Easy Chocolate Eclair Cake (No-Bake Dessert)

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If you’re craving a rich, creamy dessert that takes almost no effort, this Easy Chocolate Eclair Cake is the one. It’s a no-bake favorite made with layers of graham crackers, smooth vanilla pudding, fluffy Cool Whip, and a silky chocolate ganache on top. The result tastes just like a classic French éclair but without any of the fuss of making pastry. Perfect for holidays, potlucks, or weeknight desserts, this easy recipe is always a crowd-pleaser and disappears fast!

Chocolate Eclair Cake

Several years ago, we had a sweet new couple join our church to fill in for our music minister position temporarily. During those few months, Deborah (the wife) brought this Easy Chocolate Eclair Cake to Sunday potluck and I had to have the recipe! It was a huge hit for everyone at church!

Since then, it’s a dessert I’ve thought of often and decided I needed to share here on the blog. This Chocolate Eclair Cake recipe is both a no-bake dessert and an icebox cake because it does need to rest in the fridge overnight for the best texture and flavor!

Why You’ll Love this No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake

• It’s no-bake, obviously.  Any recipe that doesn’t require me to heat the oven automatically gets bonus points. The cool thing is, the graham crackers still give you the cake texture, and chilling does all the work to set this dessert beautifully.
• Layers of Texture and Flavor. With smooth pastry cream, airy whipped cream, and a rich chocolate ganache topping, every bite offers a delightful mix of creamy and cakey textures. Plus, the familiar flavors of chocolate and vanilla make it a crowd-pleaser.
• Perfect for Any Occasion. This cake is flexible enough to be a birthday cake, a potluck favorite, or a spontaneous weekend dessert. Its inviting presentation and sumptuous taste make it feel special without needing hours in the kitchen.  It’s the perfect dessert for making ahead when your oven will be full or you’re making lots of other holiday recipes.

Tools Needed

• Large Bowl
• Whisk or Electric Hand Mixer
• 9×13 Baking Dish (or use a disposable pan if you’re going to a potluck or want easy clean-up!)
• Rubber Spatula
• Offset Spatula
• Medium Bowl
• Small or Medium Saucepan
• Plastic Wrap
• Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ingredients

You only need a handful of simple ingredients for this delicious dessert!

• Graham Crackers – regular graham crackers are perfect for this recipe but you could change it up and use cinnamon graham crackers or chocolate graham crackers. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free graham crackers.
• Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix – you could also use French Vanilla Pudding Mix.
• Milk – my husband and kids are all milk snobs and will only drink whole milk, but I think 2% or 1% would work just fine.
• Cool Whip

Chocolate Ganache

Full disclosure – I think Deborah used melted chocolate frosting (store-bought) for the top for the chocolate glaze, and that’s a perfectly acceptable substitution, but I love ganache, and I feel like it makes this No Bake Eclair Cake next level delicious!

• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• Heavy Cream

How to Make Eclair Cake

This is a simple, no-bake Eclair Cake that takes about an hour to put together (including cooling time) – but it’s mouth-watering delicious and worth every minute!

1. Add the milk and pudding mixes to a large mixing bowl and whisk until the pudding is thickened.
2. Add the Cool Whip to the bowl and fold it into the pudding gently using a rubber spatula. Set aside.

3. Line the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish with a layer of graham crackers, breaking them to fit where necessary.
4. Spread half of the pudding mixture evenly over the top of the graham crackers.
5. Continue with another layer of graham crackers, another pudding layer, and finish with a final layer of graham crackers.

6. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan on the stovetop until hot but not boiling.
7. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips in a medium bowl, place plastic wrap over the bowl, and allow the bowl to sit for 5-10 minutes.
8. Remove the plastic wrap and stir the chocolate/heavy cream until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is very smooth and glossy. Allow the ganache to sit and cool for at least 30 minutes.

9. Spread the cooled ganache evenly over the top of the cake.
10. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator overnight to allow the graham crackers to soften and become more “cake-like”. This step also makes it much easier to cut the cake into slices.
11. Enjoy!

Variations

Gluten-Free Option: Swap regular graham crackers for gluten-free to accommodate dietary needs without losing any of the cake’s charm.

White Chocolate Ganache: Use white chocolate chips for the ganache to create a sweeter, creamier topping that pairs nicely with the classic vanilla pudding.

Add Fresh Fruit: Layer slices of strawberries between pudding layers makes for a delicious Strawberry Eclair Cake that tastes a little like a Chocolate Dipped Strawberry with the ganache topping.

Use French Vanilla Pudding: For a richer, more custard-like flavor, substitute instant vanilla pudding with French vanilla pudding mix.

Pro Tips

• Don’t Skip Chilling Time! Allow the cake to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight if possible, so the graham crackers soften perfectly while still holding their shape and the pudding sets up so the dessert can easily be cut into Eclair Squares.
• Use Room Temperature Ingredients. Make sure your milk and whipped cream are at room temperature before mixing the pudding and combining layers. This prevents lumps in your pudding and makes layering smooth and easy.
• Prepare the Chocolate Ganache Slowly. Heat the cream over medium heat until just small bubbles form, then pour over the chocolate chips. Let it sit for 4-5 minutes before stirring gently with a rubber spatula to get a silky smooth finish without any grainy bits. OR
• Microwave Ganache. You can also pour your heavy cream into a glass measuring cup and microwave it for 1-2 minutes until steamy. Then pour it over the chocolate chips and let it sit for a few minutes. I actually like doing this better than stove-top because I’m less likely to scorch the cream.
• Make it Pretty. If you want to make this easy dessert look a little fancier, drag a fork over the ganache after it sets to create a striped pattern and texture on top!

Freezing & Storage Instructions

Refrigerator. Store leftover chocolate éclair cake covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep it chilled until ready to serve to maintain the best texture and flavor.

Freezing. Wrap leftover cake tightly in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container before freezing. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving. If you choose to do this, note that the graham crackers will be much softer than a fresh cake.

FAQ

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