This dulce de leche eclair cake is an easy, no-bake dessert made with tea biscuits and creamy caramel layers. It's rich, simple to make, and always a crowd-pleaser.
Why You'll Love My Dulce de Leche Eclair Cake
- Simple Ingredients, Gourmet Flavor: Even with just tea biscuits, dulce de leche, and cream, this dessert tastes fancy.
- No-Bake Ease: This dessert is a breeze to make, just layer, chill, and you're done.
The Best Dulce de Leche Éclair Cake, Easy, No-Bake, and Irresistible
Chocolate Eclair Cake has always been one of those nostalgic desserts for me, simple, familiar, and surprisingly impressive for how little effort it takes. This dulce de leche eclair cake version has been a family favorite for years, and it somehow gets better with time. After a night in the fridge, the rectangular tea cookies soften, the flavors blend together, and you get that classic chocolate-eclair taste without any of the pastry work. It's the kind of dessert that's perfect for sharing at family gatherings or potlucks, especially if you also love easy make-ahead treats like my No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake or Chocolate Walnut Fudge.
What I enjoy most is how effortless and customizable it is. You just layer tea cookies or graham crackers with a silky dulce de leche custard and finish it with a generous layer of chocolate ganache. From there, you can make it your own, swap dark chocolate for milk chocolate, add fresh berries, or even mix in a touch of espresso. If you love simple chocolate desserts, this has the same cozy, fridge-set feel as my Chocolate Biscuit Cake, while the caramel flavor makes it perfect to serve with a drizzle of Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce. After a few hours in the fridge, it transforms into a creamy, chocolatey dessert that tastes like you spent far more time on it than you actually did.
Key Ingredients in Dulce de Leche Eclair Cake
You'll find the exact measurements in the recipe card, but here's a closer look at key ingredients and why I use them.
- Tea Biscuits: I love using rectangular tea biscuits for the cake base. They soak up the dulce de leche custard and turn soft, like cake, giving a nice contrast to the creamy filling and ganache. If you don't have tea biscuits, graham crackers, or sponge cake work just as well.
- Dulce de Leche Custard (dulce de leche, cornstarch, milk, cream, and vanilla): I make the custard dulce de leche, cornstarch, milk, cream, and vanilla. Doing it myself means I know exactly what's in it, and it tastes richer and creamier.
- Cream and Dark Chocolate: For the ganache, I use cream and a 70% dark chocolate bar. You can use dark chocolate chips if you're in a rush.
How to Make Dulce de Leche Éclair Cake
You can find the complete printable recipe with measurements below, but for now, here's a quick overview of how it goes:
1. Line an 8x8-inch (20x20x6 cm) mold with cling film and place a layer of tea biscuits at the bottom.
2. In a bowl, mix dulce de leche until smooth.
3. Dissolve cornstarch in milk, then whisk it into the dulce de leche along with vanilla.
4. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring until it thickens into a custard.
5. Pour half of the custard over the biscuits and spread evenly.
6. Add another layer of biscuits and repeat with the remaining custard, finishing with a final biscuit layer.
7. Simmer cream in a small saucepan, then add chopped chocolate and stir until smooth to make the ganache.
8. Spread ganache on top and chill the dulce de leche eclair cake for at least 4 hours to set, plus 2 more hours for the ganache.
Tips for the Best Dulce de Leche Eclair Cake
Line the Mold: I like to cover the mold with cling film, leaving a bit extra hanging over the sides; it makes lifting the cake out so much easier later. I always smooth the film well so there are no wrinkles.
Layer Evenly: When I place the tea biscuits inside, I take a moment to line them up in a single, even layer. It keeps everything tidy and helps the biscuits soften the same way throughout.
Storage
If you have leftovers, just keep the Dulce de Leche Éclair Cake in an airtight container in the fridge. It stays fresh and delicious for about 3-4 days.
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Recipe
Dulce de Leche Eclair Cake
Ingredients
- 27 rectangular tea cookies
- 398 g dulce de leche
- 120 g cornstarch
- 600 ml whole milk
- 400 ml heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 100 g chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
- Line an 8x8-inch (20x20x6 cm) mold with cling film, leaving some overhang on the sides.
- Arrange 9 rectangular tea cookies in a single layer at the bottom of the prepared mold. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 398 g dulce de leche and mix until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, whisk 120 g cornstarch with a little of the 600 ml whole milk until fully dissolved. Add this mixture to the dulce de leche and stir until smooth. Pour in the remaining milk and whisk again until fully combined.
- Pour 400 ml heavy cream into a medium saucepan. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract to the dulce de leche mixture and whisk until blended. Pour the dulce de leche mixture into the saucepan with the cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. 100 ml heavy cream
- Remove from the heat and spread half of the dulce de leche custard over the cookie layer in an even layer. Add another layer of 9 rectangular tea cookies, spread over the remaining custard, then finish with a final layer of 9 rectangular tea cookies on top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until fully set.
- In a small saucepan, heat 100 ml heavy cream until it just begins to simmer, without boiling. Remove from the heat and add 100 g chopped dark chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth and glossy.
- Pour the ganache evenly over the top layer of cookies. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the ganache is fully set.
- Once chilled and firm, cut into squares and serve cold this delicious Dulce de Leche Éclair Cake.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Sandra says
I'm officially obsessed with this dulce de leche eclair cake!