This measly corner piece was all that was left after us, the Clarks, and the missionaries (who made a surprise stop) devoured it. This was a Father’s Day request from John who loves eclairs. My sister-in-law Kristy made this for us when she came out to visit. It is very light which makes it easy to eat a TON of it! You can make it simple with Cool Whip and Hershey’s syrup (it’s still great this way) or go the extra step and make homemade whipped cream and chocolate sauce to make it unbelievable!
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 large box (5.1 ounces) vanilla instant pudding
- 3 cups milk
- 1 8 oz. container cool whip (just enough for a thin layer. I don't use the whole container) or one batch of homemade whipped cream
- chocolate syrup or homemade chocolate sauce
Crust:
Filling:
Topping:
Instructions
- Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400. Lightly grease a 9"X13" glass baking pan.
- For the Eclair Crust: In a medium saucepan, melt butter in water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Mix in one egg at a time, mixing completely before adding another egg. Spread mixture into pan, covering the bottom and sides evenly. Mixture will be very wet. *If the sides of your pan are too greased you won't be able to get the mixture to stay up the sides so make sure to just lightly grease. No big deal but I like the crust to go up the sides a bit.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown (Mine only took 25 minutes.) You may want to check it occasionally-you don't want to overcook the crust, it will ruin the cake! Remove from oven and let cool (don't touch or push bubbles down).
- For the Filling: Whip cream cheese in a medium bowl. In separate bowl make vanilla pudding by beating the pudding mix and the milk for 3 minutes and put in the fridge until set. Make sure pudding is thick before mixing in with cream cheese. Slowly add pudding to cream cheese, mixing until there are no lumps. Let cool in fridge.When the crust is completely cooled, pour filling in. Top with layer of cool whip however thick you want it and serve with a drizzle chocolate syrup. *If you want to make this even better use homemade whipped cream.
Notes
Source: Debbie Mortensen
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http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2009/06/chocolate-eclair-cake.html
hi christy-im a friend of heather mcmullins and happened to stumble on your blog. Im seriously buying all the ingrediants to this recipie TODAY and making it. looks delicious!!!
i LOVE eclairs!!
btw, you have a beautiful family and congrats on ur pregnancy!
tracy
i made it, it came out great! ur presentation in the pic is 100% better than mine looks, but it tasted great! and it made for a happy husband!!
This recipe is fantastic! We call ours Cream Puff Dessert, but I may have to change the name.
I make something similar but much easier. It uses Graham Crackers layered with a mix of French Vanilla pudding, cool whip and a little extra vanilla. You make it in two layers, let it refrigerate overnight to soften the crackers. The next morning frost it with canned chocolate frosting. (Of course you could make your favorite frosting.) This is a favorite of my family and most anyone who has tasted it.
i can’t believe i haven’t commented on this heavenly dessert… JD and I LOVE IT! whenever we have to make a dessert for anything this is the first thing that comes to mind. YUM!
If you add the water melted butter and flour in the pan all at once, then cook it, until it boils and gets thick enough to leave the sides of the pan, then add the eggs one at a time, the batter will be thinner and spread more like a cake in the pan. same baked results. Have been making this recipe for years. always popular!
My aunt always made this when I was a kid and I always wondered what it really was….but we called it MOON CAKE! Love your blog.
THIS SOUNDS LIKE A WAYYYYY DANGEROUS RECIPE TO HAVE ON HAND – YUM!!
xo
http://www.NorthernCottage.net
This was awesome and super easy! My husband loves eclaIrs and he devoured this. Thank you!
This looks awesome! I make a similar recipe with chocolate pudding instead. Do you think you could make individual ones? By cooking the pastry in muffin tins?
Thanks!
TBG
Yum! This look so delicious, and a nice cool desssert for summer! Adding to my mile long “must try” list! =)
Thanks for sharing this, my hubby and kids are going to love it!
eatcraftsow.blogspot.com
Making this as I type and it is looking great. I cannot wait to eat it!
Made this last night. It was divine. My whole family went crazy over it! Next time I will have to make two pans. (We have six kids, including three big boys and my husband is a BIG athletic guy. They eat tons!) Thanks so much for sharing this. Saw it on Pinterest.
Made this for father’s day yesterday….sooo yummy! My grandpa loved it and even asked for more. Which is not normal for him because he can’t eat much and doesn’t always feel good enough to enjoy food anymore. So I’m glad he enjoyed it! I would call it creampuff pie! Tastes just like a creampuff but so much easier to make! The only thing I drizzled the chocolate syrup on the night before and when I went to serve it was a mess chocolate smeared all over the top. Didn’t look nice but tasted great!!! Next time I will wait to drizzle the chocolate on right before I serve it.
Thanks for the recipe! Loved it!
@Kimberly,
What a great story! Yes, you should definitely pour on the chocolate syrup right before.
We also have made this for years! Called it Moon Cake because the surface is bumpy like the moon. It is one of the first desserts my kids learned to make. Tastes wonderful and like you said very light!
I made this today and the crust was very…um, gross? It tasted like egg and nothing else. Is there any sugar or anything that I’m forgetting to do with it? I put in the butter, water, flour, and eggs exactly as the recipe said. Help!
My crust didn’t come out like it should have. So, I googled eclair crust recipes. Hmmm. The recipe given, is not given correctly. The crust should be in a ball when speeding, not poured into the pan as what happens when you follow the recipe. Google the crust and try again. I’m not going to use the crust I just made, definitly a redo.
Jo,
This is a family recipe so I’m not sure if it’s textbook but we like it. What did your crust turn out like?
I made this Tiesday night for a Wed. Bday celebration… Crust freaked me out! Wish I could post a picture
but everybody looooooved it!
Err, Tuesday
Thanks for the pic. Yours had a mind of its own. Glad everyone still liked it!
@Anonymous,
The crust is the same as any eclair base which is an eggy non-sweet crust. Sorry you weren’t a fan but it’s the traditional crust.
love the moon cake name! I have made this for years and yep it is ALWAYS a hit…I mix the coolwhip/whipped cream right into the pudding mix…always have
My favorite topping is 1/2 milk chocolate chips and 1/2 butterscotch chips drizzled over each individual piece makes a great presentation but then there was always the problem of some having too much crust and some having not quite enough….those inside piece most often requested….so a few years ago I made the crust and baked individual crusts in a silicone muffin pan…depending on how much I can get 12-16 crusts…I take a basting brush swoop from the middle out and they turn out to be perfect little nests for the cream filling. (and they freeze!) I put the filling in a large zip lock, clip a corner and filling is complete in a jiffy…drizzeled with the chocolate topping or as i just did for the July 4th gathering
topped with berries….a platter full wows em everytime and you should have seen the competition for the remaining cream in the zip lock bag
If you add water, flour and melted butter all at once over heat until smooth then add egg in mixer the crust is thinner and more runny, there fore when you pour it into the pan it is easier to get an even crust when baking.
I too use an electric mixer making my crust wetter but it turns out perfect. I’ve made this for years.
This was an amazing, easy, wonderful dessert! My entire family loved it! Thanks for the tips!
How long will this be good for once it is all assembled? I am traveling to a family picnic (5hrs away) and would love to bring this as my dessert but would have to make it at least a day in advance. Thanks!
Nah, won’t make it. Make a bundt cake with instant pudding and pie filling addition. That is just my opinion. I am making it to take across town and that, too, is daunting. Eggs have to be refrigerated. They can go bad in as little as two hours without refrigeration.
@brenna,
This needs to stay refrigerated so if you had it in a nice cooler it would be fine and could be assembled ahead of time.
am i the only person who had a funky weird german looking pancake of a crust come out? and how did you get it to go on the sides? my mixture was too watery for that!
This cake was so good! I liked it even more than a regular eclair. I hope you don’t mind but I shared your recipe on my own cooking blog. Thanks!
I have made this delicious cake for years. Also many variations such as banana pudding in place of vanilla and then I slice bananas on top with the chocolate syrup; delicious! Also have frozen this cake overnite to transport somewhere the next day. Holds up great and thaws nicely while staying chilled for hours.
I followed the recipe exactly but the crust would not stay on the sides. So i put it in the freezer for 5 minutes and was able to get it to stay. As soon as i put it in the oven, the sides melted down and now what ever is left on the sides is burning. Its been in the oven for 25 minutes and it is still bubbling. It doesnt look at all like the picture….What could have gone wrong???
Hello!
I’m gonna make this in a few weeks for a party with some friends and I was wondering if you’ve ever made this cake using wheat flour instead of regular white? And can I use pre-whipped cream cheese (it’s the only kind I have right now, and I have A LOT) instead of buying the cream cheese and then whipping it?
Thank you!
@Anonymous,
I’ve never made it with wheat flour. I’m sure it would make for a denser crust. I think you can use pre-whipped cream cheese especially if you have it on hand.
I assume I use self rising flour?
@Anonymous,
Nope. Just use all purpose flour.
Unbelievable…a dream come true!
I really want to make this as one of my desserts for Thanksgiving and wanted to know if this is something that can be made a day or so before hand? I will be making most of the things I am serving Wednesday morning, and then will be going out of town later that day to have Thanksgiving w/ the boyfriends family who live in another state. I’m prepping all of my stuff before hand so I’m not making a mess of his moms kitchen when I get there. Wanted to know if this is an ideal dessert for that scenario, or if it will be a mushy mess?
This was fantastic! I made this for Thanksgiving and I received so many compliments. This was a light alternative to the usual Thanksgiving pies. Thanks so much for this recipe! I will definitely make it again (and again, and again)! Ha!
Making this right now. My crust is like as tall as the whole cake pan.. Is that right?
Yes, it will settle once you bring it out of the oven and cool for a bit.
Thankyou again Christy!! Fabulous easy cake, made this today and 1/3 has easily gone already, it is sooo yummy! and just like an actual eclair!!
In love and will def blog it, took step by step pics.
Glad you liked it!
I can not get this crust to work. It just slides off the sides of the pan (even with no greasing). Any tips to make it a better consistency? Or any idea what I am doing wrong? It just burns on the side of my pan
@Swan,
Are you using a glass baking dish? I think that helps to not burn. It is kind of squirrelly. If you keep on pushing it up the sides it should stick.
google eclair crust recipes. I don’t think they gave the proper directions. IT should form a ball to be able to spread, kinda like dough. As I’ve replied before, my crust is a deff redo.
OMG, this recipe sounds and looks so good it may be sinful. ;o) Thanks for the sugar high. {heehee}
I was worried aboutt the crust because of all the comments, but it was easy and looks great. Tonight the test will be the tasting!
This is one of my favorite desserts, so I was so happy to find this recipe on Pinterest! We call it “cream puff cake”. Since we are trying to eat as healthy as possible, I did use fat and sugar free pudding mix, fat free milk, and ‘free’ whipped topping. It turned out great! Thanks!
Just wanted to take a minute and comment on your recipe, I decided to try and make this for my husband to take to work to share with his co-workers. I was a little intimidated at first because I read the other comments and there were some that had trouble with the dough for the crust, I have never tried to make a pate a choux before but I decided to go for it and didn’t have any trouble at all, I used a foil cake pan and sprayed it lately with cooking spray. As the dough was sticky I sprayed my hands with cooking spray to help spread the dough. I was going to just use store bought chocolate sauce but decided to make the chocolate sauce too. I am confindent that the end result will be great and that my husbands co- workers will love it.
I’m so glad it turned out!
I think there should be a “yes, it should like the dough exploded” comment in the instructions. I screamed when I opened the oven and was worried I had messed it up! The filling tastes amazing. Can’t wait to put the whole thing together and taste it. Thanks for sharing!
I concur! You should see mine! Glad I read the comments… Would have tossed it!
One word for this cake………AWESOME!!!!
Thanks for recipe.
Just found this recipe on pintrest. I absolutely love it! I am using this for my co-op cooking class. So easy, and delicious. Thank you
I love this recipe it is so versatile, I changed it up a bit for my diabetic family. I cooked the eclair mix on the stove for a couple mins on low to make it thicker so it would have sides to it. I substituted the whole cream cheese for nufundel cream cheese. used sugar free pudding and cool whip skim milk and made a sugar substitue chocolate ganache. They all loved it. you can use any kind of pudding and top it with fresh berries or any fruit you want and it is still absolutely delicious.
Do you have the nutrition info of this recipe by any chance? Looks delicious! Can’t wait to make it!
Why are so many recipes using Cool Whip? It’s little but whipped chemicals; real whipped cream is soooo much better. Yes, it more fattening, higher fat etc. but how often does everyone eat this type of dessert to make that much of a difference? For quick dessert toppings, I use the real whipped cream in the spray cans….mostly air so few calories and fat! YUM!
I always use real homemade whipped cream in this but gave Cool Whip as an option.
Oh my word! I adore Chocolate Eclairs, and its absolutely tortuous that I foundnthis on pinterest after midnight and couldn’t possibly make it right now without waking the whole house! Tomorrow!
Second Hand Roze
je vais aller chercher les ingredients qui me manque et je mis mets
Can I use no sugar instant pudding?????
Thanks I should have read the comments.
Yes, you can!
This looks good
How about using cresent roll dough. Would this work.
Eeeh. I don’t know about crescent dough. I guess it could work but I can’t make any promises.
I just made the crust and followed instructions to the letter. It was really runny so I add a little more flout but still would not stick to the the sides of the pan. I am going to go ahead and bake to see what happens. Should it be more like a dough? What did I do wrong?
It should be a wet dough but not runny. It’s ok if it doesn’t go up the sides. It just gives it more of a shell. How did it turn out?
Laurie,
Did you make sure that you brought the water and butter to a boil, and then added the flour while it was still really hot? The flour really thickens up, and you get a really stiff ball of dough. Then, once you add the egg, it will loosen to a pretty thick batter consistency. I think that’s what’s key. If you don’t boil the butter/water, or if you let it get to cool before you add the flour, you won’t get the chemical reaction that causes it to become so thick. I’m no pastry chef, but that’s what I think is what supposed to happen.
*too cool
Erin: i had posted a question and then decided to read the comments: YOU had answered by question; my crust was like runny and not a spreadable crust at all.
Was wondering if it would work with pre-made pudding cups instead of making the pudding?
I’ve never tried that but I think it would work.
Hello, I`m from SWEDEN and I love this cake.
delightful !!
Wonderful!!
Hi I was just wondering how I make the vanilla pudding
Jac,
You can just make it according to the box instructions. I changed the directions in the recipe to make it more clear if that helps. Good luck!
Does anyone know what the calorie count is on this?
I don’t know the calorie count but I use skim milk, light whip cream and cream cheese so that helps.
I’ve been making this recipe for years…We have made it with all kinds of pudding. My hubby likes vanilla – I like chocolate so sometimes I’ll make it half & half.
I drizzle both chocolate & caramel sauce on top. I’ve been known to add sliced almonds to the top and sometimes we add mini-chocolate chips.
Definitely a family favorite!
i did like the directions say but its like cake batter.. whats up with that.. ;
It should be very wet. How did it bake up?
well i did exactly as the instructions say and mine crust is like cake batter does anyone else have this trouble.. i am in the process of it cooking now but its definitely not spreadable or like a CRUST.
It’s the batter for the crust so it should be like cake batter and once it bakes it will be crust like.
I’d love to try this but don’t like cream cheese can you suggest any substitutions for the cream cheese??
I personally don’t feel like anything substitutes for cream cheese. Supposed Greek yogurt can be substituted but it will be more liquidy than cream cheese.
How many servings will this make?
I would say about 15.
I tried the recipe tonight and it was amazing!!!! I love eclairs and I knew this dessert was for me as soon as I laid my eyes upon it. The dough came out perfectly. I should have let the pudding portion set a little more before eating, but I couldn’t wait. I used the homemade chocolate sauce and it was really decadent and so easy, I will definitely be making this again! Thanks! <a href="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/577473_550339024996999_594123075_n.jpg/"
Do you know how many servings this makes? I am trying to make this weight watchers , I changed to sugar free pudding, fat free cream cheese & light cool whip. I also used skim milk to make the pudding, used light butter. Now i am trying to figure out ww points. How do you know how big a serving is ? Can anyone help ???
It really depends how big you cut the squares. I would say it serves about 15.
I love this. I want to make it for an Easter party
But I would have to store it for 6 days. Do you know
The best way to store it without ruining it ?
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!
Kristi kay
Kristi,
I’m not sure it would store for 6 days. The crust is an eclair crust so I think it would get soggy.
Saw this recipe today, made this recipe today!! AMAZING!! I read thru comments as i always do before preparing..the instructions couldn’t have been any easier..so for those that had issues, you may not bake enough? I did use pre-whipped cream cheese and it worked out fine. The crust was perfect, i did onky need 25to minutes..i would say to keep an eye on it starting at 20. I made the pudding first and let it sit in the fridge while making the crust. Great dessert!!
What did i do wrong. My crust looked weird. Had. To throw the first try away. Working on second try. Tastes like an egg pancake omlett. Looked like mountains and would not go up the sides and what sides did curles over.
Well i tried for a second time. Crust turned out alot better. I mixed by hand which killed my wrist instead of dough hooks. Went up the sides nicely. Now waiting to chill and try. Looks very good.
So glad i gave it a second chance. Eas wonderful.
The crust is weird looking. Don’t worry if it doesn’t go up the sides. An eclair crust does taste like an egg pancake so this is correct!
Hi Christy. Just found your site and was amazed that you have this recipie. I have made this for years and instead of using a 9×13 i have used an 11×17 pan (but I needed to so to feed an army..lol). The first time i made it I cried (at age 16) because of the way the crust came out with what my grankids now call hills and valleys. Putting it on an 11×17 pan I don’t have to worry about it not going up the sides. My dad always called it a Giant Cream Puff.
I made this! Absolutely one of the best dessert recipes ever! My husband, Brother and Sister, Nephew and his wife loved it too! Thanks for sharing.
p.s. I wouldn`t change a thing. Sure, graham cracker crust might save a little time, but it wouldn`t taste exactly like chocolate eclairs.
As a fellow food blogger, I just want to let you know that someone is using your picture and recipe, without giving you credit. Geez, I really don’t like that kinda thing. Here’s the link: http://linkbugbrenda.blogspot.com/
You can scroll down on the page and you’ll see your pic and recipe.
It’s being used here too: http://www.facebook.com/hapettit
i like the chocolate eclaircake most of all thanks nancy
Your cropped picture and recipe are being shared at: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=570917152927683&set=a.153562257996510.33550.153525808000155&type=1&theater with NO credit to you:(
I also got this recipe on fb, but it had a link to your website.
is it possible to use cooked pudding?
I haven’t made this with cooked pudding. I’m sure it would work if you prepare it as directed on the box.
I found the link to your blog on a recipe shared on Facebook today. I’m surprised the post is so old and we have not seen it until today, but I am glad someone on Facebook shared it so I could follow it here and see the other recipes.
The blog looks nice. I can’t believe you take all these photos of food yourself. Mine never seem to turn out as nice, even with a Nikon 3200. Nice job!
Wendy
I made this cake this morning and everything went well. But, when I took it out of the frig this afternoon, the pudding was totally liquidfied and running. Why did this happen. Was nice and thick when I put it on the cooled crust.
Shoot. I’ve never had that happen. Was the crust warm when you put the pudding on.
So I totally missed the part about not pushing down the bubbles on the crust. It came out so high! Do you think I ruined it?
It’s probably fine!
Make sure you buy the instant vanilla pudding (like the recipe says) instead of the Cook & Serve pudding too – that makes a difference!
Was in a hurry and accidentally bought the Cook & Serve instead of instant
Just finished making the Chocolate Eclair Cake for our Easter brunch tomorrow. Made according to your directions and the crust looks and tastes wonderful. It actually rose above the cake pan sides about an inch. I have the filling, home made fudge sauce and whip cream prepped and ready to throw together in the morning as I was concerned that it might be soggy come morning. Thank you for posting this recipe as it is a dessert that our pastor’s wife made for potluck and my mom has always talked about it.
Wow – I was soooo excited to make this recipe for Easter today.. I read all reviews and comments prior to starting. What the heck is with the crust recipe??? The batter is waaaaaaaayyyy to wet to set up on the sides of the baking dish. I actually double the crust recipe and STOPPED AT 6 EGGS. WAY TO MUCH MOISTURE!!!! Next Time I will either use Pepperidge Farm Phyllo Puff Pastry or or Redi Made Pie Crust. It is soooooo frustrating when the crust is the base of the desert and that’s ruined!!!!! It just can’t be and I am so mad, as now I have a gallon of pudding mixture and times running out…………Please explain AGAIN, WHERE THE PROBLEM MAY BE…… THANKS.
Sammi, you should have poured the mixture into the pan and tried baking it. I bet it would have turned out fine. I’ve made this for years and I actually beat my mixture with an electric beater making it pretty watery. I just pour the mixture onto a (I use a cookie sheet that has sides on it to hold the mixture) cookie sheet. I don’t try to have it go up the sides of the pan, it is not necessary. Try it again and don’t worry about it being watery, just follow the instructions, it is worth it.
My friend asked me to make this for Easter, as she had invited us over to eat. I made this exactly as your recipe says to do. The crust batter was so thin that it was liquid. There was no way I could “spread” it to evenly cover the sides and bottom of my pan. Needless to say, it didn’t come out right. I am so disappointed!
If I ever try to make it again, I’ll try the method suggested below by Texastoots.
Well, I am not a baker at all (just a good cook
) and so far my crust is looking great! Perfect instructions! Hoping this turns out to be a delicious dessert for our Easter dinner!
Made this yesterday for Easter lunch. It was wonderful! I was a little freaked out about the crust but it came out perfect. Thanks so much for sharing!!
This looks very yummy! Thanks for sharing.
i tried this pie very good but today i made the home made eclaire cream even better but loving all your recipes
I’ve also made this for years and it’s always a huge hit. I have always used a hand held electric beater to mix the butter/water/flour/egg mixture. I also have always spread it on a cookie sheet with sides on it. This makes it go farther. It will not be as tall but I usually cut my pieces about 3 x 3 inches.
I have also made it with chocolate pudding then spoon either cherry pie filling or fresh strawberries on it. Making it a kind of Black Forest Eclair Cake. Delicious!
Can this recipe be successfully halved in an 8 x 8 baking dish?
Never tried it but I don’t see why not?
This recipe is different. The eclair cake I have is graham cracker seets then layered with ff French vanilla pudding mixed with ff cool whip. Keep layering the graham with this mixture and then top with hersheys cake frosting from betty Crocker.
Christy,
. Is this something that could be made a day ahead or would it be too soggy the next day?
My mom has requested this for Mother’s Day
I’ve made it a day ahead of time. I think it’s best day of but it still tastes good next day.
Just made this, was so easy and I think it is going to be a favorite of mine and Hubbys. TY for posting it.. Yummy!
It’s my hubby’s favorite. Super light.
Do you think this could be made sugar free?
I’ve had it sugar free and it was great.
Crust comment: My mixture of water, butter, flour & 4 eggs was more of a liquid than something to spread on bottom & up sides. My water & butter cooled down before I added the flour & eggs, and that is the ONLY reason I can find that it became a liquid. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
I did not even finish the rest of the cake since there were no sides to the cake and it was flat, flat, flat.
Thanks for any suggestions: Also, I’m not giving up……..making another one right now, but going to add flour when the butter/water is removed from stove.
Thanks for any help, Cathy