Chocolate Eclair Cake

Serves: 15 people or 8 bears

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Hubby Bear (author): This recipe uses homemade pudding instead of instant pudding, and while it takes a little more effort (OK, a lot more effort...), the difference is absolutely worth it. You can absolutely substitute instant pudding, Cool Whip, and canned chocolate frosting in any combination you please. But if you're willing to put in the extra work, the homemade ingredients take this dessert from good to truly out-of-this-world.

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Bear Hands (eater): My husband makes the best cakes!

About This Recipe

• Homemade pudding, whipped cream and ganache are what truly elevate this dessert. While shortcut ingredients work just fine, the homemade version is on another level.

• Caution: Be careful with the heat when making the pudding. Milk can scorch if the pan gets too hot or if you stop stirring for too long.

  • Constantly scraping the bottom of the saucepan is important to prevent burning.

• The pudding is usually finished shortly after it reaches a boil. Check out the video below to see exactly what it should look like before removing it from the heat.

• The pudding needs a few hours to cool before it can be folded into the whipped cream and assembled into the cake. Plan accordingly. I often make the pudding the night before.

Substitutions

• The light corn syrup in the ganache and the gelatin in the whipped cream are optional. I highly recommend using them because they improve the texture considerably, but the recipe will still work without them.

• An easy way to stabilize whipped cream is with instant pudding mix. Use about ½ tablespoon mixed into the cream while whipping.

Shortcut Version

The homemade version is what makes this dessert truly out of this world, but if you're looking for a faster option, these substitutions work well:

• Substitute 2 (5.1-ounce) boxes of instant vanilla pudding for the homemade pudding.

• Substitute 1 (8-ounce) tub of Cool Whip for the homemade whipped cream.

• Substitute 1 can of chocolate frosting for the ganache. Microwave the frosting for 10–20 seconds and stir until smooth and pourable before spreading over the cake.

• To make this dessert gluten-free, simply use your favorite gluten-free graham crackers.

Important Tools

• 9×13-inch baking dish (or an 8×8-inch dish for a half batch)

• Large non-stick saucepan for making the pudding

• Mesh strainer

• Electric mixer or stand mixer

• Silicone spatula

Vanilla Pudding

▢ 5 cups Whole Milk
▢ 1¼ cups (248 g) Granulated Sugar
▢ 6 Tablespoons (49 g) Cornstarch
▢ 1 teaspoon Salt
▢ 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
▢ 1½ Tablespoons Vanilla Extract

Stabilized Whipped Cream

▢ 2 Tablespoons Water
▢ 1¼ teaspoons Unflavored Gelatin
▢ 2 cups Heavy Cream, chilled

Assembly

▢ 14 oz Graham Crackers

Chocolate Ganache

▢ 1 cup (6 oz) Semisweet Chocolate Chips
▢ ⅓ cup Light Corn Syrup
▢ ¾ cup Heavy Cream

• Full shopping List 🛒

  🥛 Dairy

  • 5 cups whole milk

  • 2¾ cups heavy cream (2 cups for filling + ¾ cup for ganache)

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  🧁 Baking Aisle

  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar

  • 6 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1½ tablespoons vanilla extract

  • 1¼ teaspoons unflavored gelatin

  • ⅓ cup light corn syrup

  🍫 Baking / Chocolate

  • 1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

  🍪 Cookies & Crackers

  • 14 oz graham crackers

Detailed recipe:

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Chocolate Eclair Cake

Yield: 12

Author: Hubby Bear

Cook time: 1 HourInactive time: 3 HourTotal time: 4 Hour

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Pudding

• 5 cups whole milk
• 1¼ cups (248 g) sugar
• 6 tablespoons (49 g) cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1½ tablespoons vanilla extract

Whipped Cream

• 2 tablespoons water
• 1¼ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 2 cups heavy cream, chilled

Cake

• 14 ounces graham crackers

Chocolate Ganache

• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• ⅓ cup light corn syrup
• ¾ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Make the pudding

1. Place 5 cups whole milk in a large non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Whisk 1¼ cups sugar, 6 tablespoons cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon salt into the milk until fully incorporated.
3. Switch to a spatula and continue stirring constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent burning.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring continuously.
5. Once steady bubbles appear, reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking for 4–6 minutes, continuing to scrape the bottom of the pan.
6. Remove from heat and whisk in 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1½ tablespoons vanilla extract until smooth.
7. Pour the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl.
8. Allow the pudding to cool on the counter until room temperature, about 2 hours.
9. Refrigerate until completely cold, about 1 additional hour.

Make the Stabilized Whipped Cream

1. Stir together 2 tablespoons water and 1¼ teaspoons unflavored gelatin in a small microwave-safe bowl.
2. Microwave for 15–30 seconds, just until bubbles begin forming around the edges.
3. In a large bowl, whip 2 cups chilled heavy cream until foamy, about 1–2 minutes.
4. Add the gelatin mixture.
5. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form, less than 1 minute.

Finish the Filling

1. Stir half of the whipped cream into the chilled pudding.
2. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until fully combined and no streaks remain.

Assemble the Cake

1. Arrange a single layer of graham crackers in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish using about half of the 14 ounces graham crackers.
2. Spread half of the filling evenly over the graham crackers.
3. Add a second layer of graham crackers.
4. Spread the remaining filling over the crackers.
5. Finish with a final layer of graham crackers on top.

Make the Ganache

1. Combine 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, ⅓ cup light corn syrup, and ¾ cup heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Microwave on high for about 1½ minutes.
3. Stir continuously until completely smooth. The mixture may appear thin at first and contain small chocolate specks; continue stirring until fully incorporated and glossy.
4. Pour the ganache evenly over the top layer of graham crackers.
5. Spread into a smooth layer using a silicone pastry brush, offset spatula, or spoon.

Chill and Serve

1. Refrigerate the cake for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
2. Slice and serve chilled.
3. Best enjoyed within 2 days of making, but will last longer.

Did you make this recipe?

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Easy-follow Recipe:

Serves 8-12 people

A single recipe will fit a 9×13 pan. A half recipe will fit an 8×8 pan.

Batch:

½× 1× 2× 3× 4×

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 🍮 Make Pudding

• 5 cups whole milk

• Place milk in a large non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat.

• Dry ingredients:
• 1¼ cups (248 g) sugar
• 6 tbsp (49 g) cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt

• Whisk in dry ingredients.
• Once fully incorporated, switch to a spatula and continually stir while scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent burning.
• Bring to a boil.
• Once steady bubbles appear, reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking for 4–6 minutes.

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1½ tbsp vanilla extract

• Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla.
• Pour pudding through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl.
• Allow pudding to cool on the counter until room temperature, about 2 hours.
• Refrigerate until completely cold, about 1 hour more.

2. 🥛 Make Whipped Cream

• 2 tbsp water
• 1¼ tsp unflavored gelatin

• Stir water and gelatin together in a small bowl.
• Microwave 15–30 seconds, just until bubbles start around the edge.

• 2 cups heavy cream, chilled

• Whip cream until foamy (about 1–2 minutes).
• Add gelatin mixture.
• Whip until stiff peaks form (less than 1 minute).

3. 🥄 Combine to Finish Filling

• Pudding from above
• Whipped cream from above

• Stir half the whipped cream into the chilled pudding.
• Fold in the remaining whipped cream to preserve volume.

4. 🧱 Assemble

• 14 oz graham crackers
• Filling from above

• Bottom Layer: Graham crackers
• Second Layer: ½ pudding mixture
• Third Layer: Graham crackers
• Fourth Layer: ½ pudding mixture
• Top Layer: Graham crackers

5. 🍫 Ganache

• 1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
• ⅓ cup light corn syrup
• ¾ cup cream

• Microwave chocolate chips, cream, and corn syrup for about 1½ minutes.
• Stir until completely smooth.
• This may look too liquid at first and may contain small chocolate specks; continue stirring until smooth.
• Pour over the top graham cracker layer.
• Spread evenly with a silicone pastry brush or spoon.
• Refrigerate cake for at least 8 hours.
• Best served within 8 hours to 2 days of making.

Video: