This Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe is made with layers of graham crackers filled with a creamy pudding mixture that is topped with a rich, crackly, homemade chocolate frosting.
It is an easy no-bake dessert for family gatherings, cookouts, potlucks, and parties.
"The frosting on this is EVERYTHING! It was so easy to make and everyone loved it. We had no leftovers. It was devoured in minutes."
★★★★★- Moop Brown
This Chocolate Eclair Cake is a vintage dessert recipe that has been popular in many households for years.
This easy recipe is made with graham cracker layers filled with a creamy whipped topping and vanilla pudding mixture.
The chocolate glaze is a gooey, sweet, chocolatey sauce that Willy Wonka would be sure to love. I mean… the frosting is the real excuse to make this folks! It is so DELICIOUS!
I hope you love it as much as we do. Enjoy! Xoxo -Katie.
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Ingredient notes and substitutions
You will need the following ingredients to make this chocolate eclair cake.
- instant vanilla pudding mix- Do not use the cook and serve pudding. For a flavor variation, chocolate and banana pudding can be a great substitution, however it will change up the flavor profile dramatically.
- whole milk- Do not use low fat or it will not set. For an even richer filling, you can substitute with heavy cream.
- cool whip- Or substitute with real whipped cream.
- graham crackers
- granulated sugar
- cocoa
- butter
- vanilla extract
- salt
*Full recipe with ingredient measurements is located at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
Steps to make chocolate eclair cake
Making chocolate eclair cake is so easy! Follow these steps.
- In a large bowl, beat instant pudding mix and milk with a wire whisk or electric mixer for 2 minutes.
- Combine pudding mix and cool whip or homemade whipped cream.
- Next place one layer of graham crackers on the casserole dish.
- Then layer half of the creamy vanilla pudding filling.
- Then add a second layer of graham crackers
- Top with the remaining creamy pudding mixture.
- Then you top with one final layer of graham crackers.
- In a medium saucepan, combine cocoa, milk, salt, and sugar in a stove pot. Cook on medium-high heat.
- Bring to a full rolling boil; boil about 1 minute, stirring very frequently. Remove from heat and cool one minute.
- Add vanilla to frosting.
- Mix in butter with the cocoa mixture; stir until butter is melted.
- Immediately pour chocolate sauce evenly over the top layer of graham crackers. Refrigerate over night to allow frosting to set and graham crackers to soften.
Watch how to make
Frosting Tip
The homemade frosting is amazing and worth the effort! However, if you don't want to make homemade frosting, you can buy prepared frosting and melt it a minute and half to spread.
How long can you store leftovers?
Cover chocolate eclair leftovers and store in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
If you look at the picture above, you can see what I mean about that AMAZING, crackly, fudgy, rich chocolate frosting. It is a gooey, yummy mess. YUM!
Looking for more easy dessert recipes? Try these!
Please leave me a comment below if you make this chocolate icebox cake and tell me what you thought about it. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.
Also post your picture of your icebox cake on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 3.5 oz. boxes vanilla instant pudding
- 3 cups of whole milk
- 12 oz container Cool Whip {or 3 c. homemade whipped cream}
- 14.4 oz box graham crackers
Chocolate Frosting
- ⅓ cup cocoa
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 stick butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Beat with a wire whisk or electric mixer pudding mixes with whole milk for 2 minutes.2 3.5 oz. boxes vanilla instant pudding, 3 cups of whole milk
- Stir in cool whip or homemade whipped cream.12 oz container Cool Whip {or 3 c. homemade whipped cream}
- Place a layer of graham crackers on bottom of 9x13 inch pan.14.4 oz box graham crackers
- Layer half of pudding mixture over graham crackers.
- Place another layer of graham crackers over pudding mixture.
- Layer remaining pudding mixture over graham crackers.
- Top with final layer of remaining graham crackers.
Make Frosting
- Combine cocoa, milk, salt, and sugar in a stove pot and bring to a full rolling boil; boil about 1 minute, stirring very frequently.⅓ cup cocoa, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup whole milk, 1 cup sugar
- Remove from heat and cool one minute.
- Mix butter and vanilla with the cocoa mixture; stir until butter is melted.1 stick butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pour chocolate sauce over the top layer of graham crackers. Spread evenly to completely cover graham crackers.
- Refrigerate over night to allow frosting to set.
Cindy says
The frosting!
Moop Brown says
The frosting on this is EVERYTHING! It was so easy to make and everyone loved it. We had no leftovers. It was devoured in minutes.
Erin says
This was such an easy recipe! And SO tasty. Everyone loved this cake. No need to make actual eclairs again. 😀
Carrie Robinson says
No-bake desserts like this are so perfect for hot summer days! 🙂 This cake would definitely be a crowd-pleaser. Going to make this soon.
Lisa says
I love no bake desserts! This is perfect to make when it is hot out so no need to turn my oven on!
Jamie says
This was so delectable and just the thing to satisfy my sweet tooth! The combination of chocolate, pudding, and crackers together is so heavenly!
Amy Liu Dong says
The process of making this dessert is so easy; I like it.
I made it, and the taste of this cake is so delicious and creamy!
DK says
Oh wow! This eclair cake is so creamy and delicious! And I love the graham cracker crust layer in the middle!
Kathryn says
This was such a treat and I loved all the delicious layers! Totally tastes like an eclair too! Making this again and I can't wait.
Gloria says
This is my kind of recipe. So much easier than making traditional elairs. All the taste and none of the work.
Emmbayencio123 Roblox says
Dude its the best recipe! Thx
Mike says
I can't wait to try this cake recipe! I'm planning on trying this on the weekend. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Kim | Low Carb Maven says
You're killing me with this recipe, Katie! It looks absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing.