no bake éclair cake;

Happy Thanksgiving! We all know Thanksgiving and the holidays in general can be crazy stressful. So this no bake éclair cake is a perfect way to contribute a delicious dessert without adding to your stress! Plus, I like that the name “no bake éclair cake” rhymes. What’s not to love about a no bake cake? Especially when it’s got that éclair flair! I’m on a rhyming roll.

This éclair cake recipe is perfect to keep on the backburner for last minute guests too. The only ingredient that isn’t shelf-stable is the cool-whip or whipped cream, but if you’ve got the space, you can tuck away a tub of cool whip in the freezer. It makes for a delicious potluck dessert, and because it’s chilled it makes for a refreshing dessert on hot summer nights.

What makes this a no bake cake is that it’s really a refrigerator cake. Similar to this chocolate icebox cake, it sits for several hours up to overnight so the moisture sinks into the graham crackers. That’s what gives it the soft texture akin to éclairs. If the graham crackers are too firm, it can mean having to break the crackers in an otherwise soft cake. But if you don’t mind a crunchy texture in your graham crackers, you can serve it early. It’s still delicious!

The ingredients are pretty simple for this no bake éclair cake. But when it comes to graham crackers, I have opinions. I do not like HoneyMaid graham crackers. I tried the Honey flavored ones this time, and other flavors countless other times and I’ve declared them awful. I don’t like being negative, but I feel the need to save someone else from my mistake. I made this recipe with the HoneyMaid ones and literally threw it out to try again because it tasted like wet cardboard.

So my recommendation for graham crackers is the red Nabisco box. I find them much more delicious and consistent in flavor. If you want an even sweeter option, you can always go for nilla wafers, although you won’t get the same neat lines.

When it comes to pudding, I personally prefer french vanilla, but any instant vanilla pudding will do. You could even switch up the flavors if you so choose. I haven’t tried it myself, but I can guarantee that a chocolate pudding would be scrumptious for a death-by-chocolate version of this éclair cake. You can even use the low-fat or sugar-free versions interchangeably. And the chocolate top layer has that perfect crusty-top-but-soft-when-you-bite-into-it texture that really makes this cake like an éclair. It keeps the inside layer moist and chocolatey.

secrets to success;

• My preference is for Nabisco graham crackers. I’ve had some bad experiences with HoneyMaid graham crackers (yes, various flavors) and think they just taste like cardboard. I won’t go back!
• Any instant vanilla pudding will do, I personally love french vanilla. But you can use low-sugar or low-fat as needed.
• Reminder that you can’t use plant-based milk substitutes to make instant pudding! There’s some ways to do it if you need to, but the jist is that it will be runny and not set properly. There’s some notes on the box usually to remind you of this, but I thought it worth mentioning here.

Looking for other potluck recipes? Try these:

• Enchiladas verdes is always a go-to for a meal you can prep ahead and serve to some hungry guests.
• For an appetizer, try bagel chips and everything bagel dip. Even better when you use fresh bagels!
• I also love these brunch bombs for an all-in-one meal that’s easy to transport!

Related posts:

chocolate icebox cake; chocolate chip cookie dough icing; no bake strawberry shortcake truffles; gingerbread icebox cake; mini cookie butter white chocolate no bake cheesecakes;