This Chocolate Eclair Cake is a delicious cake made of crispy Choux Pastry filled with velvety diplomat cream, and fruits, and then topped with chocolate ganache. If you are bored of sponge-based cakes and looking for something more extraordinary, our Chocolate Eclair Cake recipe is perfect for you.
Jump to:
This delicious Chocolate Eclair Cake is a combination of giant choux pastry and diplomat cream with some bananas, and strawberries. It is basically a big profiterole with some fruits inside, very similar to Karpatka but the pastry cream is much lighter and softer.
Ingredients and Substitutes
Choux Pastry
- Eggs - Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before using them. They are the leavening agent for the choux pastry. It is essential to add the right amount of eggs to the dough. Adding too many eggs will make the dough too runny which will make the choux balls flat. Not adding enough eggs will make the dough too dry and the choux balls will crack.
- Butter - It provides richness and flavor to the dough as well as moisture. I prefer unsalted butter to be able to control the amount of salt added later.
- Water - Make sure you measure the water correctly. You can also use milk or a combination.
- Salt - It seasons the dough and also enhances the sweetness.
- Sugar - It adds a slight sweetness and helps color the dough.
Diplomat Cream
- Milk - I always use full-fat milk, which is sold in blue bottles in the UK. It is essential to use milk with high-fat content to achieve a rich&delicius custard which is the key element of this Chocolate Eclair Cake.
- Sugar - Both granulated and caster sugar works great with this recipe.
- Egg yolks - They add richness and provide structure. Some recipes call for whole eggs however I strongly advise using egg yolk only for the best texture and flavor.
- Vanilla paste - I use vanilla bean paste or extract for deep&delicious vanilla flavor. Avoid using artificial vanilla for making pastry cream.
- Butter - Use good quality unsalted butter. It adds shine and flavor to the pastry creme.
- Cream - You can use either double cream/heavy cream or whipping cream to make the creme Chantilly. Make sure it is cold before whisking and keep it refrigerated until you need it. While whipping the cream you have to start on low speed and then gradually increase it. Stop beating the cream when it reaches a pipeable consistency to avoid over-whipping it.
- Flour - I use plain flour and mix it with cornflour to thicken the pastry cream.
- Gelatine - I prefer using gelatin powder but you can use 3 x 1.7g gelatin sheets if you prefer. If using gelatin sheets, soak them in cold water for a few minutes before you use them and squeeze the excess water gently.
Ganache and Decoration
- Chocolate - The same as I use for Chocolate Strawberry Tartlets, Lazy Cake (Chocolate Biscuit Cake), and Moist Chocolate Cream Cake, I use 70% dark chocolate. However, feel free to use any of your preferred chocolate as long as they are for cooking.
- Double cream - I use double cream/heavy cream to make the ganache. The reduced-fat cream wouldn't work with this recipe.
How to Make Chocolate Eclair Cake with Choux Pastry?
I'm not gonna lie, same as Russian Honey Cake - Medovik and Chocolate Nutella Babka Bread, this Chocolate Eclair Cake with Choux Pastry takes a bit of time and preparation. And it is not the easiest recipe here on this blog. Therefore, make sure you are diligent with the measurement and follow the steps exactly.
To achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:
Prepare the Pastry Cream
The recipe for the diplomat cream is very similar to the one that I use for my delicious French Strawberry Custard Tart and Strawberry Mille Feuille.
Place the milk and salt in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a simmer gently on low heat.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar.
Add the cornstarch along with the flour and whisk until combined.
Pour about half of the simmering milk over the sugar and egg mixture, whisk well, then transfer it all back onto the saucepan.
Keep whisking until it boils, add the butter and vanilla extract if you are using that, then whisk for another minute before removing from the heat.
After removing the pan from the heat, in a small bowl, stir the gelatine powder and a little bit of cold water to dissolve it.
Add it to the pastry creme and whisk well until dissolved and combined.
Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl or tray, cover with cling film touching the surface, and place in the fridge to chill for a couple of hours.
Prepare the Choux Pastry
Preheat the oven to 200° C - 390° F (fan oven). Start preparing the choux pastry while the pastry cream is cooling down.
Preparing the choux pastries is very easy and only takes 10 minutes!
Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat and add water.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat, then add the flour, salt and sugar all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the flour is completely incorporated and a thick dough is turned into a ball.
Gently cook the dough ball for 1 minute, stirring with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and let it cool down for 10 minutes before adding the eggs.
When the dough has cooled down, add the eggs bit by bit, mixing well after each time until the eggs are totally incorporated. You can do that stage with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer.
Stop adding the eggs when you reach the right texture which is shiny, thick, and smooth with a pipeable consistency. You might end up with some left eggs which you can use to eggwash the pastries.
Transfer the dough into a piping bag with a large round nozzle attachment.
Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. Using a pen, draw a circle size of 25 cm (10") Ø on each tray. Pipe one 23 cm (9") Ø circle and two 5 cm (2") mounds on each tray. You should have 2 flat large and 4 small choux pastries in total.
Cook for 20 mins in a 200° C - 390° F preheated fan oven until golden brown then turn the heat down to 150° C - 300° F.
Cook for another 10 minutes then remove the small balls from the oven. Continue cooking the larger circles for another 15 minutes. Remove the trays from the oven and let the pastries cool down while preparing the diplomat cream.
Prepare the Diplomat Cream
Once the pastry cream has cooled down, start whipping the cold double cream or whipping cream until you reach stiff peaks.
Whisk the pastry cream to loosen it in a large bowl.
Gently fold the whipped cream in 3 or 4 times. Transfer into a piping bag with a large round nozzle.
Prepare the Chocolate Ganache
I prefer using dark chocolate (at least 50% cacao) for this cake but you can customize it to your taste and make it with milk or white chocolate.
Chop the chocolate into small pieces using a serrated knife and place in a medium heat-proof bowl.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to gently simmer making sure it's not boiling.
Pour over the chocolate, then let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate.
Stir until completely combined and the chocolate has melted with a metal spoon or rubber spatula. The finer the chocolate, the quicker it will melt with the cream. Start assembling the cake before the chocolate starts to set.
Assemble the Chocolate Eclair Cake with Choux Pastry
One of the kitchen tools you might find useful to assemble this cake is a 25 cm (10") Ø springform cake tin. It is designed to make releasing a cake from a pan easier. It has a mechanism that loosens the walls of the cake tin, allowing you to easily unmould the cake.
They're ideal for cakes like Eclair Cake (Ekpa Pasta), as well as Baklava Cheesecake or Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake.
Place one layer of large choux pastry into the springform cake tin and pipe ½ of the diplomat cream on top spread it, and even out the surface with a spatula or a butter knife.
Place the bananas and strawberries on top of the diplomat cream. Split open the 4 small choux pastries, dip them in the chocolate ganache then place them on top of the fruits.
Continue this step until you create a layer of chocolate-dipped choux pastries.
On top of the small choux pastries, pour in ⅔ of the chocolate ganache.
Pipe the other ½ of the diplomat cream on top spread it and even out the surface with a spatula or a butter knife.
Place the second large choux pastry on top of the diplomat cream and pour the rest ⅓ of the chocolate ganache on top.
Refrigerate it overnight until it sets then remove the ring carefully before serving.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full, printable recipe!
Top Tips From the Chef
- Line your springform cake tins side with silicon paper before starting to build the cake. It will make it much easier to remove the cake from the tin.
- When making the batter for the choux pastry, add the beaten egg a little at a time until the consistency described above is reached. You might not need all the eggs stated in the recipe.
- When the pastry cream starts boiling, cook it for another minute before removing it from the heat.
- The pastry cream should have cooled down enough to not melt the whipped cream when added, but not cooled so much that it will have completely set.
- When making the chocolate ganache, don't let the cream boil, let it gently simmer before adding the chocolate pieces.
- While whipping the cream you have to start on low speed and then gradually increase it. Stop beating the cream when it reaches a pipeable consistency to avoid over-whipping it.
- When adding the whipped cream to your pastry cream, add it gradually and fold it gently together until nicely combined.
Recipe FAQs
There might be two reasons for that. The first reason is that you added the eggs before the flour mixture totally cooled down. That would cook the eggs and your pastry wouldn't rise.
The second reason is that you added too many eggs. Add the beaten egg a little at a time until the consistency described above is reached. You might not need all the eggs stated in the recipe.
There might be a few reasons for that.
The first reason is that you didn't cook pastry cream long enough before adding the gelatin. When the pastry cream starts boiling, cook it for another minute before removing it from the heat.
The second reason is that you didn't let the pastry cream cool down enough before adding the whipped cream. The pastry cream should have cooled down enough to not melt the whipped cream when added, but not cooled so much that it will have completely set.
And the last reason is that you added the whipped cream too fast, all in one go. When adding the whipped cream to your pastry cream, add it gradually and fold it gently together until nicely combined.
Yes, you can use milk chocolate for the ganache. If you want to make your ganache with milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate, use 280 grams of milk chocolate and 120 ml of cream.
Related Recipes
For other delicious cake recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this scrumptious Chocolate Eclair Cake with Choux Pastry as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
Chocolate Eclair Cake with Choux Pastry
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan
Ingredients
Choux Pastry
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 250 ml water
- 150 g strong flour
- 5 g sugar
- 5 g salt
- 250 g eggs (4-6 eggs)
Diplomat Cream
- 650 ml full fat milk (whole milk)
- 150 g caster sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 30 g corn starch
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 4 egg yolks
- 60 g butter
- 1 ½ teaspoon gelatin powder
- 400 ml double cream or whipping cream
Chocolate Ganache
- 200 g dark chocolate (%50 cacao)
- 200 ml double cream, whipping cream or heavy cream
- 1 large banana (sliced)
- 400 g strawberries (tips removed and cut in halves)
Instructions
Making the Pastry Cream
- Place the milk and salt in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a simmer gently on low heat.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar. Add the cornstarch along with the flour and whisk until combined.
- Pour about half of the simmering milk over the sugar and egg mixture, whisk well, then transfer it all back onto the saucepan.
- Keep whisking until it boils, add the butter and vanilla extract, then whisk for another minute before removing from the heat.
- In a small bowl, stir the gelatine powder and a little bit of cold water to dissolve it.
- Add it to the pastry creme and whisk well until dissolved and combined.
- Transfer the pastry cream to a clean bowl or tray, cover with cling film touching the surface, and place in the fridge to chill for a couple of hours.
Making the Choux Pastries
- Start preparing choux pastries while the pastry cream is cooling down.
- Preheat the oven to 200° C (390° F) fan oven.
- Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat and add water.
- Bring it to a boil, lower the heat then add the flour, salt, and sugar all at once.
- Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the flour is completely incorporated and a thick dough turned into a ball.
- Gently cook the dough ball for 1 minute, stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Remove from heat and let it cool down for 10 minutes before adding the eggs.
- When the dough has cooled down, add the eggs bit by bit, mixing well after each time until the eggs are totally incorporated. You can do that stage with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer.
- Stop adding the eggs when you reach the right texture which is shiny, thick, and smooth with a pipeable consistency. You might end up with some left eggs which you can use to eggwash the pastries.
- Transfer the dough into a piping bag with a large round nozzle attachment.
- Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. Using a pen, draw a circle size of 25cm (10") Ø on each tray.
- Pipe one 23 cm (9") Ø circle and two 5 cm (2") mounds on each tray. You should have 2 flat large and 4 small choux pastries in total.
- Cook for 20 mins in a 200° C (390° F) preheated fan oven until golden brown then reduce the heat to 150° C (300° F).
- Cook for another 10 minutes then remove the small balls from the oven. Continue cooking the larger circles for another 15 minutes.
- Remove the trays from the oven and let the pastries cool down while preparing the diplomat cream.
Making the Diplomat Cream
- Once the pastry cream has cooled down, start whipping the cold double cream or whipping cream until you reach stiff peaks.
- Whisk the pastry cream to loosen it in a large bowl, then gently fold the whipped cream in 3 or 4 times. Transfer into a piping bag with a large round nozzle.
Preparing the Chocolate Ganache
- Chop the chocolate into small pieces using a serrated knife and place in a medium heat-proof bowl.
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to gently simmer making sure it's not rapidly boiling.
- Pour over the chocolate, then let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate.
- Stir until completely combined and the chocolate has melted with a metal spoon or rubber spatula. The finer the chocolate, the quicker it will melt with the cream.
- Start assembling the cake before the chocolate starts to set.
Assembling the Chocolate Eclair Cake
- Line your 25 cm (10") Ø springform cake tins side with silicon paper. (It will make it much easier to remove the cake from the tin).
- Place one layer of large choux pastry into the cake tin, pipe ½ of the diplomat cream on top spread it, and even out the surface with a spatula or a butter knife.
- Place the bananas and strawberries on top of the diplomat cream.
- Split open the 4 small choux pastries, dip them in the chocolate ganache then place them on top of the fruits.
- Continue this step until you create a layer of chocolate-dipped choux pastries.
- On top of the small choux pastries, pour in ⅔ of the chocolate ganache.
- Pipe the other ½ of the diplomat cream on top spread it and even out the surface with a spatula or a butter knife.
- Place the second large choux pastry on top of the diplomat cream and pour the rest ⅓ of the chocolate ganache on top.
- Refrigerate overnight until it sets then remove the ring carefully before serving.
Notes
- Line your springform cake tins side with silicon paper before starting to build the cake. It will make it much easier to remove the cake from the tin.
- When making the batter for the choux pastry, add the beaten egg a little at a time until the consistency described above is reached. You might not need all the eggs stated in the recipe.
- When the pastry cream starts boiling, cook it for another minute before removing it from the heat.
- The pastry cream should have cooled down enough to not melt the whipped cream when added, but not cooled so much that it will have completely set. When adding the whipped cream to your pastry cream, add it gradually and fold it gently together until nicely combined.
- If you want to make your ganache with milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate, use 280 grams of milk chocolate and 120 ml of cream.
- While whipping the cream you have to start on low speed and then gradually increase it. Stop beating the cream when it reaches a pipeable consistency to avoid over-whipping it.
- When making the chocolate ganache, don't let the cream boil, let it gently simmer before adding the chocolate pieces.
Nutrition
This post use affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.
Ayla
I’ve tried this recipe twice ..and it turned out so delicious and moist both times. This is the perfect recipe.
Patty R
I am so excited to find this recipe and will be making soon. I do have a question, though. Could I make this entirely as directed, then wrap and freeze? I want to make it for my Mother’s 96th birthday and have to travel with it.
Thank you.
Ayla Clulee
Hi Patty, I am glad to hear you like my recipe! It is a family favorite that I make often.
You can freeze it but the strawberries would lose their texture and the banana would be discolored. It would still taste amazing though.
Another alternative is to leave the cake in the tin and place it in a cooling food-carrying bag. I did it a couple of times and the cake was still ok after 2.5 hours of traveling.
Hope that helps.
Ayla x