No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake (2024)

Published: by Wendie · Leave a Comment

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With no baking required, this delicious and indulgent Chocolate Eclair Cake is perfect for the summer! It features a creamy filling and a rich chocolate topping that's sure to be a hit.

No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake (1)

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Sometimes I'm craving something decadent and sweet, but in the summertime the last thing I want to do is turn on the oven. That's when I turn to no-bake desserts like this eclair cake!

It takes the classic pastry treat and turns it into an icebox dessert that's guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Why this Recipe Works

The best part of this eclair cake is that it requires no baking. It's made with easy steps, and all you have to do is pop it in the fridge and wait for everything to set!

You can also customize this no bake icebox cake with your favorite kind of pudding to give it a personal flair.

However you serve it, you'll love the layers of graham crackers, rich, creamy pudding filling, and a tasty chocolate ganache topping!

And if you can't get enough no bake desserts, try these Avalanche Cookies, a No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake, or these adorable Mini Chocolate Tarts.

Ingredients Needed

No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake (2)
  • Instant Pudding Mix: I like to use vanilla pudding as the base for the eclair filling layers, but you can use a different flavor as well.
  • Whole Milk: I recommend using whole milk for a nice thick and creamy dessert.
  • Whipped Topping: Cool Whip is my preferred brand, but a store brand whipped topping works just as well!
  • Graham Crackers: These act as a sort of crust between the layers of eclair filling.
  • Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips: You can use dark chocolate chips if you prefer a richer and more chocolatey flavor.
  • Heavy Cream: This is a crucial component for the chocolate ganache layer on top.
  • Coconut Oil: An optional ingredient that helps prevent the chocolate from burning or seizing and gives it a more silky texture.

How to Make this No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake

No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake (3)
  • Step 1: Combine the pudding mix and whole milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.
  • Step 2: Once mixed together, fold in the whipped topping to the pudding mixture.
  • Step 3: Line the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with graham crackers. You may have to break some into smaller pieces so they fit properly.
  • Step 4: Spread half of the pudding mixture over top of the graham crackers in an even layer, then add a top layer of graham crackers and finish with the remaining pudding mixture.
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  • Step 5: In a separate small bowl, heat the heavy cream for a minute to a minute and a half, then pour in the chocolate chips (and coconut oil if using) and mix until combined.
  • Step 6: Spread the chocolate ganache over top of the final pudding layer, then transfer to the fridge for at least 8 hours. Slice and serve!
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Recipe Tips

  • 8 hours is the minimum amount of time needed for the cake to properly set, but if you can let it go longer I recommend giving it even more time.
  • Use dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips if you prefer a more rich or more sweet chocolate ganache.
  • Coconut oil helps give the ganache a nice glossy quality, but is completely optional. Some light corn syrup also achieves the same effect.
  • Vanilla pudding is a great option, but you can also use a French vanilla variety, cheesecake flavored pudding, or even a chocolate pudding to make this a double chocolate eclair cake!
  • Another good option for the crust layers would be vanilla wafer cookies, or chocolate flavored graham crackers.
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Recipe FAQ's

What is an eclair?

This traditional French pastry is typically composed of three parts: a long, oblong choux pastry shell, a pastry cream, whipped cream, or custard filling, and a chocolate topping.

How long does chocolate eclair cake last?

Keep your no bake eclair cake in the fridge for 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months or so. Be sure to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or a tight lid. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before you serve it from frozen.

More Dessert Recipes

  • Strawberry Icebox Cake
  • Whoopie Pies with Chocolate Cake Mix
  • Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
  • Banana Crumb Coffee Cake

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No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake (12)

Chocolate Eclair Cake

Wendie

Easy to make with just a few simple ingredients, this no bake Chocolate Eclair Cake is a creamy and sweet dessert that requires no time in the oven!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Chill Time 8 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 401 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 3.4 ounce packages of vanilla instant pudding
  • 2 1/3 cups whole milk
  • 1 8 ounce container cool whip
  • 24 graham crackers 1 box
  • 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil optional

Instructions

  • In a large bowl add the instant pudding and milk and whisk until combined.

  • Fold in the cool whip until combined.

  • Place a layer of graham crackers into a 9x13 baking dish, breaking some in half so they fit.

  • Spread a 1/2 of the filling over the crackers, and add another layer of crackers.

  • Followed by the remaining filling and the last layer of graham crackers.

  • In a small bowl heat the heavy cream up in the microwave for 1 minute, if its not hot add 30-second increments until hot.

  • Whisk in the chocolate chips and coconut oil (if using) until smooth.

  • Spread the melted chocolate over the top of the cake.

  • Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.

Notes

  • Make sure you get instant pudding, vanilla, french vanilla, or cheesecake pudding all work great.
  • You can use dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips if you prefer.
  • Coconut oil is optional but gives the chocolate that extra glossy shine. You can also use corn wyrup if thats what you have on hand.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 401kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 6gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 306mgPotassium: 250mgFiber: 2gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 413IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 126mgIron: 2mg

Keyword chocolate eclair, chocolate eclair cake, no bake cake, no-bake dessert

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No Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake (2024)

FAQs

What is chocolate eclair cake made of? ›

To make this super easy dessert, you only need five simple ingredients: graham crackers, milk, heavy cream, vanilla pudding mix, and chocolate chips. Yes, I know instant pudding mix isn't the most glamorous ingredient, but I said this was an easy recipe. There is nothing as easy as instant pudding mix.

What are the ingredients in chocolate éclair ice cream? ›

Nutrition Facts

Ingredients: Lowfat Ice Cream Shell: Skim milk, sugar, corn syrup, cream, high fructose corn syrup, whey, contains less than 2% of artificial flavor, maltodextrin, guar gum, mono and diglycerides, xanthan gum, polysorbate 80, carrageenan, vitamin A palmitate.

Is an éclair a patisserie? ›

The best bakeries and patisseries make many things we ordinary home cooks cannot. But the one sweet treat we home cooks will always be able to do better than even a great patisserie is éclairs – those delicate glazed French choux buns stuffed with a rich, creamy filling.

What is the meaning of éclair in baking? ›

: an oblong pastry with whipped cream or custard filling. Etymology. French, literally, "lightning" Word Origin. The English word éclair comes directly from a French word whose chief meaning is "lightning" or "flash of lightning." No one is sure why a pastry was named after lightning.

What's the difference between an eclair and a French eclair? ›

Other than form and name, they are continents apart in taste. An American eclair is made from frozen ingredients such as frozen pre-separated egg whites and yolks and frozen pre-made cream. A French eclair is fresh: freshly separated eggs, freshly stirred creme, freshly picked or ground ingredients.

What's the difference between cream puff and Eclair? ›

The main difference lies in the shape; regardless of size, éclairs are oblong and cream puffs are round.

What pastry is chocolate eclairs made from? ›

Choux pastry is used as a base for many desserts, such as eclairs, churros, cream puffs, profiteroles, Paris-brests, gougeres and croquembouches.

What is on the outside of a chocolate eclair ice cream? ›

Homemade chocolate and vanilla ice cream sandwiched between a golden Oreo crust and cookie crumb topping.

What brand of chocolate is eclairs? ›

Cadbury

What does the French word éclair mean in English? ›

Translation of éclair – French–English dictionary

a flash of lightning. lightning [noun] a flash of electricity between clouds or from a cloud to earth during a storm, usually followed by thunder.

What are eclairs called in France? ›

The éclair originated during the nineteenth century in Lyon, France where it was called pain à la duch*esse ('duch*ess-style bread') or petite duch*esse ('little duch*ess') until 1850. The word is first attested both in English and in French in the 1860s.

What does choux mean? ›

First recorded in 1875–80; from French choux, plural of chou “cream puff,” literally, “cabbage” (so called from the resemblance to little cabbages when the pastries come out of the oven). The variant pâte à choux entered English earlier, around 1845–50 ; cream puff pastry was first recorded in 1950–55; chou, pâte.

Are eclairs and long johns the same? ›

In other parts of the United States and Canada, such as the Mid-Atlantic and Central Canada, Long Johns are sometimes marketed as "éclairs"; the two pastries look similar but are created with different types of dough (steam-puffed vs. yeast-risen) and sometimes different fillings (the éclair may have chiboust cream).

What do eggs do in eclairs? ›

The Eggs: Eggs loosen the thick, cooked flour-water-butter paste thanks to the high water content of the whites, and enrich it with more fat from the yolks. And because eggs solidify as they cook, they also help ensure the cooked choux will set properly and hold its final shape.

What are chocolate eclairs made from? ›

A Chocolate Éclair is a French dessert that features an airy choux pastry shell, filled with rich and luscious vanilla pastry cream, all topped with a thick layer of chocolate glaze.

What is éclair filling made of? ›

Though they're both made of choux pastry, they differ in shape and fillings. Eclairs are log-shaped pastry filled with pastry cream and grazed with ganache. Profiteroles, on other hand, round shaped pastries often filled with ice cream and glazed with ganache.

What is the origin of the eclair cake? ›

The éclair originated during the nineteenth century in Lyon, France where it was called pain à la duch*esse ('duch*ess-style bread') or petite duch*esse ('little duch*ess') until 1850. The word is first attested both in English and in French in the 1860s.

What is eclair paste made of? ›

Choux paste – Éclair Paste – La Pate a Choux

In a saucepan bring to a boil the water, milk, sugar, salt and butter. Remove from heat and immediately add the sifted flour. Stir well until combined. Return to heat and stir until the dough releases from the sides and bottom.

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