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This easy no-bake Chocolate Eclair Cake is a classic Midwestern dessert. Made with graham crackers, pudding, whipped topping, and chocolate frosting, in comes together in about 10 minutes plus chilling time.
Chocolate Eclair Cake is an old fashioned sheet cake that requires no baking and is reminiscent of a chocolate coated, creamy eclair. Made for generations, this cake is always one of the most popular desserts at any potluck, so I thought it deserved a revisit.
You don’t have to be a baker to layer graham crackers with pudding and whipped topping, and then slather everything in rich chocolate frosting.
Overnight, the refrigerator does all the hard work for you, softening those layers into a perfectly sweet, creamy, chocolatey cake that tastes like you worked much harder than you did.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Instant vanilla pudding: If you prefer from-scratch, unprocessed food, you could make Homemade Pastry Cream to use instead of the pudding.
- Whipped topping: Or substitute Homemade Whipped Cream for the frozen whipped topping.
- Chocolate frosting: I warm my tub of prepared frosting in the microwave for 20 seconds, then stir. It spreads much easier. Feel free to substitute Homemade Chocolate Frosting if you prefer that.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk until smooth.
- Fold in whipped topping.
- Line bottom of a 9-inch x 13-inch pan with a single layer of graham crackers, breaking some if necessary to fill the layer. Pour half the pudding mixture over the crackers and spread evenly. Top with another layer of crackers. Pour the remaining pudding mixture over the second layer of crackers and top with a third layer of crackers.
- Carefully spread the frosting over the top layer of graham crackers. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Serve chilled and store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe yields one 9-inch by 13-inch Eclair cake. Your actual servings vary depending on how you cut the slices, but I usually aim for 20 pieces.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The crackers continue to soften in the best way possible (I personally prefer this cake after it sits for at least 24 hours).
- Make ahead: The cake can be made up to 2 days in advance; the graham crackers continue to soften but that’s a good thing.
- Freezer: To freeze Eclair Cake, wrap it tightly in a double layer of foil and plastic. Label, date, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Give this cake at least 8 hours, but those who have infinite amounts of patience make it 2 days in advance. The crackers continue to soften as the dessert sits, but this isn’t a bad thing at all.
This recipe is definitely not from scratch, but if you would rather use whipped cream folded into the pudding instead of the topping, that is absolutely fine.
Yes, you can. Really, store-bought chocolate frosting really works for this cake! I warm my tub of prepared frosting in the microwave for 20 seconds, stir, then spread. It spreads much easier.
If you’re aiming for picture-perfect cut squares of cake, it helps to freeze the cake before cutting. But if you need to freeze this cake, wrap it tightly in foil and store in a zip-top plastic bag to store in the freezer. It should keep well up to two months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator.
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Chocolate Eclair Cake
Ingredients
- 2 (3.4-ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix (see note 1)
- 3 1/2 cups milk
- 1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping thawed (see note 2)
- 1 box graham crackers
- 1 can dark chocolate frosting (see note 3)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk until smooth. Fold in whipped topping.
- Line bottom of a 9-inch x 13-inch pan with a single layer of graham crackers, breaking some if necessary to fill the layer. Pour half the pudding mixture over the crackers and spread evenly.
- Top with another layer of crackers. Pour the remaining pudding mixture over the second layer of crackers and top with a third layer of crackers.
- Carefully spread the frosting over the top layer of graham crackers. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. Serve chilled and store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Instant vanilla pudding: If you prefer from-scratch, unprocessed food, you could make Homemade Pastry Cream to use instead of the pudding.
- Whipped topping: Or substitute Homemade Whipped Cream for the frozen whipped topping.
- Chocolate frosting: I warm my tub of prepared frosting in the microwave for 20 seconds, then stir. It spreads much easier. Feel free to substitute Homemade Chocolate Frosting if you prefer that.
- Yield: This recipe yields one 9-inch by 13-inch Eclair cake. Your actual servings vary depending on how you cut the slices, but I usually aim for 20 pieces.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The crackers continue to soften in the best way possible (I personally prefer this cake after it sits for at least 24 hours).
- Make ahead: The cake can be made up to 2 days in advance; the graham crackers continue to soften but that’s a good thing.
- Freezer: To freeze Eclair Cake, wrap it tightly in a double layer of foil and plastic. Label, date, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator.
What is the least amount of time for chilling I just made it and want some Soo bad right now lol Thanks!!
The best dessert ever
May be it is just a graham crackers cake, but it definitely is NOT an eclair cake. You know, eclair is something completely different my dear. ma be just ganache is common with this creation. Google in , and read at least basic definition about eclairs
Hi Eva, sorry for the confusion! “Eclair Cake” is a THING in the Midwest, something everyone knows and loves, and it’s obviously not truly eclairs made into a cake (I’m well aware, having gone to culinary school, what an eclair is). I have to call it by this name so people on the internet, who are searching for chocolate eclair cake, find what they want. If I called it Graham Cracker Cake, no one in the Midwest would have any idea what I was talking about. It’s just a regional cake that I guess you have never heard of. Sorry about that.
Pretty sure megan knows what shes doing 😁
I’m from the south and we call it the same – my grandma used to make this all the time ! Thanks for the recipe to jog my memory of it and inspire me to make one myself.
Everyone I know calls this an Eclair Cake. We know it’s not an Eclair. I can’t imagine calling it anything else. I’m from North Carolina. Where are you from? Have you never heard of an eclair cake before? How about Pig pickin cake? It’s not made of pig though. Have you heard of that?
I have never wanted anything as badly as this cake. I had one at my cousin’s birthday party in 1997 and I’ve been dreaming of it ever since. In fact it is the only thing I can remember from 1997. Thanks for sharing it.
I zap the frostingt for few seconds, easier to spread.
this was so good! i made it twice in the same weekend! thank you!
Your parents are amazing! Two of you having the same bday? That’s nuts! I love the simplicity behind this cake!!!! AHH YUM! My mom used to make a Russian version of this but she made it with pastry cream she made from scratch that I got to eat with a spoon 🙂 Ahhh it was always so good…I can just taste it now 🙂 YUMMERS
Thanks lady! I always thought it was so cool sharing my birthday, but now that I’ve gone through the whole trying-to-conceive/pregnancy/birth situation and know how CRAZY it is, the odds of sharing a birthday seem even more bizarre. 🙂
My goodness, Meggan, this is genius! The photos really do make it look like something you’ve slaved over, not pulled together in 10 minutes.
This is most definitely up my alley!
Thank you, Helen! You just can’t go wrong with these Midwestern classics, and it’s my job to tell you all about them. 🙂 As you can see, we get lazy with our desserts at times…. 😉
Desserts you make the night before are the best! This reminds me so much of growing up. So yummy and easy!
Thank you, it tastes WAY better than it looks! I hope you enjoy it.
How come my filling (the pudding, milk, and whipped cream) is soupy as I pour onto my graham crackers?? I followed the directions. Help!
Hi Morgan!!! It firms up as it sits. So chances are, you are just fine, just give it time. It needs to chill for a while! You can’t eat it immediately. Provided you followed the directions (and didn’t leave out one of the boxes of pudding, for example, since it calls for two), you will be FINE! Don’t worry!!! Sorry for the confusion. thanks! -Meggan