Savour the scrumptiousness of eclair cake with the aid of whipping cream complemented by chocolate. This no bake dessert has layers of crackers, smooth vanilla custard and a layer of chocolate whipped cream. This is an easy treat ideally suited for any occasion and will not fail to impress the audience. Here are simple ingredients but when compiled they will result in a delicious and priceless dessert that your family and friends will enjoy
Ingredients for the cake
Ingredients Quantity
Instant plain pudding mix 2 packs
Cold milk 3 cups
Cool Whip or Whipped topping 1 container
Graham crackers 1 box
Ingredients for the Chocolate Whipped Cream:For the Chocolate Whipped Cream:
Ingredients Quantity
Heavy cream 2 cups
Unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup
Powdered sugar 1/2 cup
Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
Instructions
Prepare the vanilla pudding
To prepare the vanilla pudding begin by following these steps. On the preparation aspect, one has to pour the cold milk in a mixing bowl and also add the instant vanilla pudding mix. Whisk on for about 2 minutes until the pudding has reached a creamy, smooth consistency. The sauce should be smooth and thick; should not have any lumps imparted in it. Finally, when the pudding is cooked, slowly mix in the whipped topping taking care not to over mix the pudding. This mixture will make the creamy layers of your eclair cake With that being said, here is how you can get started.
Indeed, Mark Bittman, the New York Times columnist who garnered much more attention for his thoughts on food, put it succinctly himself: βGood food is very often, even most often, simple food.β
Layer the Graham Crackers
After that, you will proceed to layering the graham crackers, next. Take one layer of graham crackers and put it at the bottom of the 9Γ13 inch baking dish. One may have to snap some crackers to accommodate the edges and corners of the shell. It is essential that we make the base even because this will enable the other layers of the cake to be well fixed.
Assemble the cake
Next, the bottom layer is formed using the graham crackers and on top of the crackers, the vanila pudding mixture is spread half of it. You should use a spatula to level the surface and make sure that layer on the baking sheet is spread evenly. After establishing an even layer on the pudding, put another layer of graham crackers on top of the pudding mixture and press down.
Following this do the same with the remaining pudding mixture and then pour the last layer of graham crackers. Ensure that each layer is leveled so that the cake can be held well and is presentable when being served.
βI always say cooking is not about being the best cook or the most perfect one . Itβs about getting family and friends together to share good food that warms you from inside.β β Guy Fieri
The Chocolate Whipped Cream is ready.
Next step is the making of the chocolate whipped cream. To make the frosting, using a cold mixing bowl, fold in the heavy cream, unsweetened cocoa powder, powered sugar, and vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture on medium-high for three to five minutes until you obtain a stiff peak. This should take about 3-5 minutes. The whipped cream should be stiff and should not collapse immediately when spooned on top of the pie. If it is too liquid then beat on until you get the right thick liquid consistency that can easily coat the spoon.
In a way, dessert is like a feel-good song, and the best among this subgenre makes you dance. βSoup of Something Sweetβ
Top and Chill
After the chocolate whipped cream is prepared, carefully spread it over the layer of graham crackers. Finally, spread over all the crackers a layer of the whipped cream and flatten it, with the use of a spatula. Place the baking dish with the mixture and cover it with a plastic wrap and let the mixture to chill for at least 4 hours or Ideally, is to let it chill for the night. Cooling the cake is important because the crumbs incorporated in the mixture help soften the texture of the graham crackers when they are refrigerated together with the pudding and the whipped cream thus giving the cake a cake like consistency.
Tips for Success
Tips on Layering
To make the structure of the cake nice and solid, one should make sure that each layer of graham crackers is properly distributed and entirely covers the pudding layer. If there are spaces in between the crackers, then the pudding might go into the spaces hence giving a bad layering. Ensure that the crackers are arranged well, it might take a little bit of time.
Itβs all about aesthetics and how it looks β βthe first bite is with your eyes.β Translated, your dessert must be visually appealing a the same rate as the flavour.
Choosing High-Quality Ingredients
One should use the best quality ingredients if good results are to be got. Select fine brand of graham crackers, good quality of vanilla pudding mix and fresh real whipped topping. It is recommended to use the best quality sifted cocoa powder for the chocolate whipped cream and fresh heavy cream. The quality of the ingredients that you use greatly determines the taste and texture of your cake. Do not compromise where it is unnecessary β to bake a better cake, use better ingredients.
βThe way to a manβs heart is through his stomach, but you donβt have to cook gourmet cuisine or gourmet meals of great elaboration β good food from raw materials.β β Julia Child
Serving Suggestions
It when served best cold that is straight from the refrigerator is usually served. It is best served warm at the end of the dinner; one can even add some final touches such as fresh berries on top, a spoonful of whipped cream or even crushed graham crackers. Garnishing can enhance the pleasure one gets from the dessert.
People like their foods presented particularly their desserts beautifully βtelling a storyβ which makes the food even more enjoyable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Storage tips
Refrigerate eclair cake in an airtight container or covered with foil for up to 3 days. This will ensure the cake does not go stale and more so the frosting from getting into contact with the next layer hence making it soggy. If the storing has to be longer then one day then you might want to freeze it. That is, freezing the cake can help increase the overall shelf life that the cake has. To freeze, cover the dish up with plastic wrap up to the rim and then with aluminum foil. It is recommended to thaw it in the refrigerator prior to consumption the next day.
In Silvertonβs language: ββA beautifully plated dessert is a testament of passion that went into making the food, and creates a perfect backdrop to a good meal.ββ
Substitutions and Variations
The pudding mix can be changed according to flavor and you can try using chocolate or butterscotch pudding mix instead of vanilla. To make the crunch even more appealing, put slices or bananas or strawberries in between the graham crackers and pudding. Fruits should be brought and incorporated into the cake since they will improve the taste and moisture of the cake. Using bananas and strawberries enhance the vanilla pudding and chocolate whipped cream due to their combination. You can also attempt to substitute graham crackers with other kinds of cookies or biscuits that you may have.
ββDesserts are the fairy tale of the kitchenβa happily-ever-after to supper.ββ Claudia Fleming
Conclusion
This eclair cake with chocolate whipped cream recipe is a tasty and stress free recipe that your family and friends are sure to enjoy. The creation has layers of creme and chocolate whipped cream making it a favorite that none will say no to a second slice. Try the recipe below and revel in Yummy-ness of a traditional eclair in cake!
This cake is not only tasty, but also rather multi-functionally oriented. You can also alter it as you desire or depending on the event you will be using the dress on. If you choose to follow the basic ingredients, it is definitely going to taste great, and if you incorporate creativity then it is even better. Preparing this cake is also an entertaining way to involve the children or even the other members of the household when going through the process of preparing the loaf. It can be done rather easily to those who never baked bread before and it is still enjoyable for those who bake very often. Also, the recipe does not require you to bake your dish and thus if you never dealt with oven times or temperature this will advantage you.
To sum up, the eclair cake, combined with chocolate whipped cream, is a perfect example of the non-complex fabulousness. Easy to prepare since it doesnβt involve baking, and the end-product resembles a professionally made dessert that youβd spend lots of time preparing. Remember this recipe the next time you are preparing for an event, you are likely going to have a clear wedding cake within the shortest time.