Description
No-Bake Chocolate Eclair Cake is the perfect dessert for those days when you crave something sweet but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. This easy and delicious dessert is made with layers of creamy vanilla pudding, graham crackers, and topped with a smooth, chocolate frosting. The best part? No baking required, making it an ideal dessert for hot days or when you’re in a time crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
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For the Pudding Layers:
- 2 (3.4 oz) boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
- 3 cups cold milk
- 1 (8 oz) container whipped topping, thawed
- 1 box graham crackers
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For the Chocolate Frosting:
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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Prepare the Pudding Mixture:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and cold milk. Continue whisking for 2 minutes, or until the pudding has thickened.
- Fold in the whipped topping until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
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Assemble the Cake:
- In a 9×13-inch baking dish, arrange a layer of graham crackers on the bottom.
- Spread half of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers, smoothing it out evenly.
- Repeat with another layer of graham crackers, followed by the remaining pudding mixture.
- Top with one more layer of graham crackers to finish.
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Make the Chocolate Frosting:
- In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Stir until smooth and well combined. If the frosting is too thick, you can add a bit more milk to reach your desired consistency.
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Frost the Cake:
- Spread the chocolate frosting evenly over the top layer of graham crackers. Use a spatula to smooth the frosting out to the edges of the pan.
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Refrigerate and Set:
- Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the cake to set.
Notes
- Make sure to refrigerate the cake long enough to allow the graham crackers to soften and the layers to set properly. Overnight chilling works best.
- Use full-fat milk for the creamiest, richest flavor in the pudding mixture.
- If you prefer, you can use homemade whipped cream instead of whipped topping. However, whipped topping holds its shape better.
- You can add fresh fruit like strawberries or bananas between the pudding layers for added flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: None (No baking required)
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: No-bake chocolate eclair cake, easy chocolate eclair cake, no-bake dessert, pudding cake, chocolate frosting cake