Chocolate Eclair Cake
User Reviews
4.4
Chocolate Eclair Cake
Description
Chocolate Eclair Cake combines homemade vanilla pudding with stabilized whipped cream to create a creamy filling between layers of graham crackers. The pudding is cooked on the stovetop by boiling a mixture of sugar, cornstarch, salt, and milk until thickened, then enriched with butter and vanilla. Separately, gelatin is dissolved into water and incorporated into whipped heavy cream to stabilize it, allowing the cream to hold its shape within the layered dessert. This no-bake cake assembles by layering pudding, stabilized whipped cream, and graham crackers, finished with a glossy chocolate glaze made of semisweet chips, heavy cream, and corn syrup melted together. After chilling, the graham crackers absorb moisture, softening to create an eclair-like texture without baking. This cake can be refrigerated for a couple of hours to set before serving and can also be frozen for up to one month, properly wrapped to preserve freshness.
Ingredients
For the Pudding
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 cups milk whole
- 4 tablespoons butter cut into 4 pieces, unsalted
- 5 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Stabilized Whipped Cream
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1¼ teaspoons gelatin unflavored
- 2 cups heavy cream
For Assembly
- 14 ounces graham crackers
For the Chocolate Glaze
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 5 tablespoons light corn syrup
Instructions
- Make the Pudding: Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk the milk into the sugar mixture until smooth and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom with a rubber spatula, over medium-high heat. Once the mixture reaches a boil, immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, continuing to scrape the bottom, until thickened and large bubbles appear on the surface, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract. Transfer the pudding to a large bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours.
- Make the Stabilized Whipped Cream: Stir the water and gelatin together in a bowl and let it sit until the gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Microwave the mixture until it's bubbling around the edges and the gelatin dissolves, about 15 to 30 seconds. Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream on medium-low speed until foamy (about 1 minute). Then increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add the gelatin mixture and whip until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.
- Assemble the Cake: Whisk one-third of the whipped cream into the chilled pudding, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream, about a ¼ cup at a time, until combined.
- Cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking with with a layer of graham crackers, breaking the crackers as necessary to line the bottom of the pan. Top with half of the pudding-whipped cream mixture (about 5½ cups), then another layer of graham crackers. Repeat with the remaining pudding mixture and another layer of graham crackers.
- Make the Chocolate Glaze: Microwave the chocolate chips, heavy cream, and corn syrup in a medium bowl, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes total. Cool the glaze to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Cover the top layer of graham crackers with the glaze and refrigerate the cake for at least 6 hours before serving. Leftovers can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Agar agar might substitute gelatin in the stabilized whipped cream, but results may vary as it hasn't been tested here.
- Freeze the cake only after the topping has set by covering tightly with plastic wrap and foil; freeze up to one month.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12to 16 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 479 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 479kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 53g | 18% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Cholesterol | 71mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 364mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 239mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 34g | 68% |
| Vitamin A | 820IU | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 0.2mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 141mg | 14% |
| Iron | 1.8mg | 10% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.4
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