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4.4 from 123 votes

Chocolate Eclair Cake

This Chocolate Eclair Cake features layers of graham crackers with homemade vanilla pudding lightened with homemade stabilized whipped cream, and topped with chocolate icing. A wonderful summer dessert!

Prep Time
50 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Additional Time
8 hrs
Total Time
9 hrs
Servings: 12 to 16 servings
Calories: 479 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Pudding
  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 5 cups whole milk
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 4 pieces
  • 5 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Stabilized Whipped Cream
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1¼ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
  • 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

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

  • Nutritional values are based on one serving
  • If you do not want to use gelatin in the stabilized whipped cream, I've read that agar agar can be used as a substitute. I have not personally tried this, so I can't vouch for it in this recipe, but I would start there.
  • To freeze the chocolate eclair cake, refrigerate until the topping is set, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and again with foil, then freeze for up to 1 month.

Nutrition Information

Calories 479kcal (24%) Carbohydrates 53g (18%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 27g (42%) Saturated Fat 15g (75%) Cholesterol 71mg (24%) Sodium 364mg (15%) Potassium 239mg (7%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 34g (68%) Vitamin A 820IU (16%) Vitamin C 0.2mg (0%) Calcium 141mg (14%) Iron 1.8mg (10%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12to 16 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 479

% 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.