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Introduction:
Check out how to make this heavenly Portillo’s chocolate eclair cake without having to go to the restaurant: it’s no-bake. It is best for any gatherings; the ingredients include graham crackers, vanilla pudding, and chocolate frosting to make a yummy sweet that is out of this world.
Ingrdients
For the Cake:
Ingredients Quantitiy
Instant vanilla pudding mix 2 portions
Cold milk 3 cups
Cool Whip or any other whipped topping 1 container
Graham crackers 1 box
For the Chocolate Frosting:
Ingredients Quantity
Unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ cup
Powdered sugar 2 cups
Butter 1/4 cup (softened)
Milk 1/4 cup
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the Vanilla Pudding
Begin with making the vanilla pudding. Pour the instant vanilla pudding mix into a large bowl, and then add the cold milk and stir it. Stir for about 2 minutes or until the pudding thickens to a smooth paste. Fold in the whipped topping until incorporated. Set aside.
Cooking is all about people Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together.-Guy Fieri
Layer the Graham Crackers
On a 9×13 inch baking dish, spread a layer of grahem crackers to cover the entire bottom of the dish. The design of corners could require you to snap some more crackers to create the edges. An even base is created to allow the layers of the cake to be stable for the cake to support the decorations made on it. It is fine if the crackers get broken while crushing because the aim is to have a layer of crackers forming the base of the dish.
Assemble the Cake
Once you have put the graham crackers, spread half of the prepared vanilla pudding mixture as an even layer over the crackers. Level it to the flat surface with spatula so that it will have an even distribution. Place another thin layer of the graham crackers over the top of the pudding mixture to be spread in a gentle manner. Follow with another layer of the pudding layered with another layer of graham crackers.
Bear in mind that the pudding should be spread evenly to ensure that there are no lumps, or even space between them. This will assist in making the cake firm, and present a decent appearance when served. The main point is, it is necessary to use consistent layers that will perfectly blend during paste transitions.Prepare the Chocolate Frosting
In a medium bowl, mix in the unsweetened cocoa powder, powdered sugar, butter that has softened, milk and vanilla extract. Stir with an electric mixer on the lowest speed until the mixture is fully combined and creamy. Dilute it a little more with more milk if the consistency is too thick. The frosting should be thick enough that it doesn’t immediately slide off when the cookie is picked up yet not too thick to stay in a mound on the back of the spoon.Actually, like painting or writing a song, there are only so many notes or colors, respectively; similarly, there are only as many flavors as there are ingredients, and it is the technique that makes the difference.
Top and chill
Spread a layer of chocolate frosting over the upper layer of graham crackers spread with the spatula. After preparing the pudding layer and spreading it on the graham cracker mixture, cover the dish with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight to allow the pudding to get firm and to thicken and for the graham crackers to become soft and tender.
Cooling the cake is important as this will enable the graham cracker to absorb the pudding and to make the crumbs to become cake like. Generally, the longer you can let it sit in your fridge, the better it will taste, and if you can let it sit for the night then even better.
Several guidelines that need to be followed to achieve the right Eclair Cake.
Tips on Layering
Make sure the graham crackers layers are spaced out as much as possible and completely cover the layer of pudding. This will aid the cake firm up and make it easy to slice once it is ready to be served. If there is poor coverage of the pudding, it means that the pudding will find its way through the gaps that can exist between the crackers, and therefore give a poor product with a poorly separated layer.
“Beautiful presentation makes a dessert more than just food—it becomes an experience, a moment to be savored.” Cat Cora Master Chef
Choosing the best ingredients
However if you want the best results then the ingredients used should be of the best quality. Purchase a nice box of graham crackers, the best vanilla pudding mix and real whipped cream. This chocolate frosting is best paired with the finest cocoa powder that you can findServing Suggestions
Enjoy this chocolate eclair cake cold and directly from the refrigerator. To make it even yummier, serve with freshly-cut berries, a spoonful of fresh whipped cream or crumbled graham crackers. This means that presentation can add more value to the aesthetic sense of the dessert that you are going to consume.
“The way you present a dessert shows your respect for the ingredients and the people who will enjoy it.” Duff Goldman Master Chef
Frequently Asked Questions
Storage Tips
Chocolate eclair cake must be stored in the refrigerator wrapped in the plastic wrap, or the aluminum foil for up to three days. This will keep the cake fresh and will enure that the layers of the cake do not get soggy. If you wish to store it for even longer, that is, over a week, it would be better if you freeze it.
Serving the cake can take time and therefore freezing it will help in increasing its shelf life. To freeze the whole dish, first cover the dish with a plastic wrap and then with a foil paper. It should be served cold and for this, it should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight.
Substitutions and Variations
For variation, instead of the vanilla pudding mix you can try chocolate or butterscotch. A bit different is to layer it up with graham crackers and the pudding and in-between it with sliced bananas or strawberries.
Information added can also improve the taste of the fruit added and the texture of the cake. The two fruits which are bananas and strawberries complement the vanilla pudding and the chocolate ganache. It is also recommended that you may replace graham crackers with different sorts of cookies or biscuits.
Conclusion
This chocolate eclair cake should be added to the arsenal of desserts due to its tastefulness and simplicity for preparation. Moist chocolate cake with cocoa butter and a chocolate ganache, this is a perfect dessert that you will surely get more than one helping of. Try out this recipe, and get a taste of a traditional eclair turned into a cake!
As has already been noted, this cake is not only tasty but also rather versatile. This can be dressed up or down depending on the your mood or the event that you are attending to. and fresh milk.
In this recipe, when it comes to baking your cake, it is important to know that quality makes quality, and this applies to the ingredients that go into the preparation of cake recipes.
