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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.
Was wondering how long this would stay good for once preparing, If making this 48 hours before serving will it still be good or should I wait until the night before? Thank you! 🙂
Hi Kaitlin, preparing the day before would be best. It will likely be fine if you did it 48 hours before, the layers may be a little softer than if you did it just the day before. – Meggan
I’ve made this for at least 30 years. Here in the south it’s always been called Chocolate Eclair Dessert. Whatever the name it’s the perfect dessert. Easy, fast ,and absolutely delicious. Never any leftovers. Great for get togethers. My one difference is I use French Vanilla Pudding. This REALLY gives it that eclair flavor. I melt the tubs of chocolate frosting in the microwave for a minute or so until its pourable out of the tub.
Hi! My older daughter ,Soni, brought this back from Fort Bragg. Those army wives know how to cook. She would use ready malk low fat puddin cups. They just a $1 at dollar tree. She would buy 2 sets of 4 vanilla. And 3 cups of 4 chocolate. She poured chocolate pudding first on the graham crackers then a layer of crackers covered in the frosting Vanilla pudding with cool whip then layer of frosted crackers and cool whip mixture. She bought 2 boxes of graham crackers and loved to put crumbs on top. She also found that if she held the crackers in her hand to put frosting on. It went much faster than pouring frosting on. Plus this way she controlled the frosting to get two layers of the frosted crackers. Her kids love this! I’ll have to share one of my no bake no cook desserts!
My mom made this all the time when I was growing up. I honestly thought this WAS an eclair. I didn’t realize eclairs were fancy French pastries until I was an adult. This brings back so many memories. I’m making for a July 4th gathering. I can’t wait! 😋
I’m a single dad of 9 year old twin girls and I’m just now learning how to cook (god help me). My mom used to make this for my birthday every single year, even as an adult. She died 11 years ago and I never asked for the recipe. I thought I would never taste it again. She called it “pudding cake” so I was never able to find it by that name. This is definitely it. I made it for my daughters’ birthday and they both went back for seconds. I even caught one of them sneaking a piece from the fridge later that night. I told them it was their grandma’s signature dessert. So simple and basic but it brought back so many memories. Not to mention I was relieved when I realized I didn’t actually have to cook anything. There’s no way anyone could screw this up. Now I know why my mom made it so often, because it’s fast, easy and cheap. Thank you so much for this recipe, I’m so glad I finally found it.
Good job on learning how to cook.
I enjoy making sweets.
Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Best wishes from Canada
Hi! Do you know if it will work if I make homemade whipped cream and don’t have cool whip?
Hi Martha, yes. I haven’t made it that way myself, but I’ve seen many people over the years use homemade whipped cream as a substitute for cool whip. So I think it will work fine, and it’s probably better tasting too. I need to test it out myself so I know! -Meggan
My family loves this dessert. I am getting ready to make it now for tomorrow. My daughter wants this instead of a birthday cake.
How would this be with banana pudding instead of vanilla? 🙂 has anyone tried this?
I haven’t tried it, but I really want to! That sounds amazing!! I have this rule that if there is a banana dessert on the menu at a restaurant, I order it. 🙂 So yes, I’m adding this to my next test kitchen day. I have to know! -Meggan
Love this with Lemon pudding. Love it
This is a great recipe, although I tweak mine a bit, I add 4-6 ounces of cream cheese to my filling as well.. I like it both ways, but prefer it with cream cheese… Wendy M.
Hi! Do you leave it uncovered while it is softening? Even overnight ? Thanks!
Hi Pam, you don’t need to leave it uncovered. Don’t leave it uncovered! That won’t have any bearing on the softening process. So it should be covered and in the refrigerator. If you need anything else, please let me know! Thanks! -Meggan