Ice Box Eclair Cake


Author: Rachel

Published Date: February 25, 2022

Everyone loves a good no bake dessert. Get ready to give your oven an extended vacation once you taste this Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe! Every layer of goodness has the perfect sweet texture balanced with a cool and delicious crunch. 

OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE ECLAIR CAKE RECIPE

Call me a dessert diva if you will, but I LOVE an easy dessert. The “hardest” part of this homemade chocolate eclair cake recipe is being patient for it to firm up in the fridge. I ALWAYS have helpers in the kitchen when making this no bake cake because everyone loves to clean off and lick the spoons! 

TRY SOME OF MY OTHER DESSERT RECIPES:

You can never have too many dessert recipes on your radar. Here are some of our favorite dessert dishes that’ll have you skipping straight to the sweets: Strawberry Mug Cake, Buckeye Brownies, Linzer Cookies

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

  • This chocolate eclair cake recipe is no bake! 
  • The layers of goodness create an amazingly sweet texture. Perfect for special occasions!
  • You need less than ten simple ingredients to make from start to finish. (and that includes the homemade chocolate ganache ingredients!)

INGREDIENTS USED

  • Graham crackers
  • Instant vanilla pudding
  • Milk
  • Frozen whipped topping
  • Chocolate chips
  • Heavy cream
  • Light corn syrup
  • Vanilla

*see recipe card for detailed measurements

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KITCHEN SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED

  • Hand mixer
  • 9X13 inch baking dish

HOW TO MAKE YOUR CHOCOLATE ECLAIR CAKE RECIPE WITH GRAHAM CRACKERS

1. Mix the pudding. Add the instant vanilla pudding mixture and milk to a large bowl. You can mix with an electric mixer or a whisk. 

2. Add the whipped topping. Make sure that the whipped cream is thawed, then fold into the pudding mixture. 

3. Line the baking dish. Using graham crackers, line the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. You may have to break some to cover the entire bottom. For estimation purposes, each layer of graham crackers is about one sleeve. 

4. Add half of the pudding mixture. Make sure that you’re using just half of pudding mixture and cover the bottom layer of graham crackers. Spread it out smoothly using a rubber spatula. 

5. Add another layer of graham crackers. On top of the pudding mixture you just added, add another graham cracker layer. 

6. Spread the other half of the pudding mixture. Add the remaining pudding mixture on top of this layer of crackers. 

7. Add the last layer of graham crackers. Put the final layering of crackers on top of the pudding mixture. 

8. Melt and make the topping. Put the heavy cream, vanilla, and chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and heat up for 1 minute. Stir, then continue heating in 30-second increments. Make sure that you’re stirring between each time. Once the mixture is smooth, let it cool down for a few minutes and then pour it over the top of the eclair cake. Smooth it out using a spatula. 

9. Chill in the fridge. Put a cover on the dessert recipe and let it chill for at least 8 hours. Overnight is best if possible. 

HELPFUL TIPS & TRICKS

  • Looking for a lighter-calorie dessert? No worries! You can use sugar-free whipped topping and sugar-free instant pudding to help with that. You can also opt for low-calorie graham crackers too. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! 
  • Don’t forget the homemade ganache! Even if you’re missing the corn syrup, you can still make it. That just adds some thickness and a shiny look, but it’s totally delicious without out. 

SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS

  • Homemade whipped cream – If you’re not a fan of store-bought whipped topping or Cool Whip, you can make your own! Just put 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream in a bowl and whip it until peaks form. You’ll also want to add one tablespoon of confectioner’s sugar as well to help thicken it up a bit. 
  • Want to try a new flavor for this eclair cake with chocolate ganache recipe? All you need to do is change up the flavor of the Instant Pudding! This is a super simple way to have a new tasting dessert every time. Chocolate eclair cake has a pretty nice ring to it – so does a cheesecake eclair cake! Make sure that the pudding mixes are instant pudding!
  • Omit the graham crackers – Not everyone is a graham cracker fan, and that’s fine! Digestive biscuits or even vanilla wafers would be an awesome option as well. Easy recipes always have easy variations!
  • Use chocolate graham crackers – You can use them throughout the whole recipe, or even just on the second layer of graham crackers of the final layer of graham crackers! The beauty of this recipe is that you have options.
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STORAGE NOTES

To keep this cake as fresh as possible, store it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. It should stay perfectly fine to eat for up to 5 days. You can literally just add a lid to cover the whole pan and store it that way. I like to cover with plastic wrap as well for another layer of protection.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can you freeze the icebox eclair cake? 

You, you can! To freeze this no bake eclair cake recipe, simply cover it and store it in the freezer. It can stay there for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat it, move it from the freezer to the fridge to thaw overnight before enjoying it. 

What else can I use as a cake topping besides ganache? 

You can easily use anything that you’d like! A chocolate frosting would be delicious, as would a thicker fudge sauce. You can even sprinkle some chocolate chips on top and call it a day. Another easy garnish idea is fresh fruit, too! 

What is the best way to cut a piece of this no bake chocolate eclair cake recipe?

Since this old fashioned icebox cake doesn’t have the typical cake texture, you’ll want to be sure to use a sharp knife to cut through those graham cracker layers. The puddling layer and the whipped topping layers will be a breeze. Once you cut the delicious eclair cake, the hardest part will be to get it off the bottom of the pan. Using a spatula works great for this and will have you digging right in!

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If you’ve made this recipe or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how they turned out. We love hearing from you! You can also follow along with me on FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM to see more colorful recipes!

Piece of cake with layers of cream, graham crackers and chocolate topping.
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Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe


5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Servings 16 servings
Calories 312 kcal

INGREDIENTS
  

  • 14 ounces graham crackers, 1 full box
  • 2 boxes Instant Vanilla Pudding
  • 3 cups milk
  • 8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed

Chocolate ganache topping ingredients:

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup, light
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Add the instant vanilla pudding mixture and milk to a large bowl. You can mix with an electric mixer or a whisk. 
  • Add the whipped topping. Make sure that the whipped cream is thawed, then fold into the pudding mixture. 
  • Using graham crackers, line the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. You may have to break some to cover the entire bottom. For estimation purposes, each layer of graham crackers is about one sleeve. 
  • Add half of the pudding mixture. Make sure that you're using just half of pudding mixture and cover the bottom layer of graham crackers. Spread it out smoothly using a spatula. 
  • Add another layer of graham crackers. On top of the pudding mixture you just added, add another graham cracker layer. 
  • Spread the other half of the pudding mixture. Add the remaining pudding mixture on top of this layer of crackers. 
  • Put the final layering of crackers on top of the pudding mixture. 
  • Melt and make the topping. Put the heavy cream, vanilla, and chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and heat up for 1 minute. Stir, then continue heating in 30-second increments. Make sure that you're stirring between each time. Once the mixture is smooth, let it cool down for a few minutes and then pour it over the top of the eclair cake. Smooth it out using a spatula. 
  • Chill in the fridge. Put a cover on the dessert recipe and let it chill for at least 8 hours. Overnight is best if possible. 

NUTRITION

Calories: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 277mgPotassium: 195mgFiber: 2gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 269IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 102mgIron: 2mg
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Tried this recipe?Mention @sweettea_and_sprinkles or tag #sweetteaandsprinkles


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