This is also known as an “Eclair Cake” but after eating on this for days and from the help of a friend who tasted it, it is basically a simplified Boston Cream Pie. I have recreated the normal version to make it little more advanced than the typical recipe but also- very easy and most importantly, DELICIOUS. This is an icebox cake so it needs to sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours to really come together so plan accordingly! I let mine sit in the fridge overnight to make sure it is ~perfect.
**needs to sit in the fridge 8+ hours SO PLAN ACCORDINGLY**
what you need:
- 1 box graham crackers not the ones with cinnamon or sugar on them, just the normal ones!
- 1 package vanilla instant pudding
- 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 container cool whip
- special equipment needed: sifter or fine mesh sieve, offset spatula
chocolate topping:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/4 cup milk or heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- sprinkles, if desired
what you need to do:
- In a large bowl, mix together vanilla pudding, 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup of milk, and vanilla extract. Stir with a whisk to make sure you get all of the clumps of pudding mix and once it is smooth, set aside for about 5 minutes. It should be pretty thick and will continue to thicken as it sits.
- After the pudding is activated and the mixture thickens, add in the additional 1/4 cup milk and whisk. It should be the consistency of normal pudding but not overly thick. You will need to be able to spread it easily, so if it is super thick add 1/4 cup of milk at a time until it meets this consistency. But be careful to make sure it is not runny!
- In a square 9×9 baking dish, line the bottom with a layer of graham crackers. Spread 1/2 cup of pudding mix over the crackers with an offset spatula. Make sure it is even!
- Layer another set of graham crackers over the pudding, then add another 1/2 cup of pudding.
- Repeat this process until you run out of pudding OR graham crackers but make sure the last layer is pudding. You need pudding to be on the top, not graham crackers!
- Place this in the freezer for a few minutes while you prepare the chocolate topping.
- In a large bowl whisk together the butter, powdered sugar, milk, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract. Make sure to use a whisk to make sure there are no clumps, and sifting your powdered sugar and cocoa is very important to make sure of this as well!
- Grab your dish out of the freezer and then pour the chocolate icing over the top, spreading out evenly.
- Top with sprinkles if you wish and then cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for AT LEAST 8 hours. This needs to sit in the fridge for a long time so that the pudding soaks into the graham crackers and softens them for the PERFECT BITE!
- Serve cold and store in the fridge.
