The Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cake I Make When I’m Too Tired To Bake

As a former bakery owner, I love putting together a stacked layer cake. But when it’s hot out, I don’t want to turn on the oven, and I often need a dessert that will feed a crowd. No-bake desserts are my go-to, and this peanut butter éclair cake is a repeat in my recipe toolbox.

This is an éclair cake designed for peanut butter and chocolate lovers. It’s made with a short list of simple, easy-to-find ingredients and comes together in very few steps. Once assembled, I let the fridge do all the work.

Yes, it’s really just graham crackers and upgraded pudding dressed up with an easy chocolate ganache, but the magic is in what happens in the fridge. The graham cracker layers soften and the filling sets up; digging in with a fork is just like taking a bite out of a fancy éclair with a peanut butter twist.

What Is an Éclair?

Éclairs are a French dessert made with choux pastry. The egg-based pastry dough is piped into a tube shape before being baked, filled with pastry cream, and topped with chocolate ganache.

Éclairs are a bakery favorite, and they can be made at home with patience and persistence. The trouble is that they can be a bit finicky and require quite a few steps. This éclair cake, with its three layers, embodies that delicious yet tricky pastry and infuses peanut butter flavor into the cream filling to make it that much better.

Peanut Butter Éclair Cake Tips and Tricks

• Choose instant pudding: Instant pudding is the key to proper texture in this recipe. Plus, it’s that much quicker. Whisking together the pudding mixture and milk makes it possible to fold in the whipped topping and easily smooth it over the graham cracker layers.
• Chilling is key: Once the graham crackers and pudding have been layered, it’s important to let them chill before pouring the ganache. This will help to ensure the ganache is smooth. At least five hours of chill time in the fridge is necessary to soften the graham crackers and allow the pudding to set. To get clean slices, transfer the peanut butter éclair cake to the freezer for 10 minutes before slicing. 
• Use homemade whipped cream: Prefer to skip store-bought whipped topping? You certainly can. Make your own homemade sweetened whipped cream and fold three cups into the peanut butter pudding mixture. After all, you’ll already have heavy whipping cream on your shopping list.
• Go for more chocolate layers: This dessert is pretty simple by design, but you could add more layers for even more flavor. Consider adding a chocolate pudding layer in between the graham crackers and peanut butter pudding. You could also choose to use chocolate graham crackers for a more pronounced chocolate and peanut butter combo.
• Try other flavors: This dessert is designed for peanut butter and chocolate lovers, but you could use the same concept with other flavors. Instead of peanut butter pudding, consider using a box of instant banana pudding, cookies and cream pudding, pistachio pudding, or stick to vanilla. Customize the toppings to match the flavor you choose.

Make-Ahead and Storage  

Part of the appeal of this peanut butter éclair cake is that you actually have to make it ahead of time, making it zero stress at serving time.

You can prep this in the morning to serve for dessert after dinner, or make it up to two days before serving. Either way, be sure to leave it covered in the fridge for best results.

Create the base layer of crackers:

In a 9x13-inch baking dish, arrange one-third of the graham crackers to cover the bottom of the dish. Break up the crackers into smaller pieces as needed to create an even layer.

Make the peanut butter pudding:

In a mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to mix together the instant pudding and cold milk. Mix in the peanut butter until smooth, then fold in the whipped topping.

Top the graham crackers:

Spread half of the peanut butter pudding mixture over the first graham cracker layer. Add another layer of graham crackers, another layer of pudding, and finish with one final layer of graham crackers. Transfer the éclair cake to the freezer for 15 minutes or the fridge for 30 minutes to chill while you make the chocolate ganache.

Make the ganache:

Transfer the chopped chocolate to a heat-safe bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until just boiling. Pour the hot heavy cream over the chopped chocolate and allow the mixture to sit for 3 minutes without stirring. Whisk until smooth.

Chill and set:

Immediately after whisking, pour the chocolate ganache over the chilled éclair cake and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with chopped peanut butter cups, if using. Cover the baking dish and transfer the éclair cake to the fridge to chill for at least 5 hours. To serve, slice with a sharp knife, rinsing or wiping the knife between cuts for cleaner slices.

Store any leftover éclair cake covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.

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