Pumpkin Eclair Cake

4.46 from 11 votes
15 Comments

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Pumpkin Eclair Cake is like a cross between pumpkin cheesecake and eclairs. One of the EASIEST, and most delicious, fall dessert recipes you will ever make!

Pumpkin Eclair Cake on a plate.
Featured with this recipe
  1. Ingredients for Easy Pumpkin Eclair Cake
  2. Tips and Variations for Making the Best Eclair Cake
  3. Frequently Asked Questions for Eclair Cake
  4. Storing Homemade Layered Cake
  5. More Pumpkin Recipes
  6. How to Make Pumpkin Eclair Cake
  7. Pumpkin Eclair Cake Recipe

This Pumpkin Eclair Cake is the perfect fall dessert. It has all of the flavor of pumpkin pie with a creamier and lighter texture. Run to the grocery store right now and pick up some pumpkin spice instant pudding mix, because it is only available for a little while and it disappears off the shelf FAST!

This dessert is called an eclair cake because you refrigerate it overnight in a 9×13 pan. This softens the graham crackers and gives them more of a pastry texture. Eclair cakes typically have a thicker frosting, but I wanted to incorporate white chocolate, so I made more of a glaze. I love how it turned out because it doesn’t overpower the pumpkin flavor like a thicker chocolate frosting would have.

Ingredients for Easy Pumpkin Eclair Cake

Four easy ingredients to create one of the best fall desserts! This cake is a great transition from summer to fall. I especially like this cake as an early fall dessert because it is a chilled cake and some of these “fall” days are still pretty warm.

  • Graham crackers – I used honey graham crackers but you can try cinnamon graham crackers too.
  • Pumpkin spice instant pudding mix – This has all the flavor and seasonings to make the perfect layers of pudding cake.
  • Milk – Whisk together the pudding and milk before adding in the cool whip.
  • Cool whip – Thaw your cool whip ahead of time.
Ingredients to make Pumpkin Eclair Cake including graham crackers, powdered sugar, Cool Whip, white chocolate chips, butter, vanilla, water, cream and pumpkin spice pudding.


Tips and Variations for Making the Best Eclair Cake

With only 4 ingredients, it is hard to have too many substitutions and variations but make this recipe just the way you like it and enjoy it with family and friends. Here are some quick tips, ideas, and a sugar free version that may help!

  • To melt the white chocolate chips, I put them in a glass bowl with a little bit of canola oil and put the medium bowl over a pot of simmering water. You can use a microwave too.
  • One really important thing to remember when covering the cake is to make sure that the plastic wrap or tin foil does NOT touch the top of the cake. If it sticks to the frosting, it will pull up the top layer of graham crackers when you take it off.
  • Make it low fat/sugar free by using low fat graham crackers, sugar free pudding, skim milk with fat free cool whip.
  • If you are using a shallow 9×13 pan, reduce the amount of pudding mixture when layering your dessert.

“This is a huge hit with my family!! We all love pumpkin desserts & this was the most creamy cake!”

-Kristyn
Three slices of Pumpkin Eclair Cake lined up on a plate.

Frequently Asked Questions for Eclair Cake

Can I use vanilla pudding mix?

Yes, vanilla pudding will work too! To keep the pumpkin flavor, add in pumpkin extract, pumpkin pie spice to the vanilla pudding.

How big is a large instant Jello pudding mix?

The large box is 5.1 ounces. If you can only find the smaller boxes, use one small box and half of the pudding mixture that are 3.4 ounces.

What frosting is best for eclair cake?

You will want a thinner frosting consistency to be able to spread overtop of the cake. Use an offset spatula to help spread the frosting evenly.

Storing Homemade Layered Cake

This fall eclair cake is perfect to store in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days long. Keep it in the fridge when not eating since the cool whip and frosting will become room temperature and poses a health risk.

When covering the cake, be sure to use an air tight container, plastic, or foil. If you are using plastic wrap or foil, stick toothpicks in the cake to keep the wrap from touching the cake.

Slice of Pumpkin Eclair Cake with a fork cut into it.

More Pumpkin Recipes

If you are in the mood for more pumpkin treats, try out these delicious pumpkin recipes.

How to Make Pumpkin Eclair Cake

Three slices of Pumpkin Eclair Cake lined up on a plate.

Pumpkin Eclair Cake

4.46 from 11 votes
Pumpkin Eclair Cake is like a cross between pumpkin cheesecake and eclairs. One of the EASIEST, and most delicious, fall dessert recipes you will ever make!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Servings 18

Video

Equipment

  • 9 x 13 Baking Pan

Ingredients

  • 1 14.4 ounce package graham crackers
  • 1 large box pumpkin spice instant pudding mix
  • 3 1/2 cups milk
  • 8 ounces Cool Whip thawed

Frosting

Instructions

  • In a 9×13 pan, cover bottom with one layer of graham crackers (whole).
    Baking dish with graham crackers on the bottom layer to make Pumpkin Eclair Cake.
  • Mix pudding and milk and beat for 2 minutes on medium. Gently fold in Cool Whip.
    Mixing bowl with pumpkin pudding and Cool Whip for Pumpkin Eclair Cake.
  • Pour half of the mixture over the graham crackers and cover with a second layer of graham crackers.
    Spreading pudding mixture over the graham crackers for Pumpkin Eclair Cake.
  • Pour remaining pudding mixture over the top and cover with another layer of graham crackers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
    Layering graham crackers over pumpkin pudding for Pumpkin Eclair Cake.
  • Combine remaining ingredients to make frosting. Beat until smooth.
    Frosting in mixing bowl with beaters for Pumpkin Eclair Cake.
  • Spread over graham crackers and refrigerate overnight.
    Spreading frosting on top of graham crackers for Pumpkin Eclair Cake.
  • Optional: Lightly sprinkle the top of the cake with cinnamon before serving.
    Cinnamon sprinkled on top of Pumpkin Eclair Cake in a baking dish.

Notes

Pumpkin Eclair Cake Pro Tip

When covering the cake, be sure to use an air tight container, plastic, or foil. If you are using plastic wrap or tin foil, stick toothpicks in the cake to keep the wrap or foil from touching the cake.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 256kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 262mgPotassium: 136mgFiber: 1gSugar: 28gVitamin A: 160IUCalcium: 101mgIron: 0.9mg

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About the author

Echo Blickenstaff

Echo lives in Pleasant Grove, Utah with her husband, Todd, who works in advertising, and her four kids: two girls and two boys. She deploys her accounting degree as the blog’s resident problem solver. In her time outside the kitchen, Echo loves to get away from the phones and busy schedules and spend quality time with the family. Anywhere’s great – but getting out into nature in the mountains or on the beach – is the best kind of getaway.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!

    1. I think it would taste good, but it might be a little hard to spread! It would have to be a thinner frosting.

  2. The recipe calls for a large box of pumpkin spice pudding mix. All I could find is the 3.4 oz. size. Is that the size I need?

    1. 5 stars
      I am not sure, I haven’t used vanilla pudding before for this recipe. But I would try adding pumpkin extract and a little pumpkin spice to the vanilla pudding.

  3. The recipe calls for 2 boxes of graham crackers but I only needed 1 box and still had a little bit left over. It was delicious by the way!

  4. The Pumpkin Pie Filling does not come in the sugar free flavor. Would I be able to use the vanilla pie filling and add some pumpkin to this to make up the pumpkin flavor. This recipe sounds great and I would love to try it. Thank you for all the recipes.

    1. Yes, that is a great idea for going sugar free on this recipe. I would also add a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to give it the extra pumpkin flavor. Please let me know how it turns out!