🕒 Time
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Chill: 4–8 hours (overnight is best)
🧾 Ingredients
Cake Layers
- 2 sleeves graham crackers (about 18–20 crackers)
- 2 cups cold milk
- 2 small boxes (3.4 oz / 96 g each) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 tub (8 oz / 225 g) whipped topping (Cool Whip or homemade)
Chocolate Topping
- 1 cup chocolate frosting
or - ½ cup heavy cream + 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (for ganache)
👩🍳 Instructions
- Make the filling
In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes until thick.
Gently fold in whipped topping until smooth. - Layer the cake
- Line the bottom of a 9×13-inch dish with graham crackers
- Spread ½ of the pudding mixture evenly
- Add another layer of graham crackers
- Spread remaining pudding mixture
- Top with a final layer of graham crackers
- Add chocolate topping
- Frosting option: Microwave frosting 15–20 seconds until pourable, then spread
- Ganache option: Heat cream until steaming, pour over chocolate chips, stir smooth
- Chill
Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until crackers soften.
🍰 Texture & Taste
- Soft, cake-like layers
- Creamy vanilla filling
- Rich chocolate topping
- Just like a bakery éclair
🔁 Variations
- Chocolate éclair cake: Use chocolate pudding instead of vanilla
- Banana éclair cake: Add sliced bananas between layers
- Light version: Use sugar-free pudding + light whipped topping
- Homemade whipped cream: Replace whipped topping with 2 cups whipped cream + ¼ cup powdered sugar
