake ahead of time?

    Chocolate Eclair Cake is designed to be made ahead. You can make this cake up to 2 days in advance of serving it.

    It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Tips for slicing the cake

    The cake should be sliced when very cold—straight from the refrigerator after chilling at least 24 hours. Use a sharp knife, and wipe the knife off with a paper towel in between cuts. This will give you those gorgeous slices that show all the layers!

    layered eclair cake with layers of graham crackers, vanilla custard, and chocolate frosting.

    Variations

    Chocolate Eclair Cake is extremely versatile. Here are a few ideas for changing it up:

    • Use a different variety of pudding mix, such as chocolate, pistachio, butterscotch, cheesecake, banana cream, or coconut cream.
    • Substitute another variety of canned frosting, such as vanilla, strawberry, caramel, or coconut pecan.
    • Substitute vanilla wafers for the graham crackers.

    Here are a few pudding + frosting combination ideas!

    • Chocolate pudding mix + strawberry frosting
    • Pistachio pudding mix + vanilla frosting
    • Banana cream pudding mix + caramel frosting
    • Chocolate pudding mix + coconut pecan frosting

    Can I freeze chocolate eclair cake?

    Yes! You can freeze the cake either whole or in slices. It’ll keep the freezer for up to 3 months if contained in a tightly sealed dish.

    Defrost the cake in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving.

    piece of chocolate eclair cake on a white plate, next to a printed napkin, a fork, and a stack of graham crackers.

    More old fashioned cakes

    Here are a few of my favorite old fashioned cakes:

    • Ding Dong Cake (tastes like a Hostess ding dong!))
    • Chocolate Delight
    • No-Bake Banana Split Cake
    • Old Fashioned Date Cake
    • Jell-O Poke Cake
    • Cherry Dump Cake

    Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!

    cup of ambrosia and slice of banana cake.

    📖 Recipe

    slice of layered chocolate eclair cake on a white plate, topped with chocolate frosting.

    Old Fashioned Chocolate Eclair Cake

    Published by Kate
    This 1980s dessert is the perfect mixture of graham crackers, vanilla custard, and rich chocolate frosting. It's no-bake and make-ahead!
    5 from 1 vote
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    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Refrigeration time 1 d
    Total Time 1 d 15 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 15 servings
    Calories 347 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 box (14.4 oz) graham crackers
    • 3 cups milk
    • 2 packages (3 oz each) french vanilla instant pudding mix
    • 1 container (8 oz) whipped topping, defrosted
    • 1 can (16 oz) chocolate fudge frosting

    Instructions
     

    • Spray a 13×9 inch dish with cooking spray. Place a single layer of graham crackers in the bottom of the dish. You may need to break some graham crackers to fit them on the edges of the dish.
    • In a large bowl, whisk together the milk and two package of instant pudding mix until smooth. Let sit for 5 minutes. Then, fold in the whipped topping.
    • Spread half of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers. Top with another layer of graham crackers, then the remaining pudding mixture.
    • Top with another layer of graham crackers.
    • Remove the plastic lid from the can of frosting, then carefully remove the entire foil lid (make sure to get all of the foil lid off). Microwave the can of frosting for 20–30 seconds, or until the frosting is pourable.
    • Pour the frosting over the top layer of graham crackers, and spread it with an offset spatula until the top is covered.
    • Cover and refrigerate the eclair cake for at least 24 hours before serving.
    • Slice into squares and serve cold.

    Notes

    Be sure to use instant pudding (not cook & serve).
    This cake should be made at least 24 hours in advance of serving it. Also, leave time to defrost the whipped topping in the refrigerator before making the cake. 
    Don’t let the lid/plastic wrap touch the cake before refrigerating it—the frosting won’t look as nice! 
    You can freeze any leftover cake for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
    Feel free to substitute the pudding mix flavors and the frosting flavors with your favorites! For example, use chocolate pudding mix with strawberry frosting, pistachio pudding mix with vanilla frosting, banana cream pie pudding mix with caramel frosting, etc. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 347kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 345mgPotassium: 198mgFiber: 1gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 91IUCalcium: 95mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword chocolate eclair cake
    Tried this recipe?Follow me at @giftofhospitality and let me know how you liked it!

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    About Kate

    I’m a believer, wife, mom, and big fan of old cookbooks. I live in Chicago with my husband and two young sons. I love discovering old fashioned recipes that will transport you back in time! Read more...

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    Kate from Gift of HospitalityI’m Kate. I love discovering old fashioned recipes that will transport you back in time. Learn more here
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