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Easy No-Bake Eclair Cake Recipe: A Decadent Classic Dessert

Indulge in the nostalgic delight of this truly decadent and utterly delicious Eclair Cake. This no-bake wonder is a masterpiece of textures, where crisp graham crackers magically transform into a soft, cake-like base, layered with a rich, creamy pudding filling and topped with luscious chocolate frosting. While I typically champion entirely scratch-made culinary creations, this Eclair Cake recipe holds a special place in my heart, designed for pure comfort and a taste of cherished childhood memories. It’s an exception I happily make, and I promise, you’ll love it just as much as I do!

A perfectly sliced Eclair Cake, revealing its beautiful layers of graham cracker, creamy filling, and chocolate topping.

My kitchen philosophy often leans towards crafting everything from scratch, celebrating wholesome, unprocessed ingredients. However, this Eclair Cake stands as a rare, cherished exception. The magic of this particular dessert lies deeply in its authentic, nostalgic flavors and textures, which, to be perfectly honest, are best achieved with a few classic store-bought components. It’s these familiar elements that truly define this beloved treat, making it exactly “right” in every delightful bite. Without them, it just wouldn’t evoke the same cherished memories.

Essential Ingredients for Your No-Bake Eclair Cake

At its heart, this Eclair Cake is a classic icebox cake, relying on simple yet effective ingredients that come together effortlessly. The foundation of our creamy filling is a combination of instant pudding mix, expertly folded into frozen whipped topping. I specifically opt for a high-quality, pre-made chocolate frosting because its consistency is reliable and its flavor is consistently perfect. Using store-bought frosting eliminates any guesswork, ensuring a smooth, spreadable topping that sets beautifully every single time, for everyone who makes it.

All the necessary ingredients laid out for making the Eclair Cake, including pudding mixes, milk, whipped topping, graham crackers, and chocolate frosting.

While the recipe embraces convenience for that authentic nostalgic taste, there is one key swap you can confidently make if you prefer a slightly less processed element: the frozen whipped topping. Homemade whipped cream works wonderfully here and integrates seamlessly with the pudding mixture. The instant pudding acts as a fantastic stabilizer, ensuring your homemade whipped cream maintains its light, airy texture without deflating, resulting in an equally delicious and stable custard filling.

For precise ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions, use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post or scroll directly to the bottom of the page to access the complete recipe card.

Simple Steps to Craft Your Perfect Eclair Cake

Creating this delicious Eclair Cake is a straightforward process, requiring no baking and minimal effort. Follow these simple steps to assemble your decadent dessert:

To begin, combine the cold whole milk with both instant pudding mixes in a large mixing bowl. Using a whisk, vigorously blend these ingredients together for a full two minutes. This ensures that the pudding fully activates and achieves its desired thick, creamy consistency.

Milk and two packages of instant pudding mix are placed in a bowl, ready to be whisked together into a creamy mixture.

The milk and pudding mix after being thoroughly whisked for two minutes, showing a thick and smooth texture.

Next, carefully add the thawed whipped topping to the bowl containing the thickened pudding mixture. Using a spatula, gently fold the whipped topping into the pudding. The mixture’s color will lighten dramatically, and its texture will transform into a lusciously light, airy, and creamy custard filling, perfect for layering in your Eclair Cake.

Frozen whipped topping being added to the prepared pudding mixture in a large bowl.

The pudding and whipped topping fully combined, creating a smooth and light custard filling.

With your creamy filling ready, it’s time to assemble this delightful cake. Begin by arranging a single layer of graham crackers snugly across the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan. Once the base is set, spoon approximately 2 cups of your prepared custard filling over the crackers, carefully spreading it out evenly to cover every part. This ensures a consistent, delicious bite with every forkful.

The first layer of graham crackers neatly arranged in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan, forming the base of the eclair cake.

A generous amount of the creamy pudding mixture being spread smoothly over the first layer of graham crackers in the baking pan.

Continue this layering process, alternating between graham crackers and the creamy pudding filling, until you have a total of 5 distinct layers of crackers. Make sure your final layer is crackers. Once the layers are complete, it’s time for the crowning glory: the chocolate frosting. I recommend gently warming the pre-made chocolate frosting slightly; this makes it much easier to spread smoothly and evenly. Ensure the entire top layer of graham crackers is completely covered with a generous blanket of chocolate.

Adding additional layers of graham crackers and pudding mixture, showing the build-up to 5 distinct cracker layers.

Pouring the slightly warmed chocolate frosting over the final layer of graham crackers, preparing to spread it.

Once assembled and frosted, cover the cake and refrigerate it for a minimum of 4 hours before attempting to slice into it. This crucial chilling time allows the flavors to meld and, more importantly, gives the graham crackers ample opportunity to soften and absorb moisture from the pudding, transforming them into that wonderful, cake-like texture that defines a true Eclair Cake. For the absolute best results, I highly recommend letting it chill overnight. The crackers become even more deliciously cakey, and I find this dessert truly reaches its peak flavor and texture on day 2 and even day 3.

A single, perfectly cut slice of Eclair Cake presented on a white plate, ready for enjoyment.

Expert Notes & Tips for Eclair Cake Success

To truly elevate your Eclair Cake experience, consider these insights and practical tips. I personally gravitate towards a heartier, thicker cake, which is why I often use a blend of vanilla and cheesecake pudding for a richer, more complex flavor profile. My recipe is crafted to be a little more substantial than many others you might encounter, drawing inspiration from the iconic version served at Portillo’s Hot Dogs in Chicago. This means I advocate for a generous 5 layers of graham crackers, rather than the typical 3 found in many recipes. Because when it comes to deliciousness, more is almost always more, right?

Achieving a perfectly smooth and even chocolate topping is key. Gently warming the store-bought frosting makes this task incredibly easy. A quick 30-second interval in the microwave is usually all it takes to make it spreadable without making it too thin. Be careful not to overheat it, as a frosting that is too liquidy might run off the cake or seep down the sides of the pan, compromising the clean layers.

When refrigerating your Eclair Cake, if you happen to have a baking pan with a domed lid, I highly recommend using it. If you rely solely on plastic wrap directly over the frosting, you’ll inevitably find that the frosting lifts and sticks to the wrap when you try to remove it – a lesson I’ve learned from personal experience! A clever workaround if you don’t have a domed lid is to insert a few toothpicks into the cake before covering it; these will create a small gap, preventing the plastic film from touching the frosting directly.

Creative Substitutions & Flavor Variations

The beauty of this Eclair Cake recipe lies in its adaptability. When it comes to the pudding flavors, your imagination is the only limit for tweaking this recipe to suit any taste or season. Embrace the changing seasons: in the fall, infuse your cake with the warm spices of pumpkin spice pudding; for a refreshing spring twist, opt for a vibrant strawberry pudding. And for the ultimate indulgence, consider a “death by chocolate” Eclair Cake, made entirely with rich chocolate pudding for an intense cocoa experience.

For the custard filling, whole milk is my absolute top recommendation for achieving the richest, most luxurious flavor and creamiest texture. If you must, 1% milk is the lowest fat content I would suggest using, as anything lighter might compromise the pudding’s set and overall mouthfeel. If you’re venturing into the decadent territory of a death by chocolate version, take a cue from my Chocolate Peanut Butter Oreo Dirt Pudding and use chocolate milk to prepare your pudding for an extra layer of deep chocolate flavor.

For that quintessential Eclair Cake texture – where the crackers soften to a delightful cake-like consistency – graham crackers are non-negotiable. Their unique flavor and absorbent quality are essential. I personally favor the classic Nabisco graham crackers in the familiar red box; I believe they are the authentic choice, perhaps even the brand used in the famous Portillo’s version. For this recipe, you’ll typically need two full boxes of graham crackers, usually leaving you with a few crackers to spare.

Regardless of how you choose to personalize this recipe with different pudding flavors, I strongly advocate for always finishing your Eclair Cake with a classic chocolate frosting. It provides the perfect balance of sweetness and rich cocoa that truly complements the creamy layers beneath. Even when preparing the classic version as shared here, I stick with a good quality, store-bought milk chocolate frosting, such as Dunkin-Hines, for consistent results and that beloved nostalgic taste.

A fork taking a delicious bite out of a slice of Eclair Cake, showcasing the creamy filling and softened graham crackers.

Explore More of My Favorite No-Bake Desserts

If you loved the ease and deliciousness of this Eclair Cake, you’ll surely enjoy these other fantastic no-bake treats:

Haystack Cookies
No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
Homemade Trinidad Truffles
Chocolate Peanut Butter Dirt Pudding
Peanut Butter Mousse
Frozen Hot Chocolate
Chocolate Wafer Cake
Ice Cream Soda
Peach Ice Cream
No-Bake Gluten-Free Cheesecake

Did you make this incredibly easy and delicious Eclair Cake? I would love to hear about your experience! Please let me know by leaving a review or comment below. And don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter to get more delightful recipes delivered straight to your inbox. You can also follow along for daily inspiration and updates on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 1, 9×13 baking pan

Eclair Cake

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Chill Time:
4 hours

Total Time:
4 hours 15 minutes

Make this Eclair Cake & you will find it totally decadent and delicious. I love all of the textures and how the crackers turn into cake.

Ingredients

2 (3.5 ounce) packages of instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 (3.5 ounce) package of instant Cheesecake Pudding Mix
4 ½ cups Whole Milk
12 ounces frozen Whipped Topping, thawed, or 4 ½ cups Fresh Whipped Cream
28 ounces Graham Crackers
16 ounces of prepared Chocolate Frosting

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the instant pudding mixes and whole milk for two minutes until the mixture is well combined and thickened.

Gently fold in the thawed frozen whipped topping until no streaks remain and the mixture is light and airy.

Arrange a single, even layer of graham cracker squares in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan.

Spread approximately 2 cups of the creamy pudding mixture evenly over the graham cracker layer.

Repeat the layering process, adding another layer of graham crackers followed by about 2 cups of the pudding mixture. Continue until you have 5 layers of crackers, ensuring the final layer is graham crackers.

Slightly warm the chocolate frosting in the microwave in 30-second intervals until it’s smooth and easily spreadable. Be careful not to overheat.

Evenly spread the warmed chocolate frosting over the final layer of graham crackers, making sure to cover all the way to the edges of the pan.

Cover the pan tightly and refrigerate the Eclair Cake for at least 4 hours. For optimal texture and flavor, chilling overnight is highly recommended.

Once chilled, slice the cake into 12 generous pieces and serve cold directly from the pan. Enjoy!

Notes

Notes & Tips

I prefer a thicker cake and a mix of vanilla and cheesecake pudding. My cake is a little heartier than other recipes you might find for this. I like mine to mimic the iconic Portillo’s Hot Dogs version from Chicago. It has 5 layers of crackers as opposed to many recipes I have seen that only have 3. More is more, right?

Gently warming the frosting makes it super easy to spread. I find only 30 seconds is needed, you don’t want it too thin or it may run off or out of the pan.

If you have a pan that has a domed lid for it I suggest using that for this cake. If you put plastic wrap on the frosting it will all lift off when you try to take it off. Ask me how I know. Stick some toothpicks in the cake to hold the film off the cake if you have to.

Substitutions

When it comes to the pudding, the sky is the limit with possibilities for tweaking this recipe. In fall make it with pumpkin spice pudding. In spring make it with strawberry pudding. Heck, even make it death by chocolate eclair cake and make it with chocolate pudding.

Whole milk is the way to go in my opinion for the best flavor. 1% is the lowest I would go. If you are doing death by chocolate use chocolate milk to make your pudding, like I did in my Chocolate Peanut Butter Oreo Dirt Pudding.

For just the right texture, you need to use graham crackers for this Eclair Cake. I like the Nabisco ones in the red box, I think they are the classic that Potillos actually uses. I used 2 full boxes to make this cake, with 3 crackers to spare.

No matter how you vary this recipe, I would always use a chocolate frosting. Even if you are making it classically as I have shared here. I use the milk chocolate Dunkin-Hines storebought frosting.

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No-Bake Eclair Delight