Chocolate Éclair Cake
Imagine a chocolate éclair/Boston cream pie marriage, in cake form. This scrumptious dessert features layers of fluffy vanilla pudding and softened graham crackers, under a canopy of fudgy chocolate ganache!
This recipe was written for the Arizona Republic.
This classic Midwestern dessert is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. This chocolate éclair cake boasts all the elements of the fancy French dessert – cream-filled pastry smothered in chocolate – but there’s no need for a mixer, and no baking required. Plus, every ingredient can be found in your local grocery store. All the joy of a chocolate eclair without all the fuss? Count me in!
What ingredients do you need for this chocolate éclair cake?
This chocolate éclair cake requires just 7 ingredients, and they’re all pantry staples. Here’s the rundown.
- Instant pudding. You can use regular vanilla or French vanilla pudding in this cake, but it must be instant pudding. Instant pudding sets differently and is thicker than pudding made on the stovetop; cook-and-serve pudding will not work here. And I highly recommend French vanilla pudding because, well, this is a riff on a French dessert, and I find French vanilla richer and more custard-like than regular vanilla pudding.
- Whole milk. Whole milk makes the creamiest vanilla pudding, so I encourage you to use it. You may also use 2% milk but dodge nonfat/skim milk because it can make the filling runny.
- Whipped topping. Non-dairy whipped topping aerates the pudding and gives it a luscious, fluffy consistency. Just remember to thaw the frozen topping for 3 hours (or overnight) in the refrigerator before using. Do not thaw frozen whipped topping at room temperature because you won’t get the same “lift”.
- Graham crackers. Graham crackers mimic baked French pastry (choux) in this cake and they soften beautifully when nestled between layers of pudding. If desired, you may substitute vanilla wafer cookies.
- Semisweet chocolate. Some recipes for chocolate éclair cake call for store-bought chocolate frosting. While that’s certainly an option, I think you’ll find this fudge-like chocolate ganache much more satisfying. You need just 2 ingredients – semisweet chocolate and cream – and about 10 minutes, and your ganache is complete. Pro tip: I suggest semisweet chocolate over milk chocolate; milk chocolate will make the cake overly sweet. You may also use bittersweet chocolate.
- Heavy cream. Scalded heavy cream is used to melt the chocolate and create the ganache. You cannot use milk to make ganache. Pro tip: When you combine the scalded cream and chocolate, let the mixture stand for 10 minutes without stirring. Stirring too soon can create a granular ganache, not one that’s satiny, glossy, and smooth.
- Butter. One tablespoon of butter in the ganache makes all the difference in the world, adding shine and extra silkiness to the glaze.
A few tips for flawless chocolate éclair cake
- Don’t overlap the graham crackers. For neat, uniform layers, arrange your graham crackers in a single layer, without overlapping them. Break the graham crackers into smaller pieces to fill in any gaps.
- Chill your assembled cake overnight and up to 2 days. The graham crackers in this cake need time to soften, so don’t rush the chilling time. Chill the cake for a minimum of 8 hours, and up to 2 days before slicing and serving.
- Consider swapping ingredients. Once you’ve crafted this chocolate éclair cake, consider variations for future cake adventures. For example, use chocolate pudding instead of vanilla, and chocolate or cinnamon graham crackers instead of plain.
- How should you store leftover cake? If you have leftover cake, cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing because, once thawed, the pudding will be watery and the graham crackers mushy.
Chocolate Éclair Cake
This scrumptious dessert features layers of fluffy vanilla pudding and softened graham crackers, under a canopy of fudgy chocolate ganache!
Ingredients
- 2 3.4-ounce packages instant French vanilla pudding, or instant vanilla pudding
- 3 cups whole milk
- 8- ounce container whipped topping, thawed according to package directions
- 14- ounce box graham crackers
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- n a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the instant pudding and milk for 2 minutes. Fold in the whipped topping. Set aside.
- Arrange one layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Do not overlap the crackers, and if necessary, break a few crackers to fill in any gaps.
- Top the graham crackers with half of the pudding mixture and carefully spread out into an even layer. Arrange another layer of graham crackers over the pudding. Repeat with the remaining pudding and top with a final, third layer of graham crackers.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour, and up to 24 hours.
- To make the ganache, place the chocolate chips in a large bowl. Place the cream and butter in a small saucepan and set the pan over medium heat. Heat the cream until tiny bubbles appears around the edges of the pan, but do not bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand for 10 minutes, without stirring. Stir the cream and melted chocolate together until smooth. Pour the ganache over the top layer of graham crackers and gently spread out into an even layer.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours or up to 2 days. The longer you chill the cake the better as this gives the graham crackers time to soften.
- Slice into squares and serve.
- Cover leftovers with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Calories: 319kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Sodium: 198mg, Potassium: 237mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 18g, Vitamin A: 334IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 106mg, Iron: 2mg