Chocolate Éclair Cake

Yum-eee! 

This dessert isn’t really a flour, sugar and egg “cake”, but I don’t know what else you’d call it. You make it in a cake pan and eat it with a fork. This one *may* try your patience a little … not because it’s hard to make, it’s very easy to make… but because you have to WAIT until the next day to eat it. (Well, you have to wait until the next day if you want it to turn out right …)

Cake Ingredients:
1 package (16 oz. – or more, I get a big box and use what I need) graham crackers
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 large or 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip (I like “Lite” – not for the fewer calories, I just like the taste & texture better)

Cake Directions:
Line the bottom of a 9X13 cake pan with a layer of whole (i.e., not crushed) graham crackers.

 Beat cream cheese until fluffy. In separate bowl, combine the pudding mix and milk. Combine the cream cheese and the pudding. Fold in the cool whip.

Pour half of the mixture over the crackers, and level out.

Place another layer of crackers over that half of the filling,

 and cover them with the remaining filling.

Place (yet) another layer of graham crackers on top of the filling.

 So, that makes three layers of grahams; one on bottom, one in between the filling, and one on top of the filling. Top that last layer of crackers with chocolate frosting.

 (I think you could use your favorite chocolate frosting here – I mean, this one ain’t rocket science – but this is the frosting recipe that came with the cake, and works well.

Frosting Ingredients:
2 squares (2 oz.) unsweetened chocolate
4 Tablespoons butter, softened
4 Tablespoons honey
6 Tablespoons milk
4 Cups powdered sugar (resist the temptation to make the frosting too thick, or it won’t spread on the floating crackers.)

Frosting Directions:
Melt chocolate slowly in microwave on a lower power setting. (For me, it’s safer to keep zapping and checking chocolate in the microwave than risk using a double boiler and getting a drop of water in it – which will cause it to seize.) Beat in butter, honey, and milk. Stir in powdered sugar. Spread over graham crackers.

 Chill several hours or overnight before serving – it needs this time for the crackers to get soft.