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This easy strawberry eclair cake recipe is a sweet no-bake dessert for anyone who loves strawberries and cream or chocolate-covered strawberries. Assemble this cake in just 15 minutes and chill for 4 hours for a sliceable icebox cake that you’ll want to take to all of your summer gatherings.
What is strawberry eclair cake?
I first fell in love with the classic eclair cake years ago at a work potluck back when I was still teaching school. I love eclairs, so the idea of an eclair cake totally reeled me in.
An eclair cake is a type of icebox cake. It’s a no-bake dessert made by layering graham crackers with a vanilla pudding mixture, similar to the filling in an actual eclair. The whole thing gets topped with chocolate frosting and, after chilling in the fridge for several hours, becomes a soft, sliceable cake.
This strawberry version is my current favorite variation on that original eclair cake recipe. This one layers fresh strawberries with the graham crackers and pudding mixture for a fruity, summery twist.
You can top this one with chocolate or use Cool Whip instead. When you use Cool Whip instead of chocolate, it tastes similar to the strawberries and cream dessert from Costco!
Jamie’s testing notes
- Use vanilla or cheesecake pudding mix: I have made this recipe with both pudding varieties and my family can’t decide which they like better. The cheesecake version adds a tangy crea cheese flavor and reminds me of my no-bake cheesecake eclair cake, but the vanilla version tastes a bit like strawberry trifle. Try them both and see which you like best!
- Break the graham crackers so they fit in the pan: In order to get an even layer of graham crackers, you’ll need to break some of them into squares or into the smaller rectangles.
- Use fresh strawberries: Frozen strawberries have too much liquid after thawing, which can make the filling of this dessert wet. Use fresh berries and save the frozen ones for making my strawberry pretzel salad recipe.
Ingredients and substitutions
⬇️ For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below!
This is a super simple recipe and most of the ingredients are things that I keep on hand for making my favorite easy no-bake dessert recipes. You’ll need:
- Instant pudding mix: You can use vanilla or cheesecake flavored pudding mix. Make sure to use instant pudding mix, not cook-and-serve pudding.
- Milk: For making the pudding. We want the filling to be nice and thick, so you’ll use less milk than you would for making the pudding according to package directions.
- Whipped topping: You can use Cool Whip or TruWhip. If you don’t like to use whipped topping, you can use stabilized whipped cream instead.
- Graham crackers: I use the classic honey graham crackers, but you could use chocolate graham crackers for a different flavor. Feel free to use your favorite gluten-free graham crackers if you need a gluten-free version—just make sure your other ingredients are also gluten free. You could even swap in vanilla wafer cookies for a dessert similar to banana pudding.
- Fresh strawberries: Hulled and sliced.
- Chocolate frosting: I use a tub of prepared chocolate frosting to make things super easy. You could also make a simple chocolate ganache if you prefer. If you don’t want a chocolate topping, you can use more whipped topping or even use a tub of strawberry frosting instead.
How to make my no-bake strawberry eclair cake recipe
If you can whisk things together and layer ingredients in a pan, you can make this easy strawberry eclair cake.
To make the filling, just whisk the milk with both boxes of pudding mix until it’s nice and thick. Remember, it’ll be a lot thicker than the pudding would be if you made it according to the package directions. Fold in the whipped topping.
Create an even layer of graham crackers across the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan, breaking them up as necessary to get them to fit nicely. Spread on half of the pudding mixture—I like to use an offset spatula to get the filling nice and smooth.
Layer on half of the strawberry slices, keeping them as even as possible. Repeat with another layer of graham crackers, the rest of the pudding mixture, and a final layer of strawberries. Finish with the rest of the graham crackers.
If you’re going for the chocolate topping, microwave the frosting for just 30 seconds. You want it to be easily spreadable. If you’re using more Cool Whip, you can just spread it on as thin or as thick as you like.
Make sure to let the eclair cake chill in the fridge for 4 hours before serving. This softens the graham crackers and lets the filling set up so the whole thing becomes sliceable and more like a cake.
Garnish with extra fresh strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream as desired.
Serving tip!
To get super clean slices of this strawberry eclair cake, pop it into the freezer for just 30 minutes before serving. This will help it solidify just enough to get beautiful slices, but not freeze it so much that it is frozen through.
Storage tips
Store this strawberry eclair cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The fresh berries will soften a bit after a day or two, but the flavor will still be great.
I don’t recommend freezing this dessert, as thawing will make the strawberries weep and will throw off the texture of the filling.
FAQs
Yes. The Jell-O brand instant vanilla pudding mix and instant cheesecake pudding mix are both already dairy free and vegan. To make the rest of the recipe dairy free, use your preferred dairy-free milk alternative and a dairy-free whipped topping, such as Cocowhip. For the cake topping, use more of the non-dairy whipped topping or make sure the frosting you use is also dairy free.
The thing that makes this strawberry eclair cake sliceable is how thick the filling is once it sets. Homemade pudding is not quite as thick, so it will not set up to become quite as sliceable as using the pudding mix.
Whipped cream is not as stable as whipped topping, so it does not hold up as well over time. If you want to use a homemade alternative, you will need to stabilize the whipped cream before adding it to the pudding mixture or using it on top of the cake.
Strawberry Eclair Cake
Ingredients
- 2 (3.4-ounce) packages instant vanilla or cheesecake flavored pudding mix
- 2 ½ cups milk
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed according to package directions, plus more for topping (optional)
- 16 ounces graham cracker squares
- 1 ½ pounds fresh strawberries washed, hulled and sliced
- 16 ounces prepared chocolate frosting optional (see note below)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the pudding mixes and milk and allow it to set for a few minutes to thicken. Fold in whipped topping.2 (3.4-ounce) packages instant vanilla or cheesecake flavored pudding mix, 2 ½ cups milk, 8 ounces frozen whipped topping
- Arrange a single layer of graham cracker squares in the bottom of (1) 9×13-inch pan. You will have to break some of the crackers along the perforation lines to get them to fit.16 ounces graham cracker squares
- Evenly spread half of the pudding mixture over the crackers and top with half of the strawberries, arranging them in an even layer. Top with another layer of graham crackers, the remaining pudding mixture, and the remaining strawberries. Top with a final layer of graham crackers.1 ½ pounds fresh strawberries
- If using frosting for the topping, melt it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Spread the frosting over the whole cake up to the edges of the pan. If you prefer not to use the frosting, you can top with more whipped topping.16 ounces prepared chocolate frosting
- Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. For easier slicing, place in the freezer for 30 minutes prior to slicing and serving. Garnish with additional fresh strawberries as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
