This decadent chocolate eclair cake is made with keto graham crackers and filled with sugar free pastry cream. Pour on some delicious chocolate ganache and it’s a dreamy low carb dessert!
I bet you didn’t expect to be eating chocolate eclairs on your keto diet, did ya? Well in case you hadn’t noticed, I like to defy expectations. Particularly when it comes to keto desserts.
In fact, I’ve made it my mission in life to prove to the world that special diets need not be boring or restrictive. Many people are surprised to find that a keto diet is not all eggs, meat, and cheese. And they’re even more surprised to learn that keto desserts can be just as good, or even better, than the conventional, carb filled counterparts.
That’s why I love nothing more than to take the sugariest desserts I can find and figure out a way to make them keto friendly. Without sacrificing taste or texture.
And this keto chocolate eclair cake proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt!
What is Eclair Cake?
Conventional eclair cake is a no bake icebox cake that tastes like a chocolate eclair. You can see an example here on My Baking Addiction.
It’s an easy recipe made with a whole bunch of storebought ingredients that aren’t very good for you. Graham crackers, boxed pudding, frozen whipped topping, and canned chocolate frosting.
Um, no. Let’s not even go there. My blood sugar is rising just thinking about it.
But it sure is pretty, isn’t it? Definitely ripe for a keto makeover!
Revamping my Keto Eclair Cake recipe
I first wrote this recipe back in 2014. At that time, I took a different approach, and made cake with layers of meringue cake instead of graham crackers.
It was delicious, but it was messy and the presentation wasn’t quite up to my current standards. So I decided to give it another go, this time with my homemade graham crackers for the layers.
I also changed the filling to make it a bit fluffier and lighter. I still used the sugar free pastry cream from my Keto Boston Cream Pie, but I folded in some whipped cream as well.
And finally, I revamped the keto chocolate ganache, making it similar to the delicious glaze from my Keto Chocolate Cheesecake.
The end result is easier to make and looks far more impressive than my original version. And it absolutely tastes like a chocolate eclair!
How to make keto eclair cake
Unlike the sugary version, we have to make everything from scratch. But this is still a very easy cake to make and I know you will love it. Here are my best tips for getting it right.
The graham crackers
My keto graham crackers were the very first of their kind and have stood the test of time. And they make the perfect low carb layers for this eclair cake.
Be sure to make them well in advance of the cake, as they need to cool properly. You will need the whole batch (minus a few bits and pieces) for this recipe.
The pastry cream
Sugar free vanilla pastry cream is easy to make but it does need constant attention. Don’t walk away even for a second, as it may thicken too quickly and curdle.
I recommend using a good heavy duty pan over medium-low to medium heat. Be sure to temper the egg yolks properly by whisking in about half of the hot liquid. Slowly drizzle it in as you whisk. Then slowly drizzle the tempered yolks back into the remaining cream in the pan.
Once it thickens up, remove it from the heat immediately. It needs to cool to room temperature before you can fold in the whipped cream.
Layering the cake
Cover the bottom of an 8×8 inch pan with graham crackers. They won’t fit perfectly so you will need to break or cut some to cover the pan evenly.
Use half of the pastry cream filling and spread it over the graham crackers, then add another layer of crackers, another layer of pastry cream, and top with one more layer of graham crackers.
Make the ganache
Sugar free chocolate ganache is one of my favorite ways to top a keto cake. I’ve used it in so many recipes and it’s always delicious.
Be sure to use unsweetened chocolate here, not sugar free chocolate. What’s the difference? Well, unsweetened chocolate has NO sweetener at all, whereas sugar-free chocolate is sweetened with things like erythritol, stevia, or other non-nutritive sweeteners.
Sugar free chocolate makes the ganache too thin and it won’t firm up properly. So be sure you are using 100% cacao unsweetened chocolate.
Pour it on!
Nothing is more beautiful than chocolate ganache pouring over a delicious cake. Am I right?
Can you make this Keto Eclair Cake in advance?
This is a great keto cake for prepping a day or two ahead. In fact, letting it sit overnight helps it firm up and cut into nice slices.
That said, it really should be made and consumed within a few days. It’s not really a freezable recipe, as both the filling and the ganache will change in consistency.
More delicious keto recipes
- Keto Coconut Cream Pie
- The BEST Keto Nanaimo Bars
- Chocolate Mousse Pie
- Easy Keto Mascarpone Mousse
- Keto Coconut Flan
- Dairy Free Chocolate Pudding
Keto Chocolate Eclair Cake
Ingredients
Pastry Cream Filling
- 1 cup (250 g) unsweetened almond milk, (or hemp milk for nut free)
- 3 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup (136.5 g) powdered Swerve Sweetener, divided
- pinch salt
- 2 tbsp butter, cut into two pieces
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (178.5 g) heavy whipping cream
Chocolate Ganache
- 1/2 cup (119 g) heavy whipping cream
- 2 1/2 ounces (70.87 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1/4 cup (45.5 g) powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) vanilla extract
Layers
- 1 recipe keto graham crackers
Instructions
Pastry Cream Filling
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the almond milk to a simmer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the powdered sweetener and the salt until pale yellow.
- Slowly whisk about half of the hot milk into the yolks to temper them, then return the yolk/cream mixture back to the saucepan, whisking continously. Cook until thickened, whisking continuously.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream with the remaining 1/4 cup powdered sweetener until it holds stiff peaks. Fold the pastry cream into the whipped cream until no streaks remain.
Chocolate Ganache
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let sit 5 minutes to melt.
- Add the sweetener and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
To Assemble
- Line the bottom of an 8x8 inch pan with graham crackers, cutting to fit as needed. Spread half the filling over the graham crackers. Repeat with another layer of graham crackers and the remaining filling.
- Top with one more layer of graham crackers and pour the chocolate ganache over top, spreading to the edges. Refrigerate at least 4 hours to firm up before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
there is no save button on this recipe
Save button? Where are you trying to save it?
Can I use Allulose in this recipe instead of Swerve? If yes, then how much more of the Allulose do I need compared to the swerve or would the measurements be the same?
Do you mean for the filling? Because the graham crackers won’t crisp properly if you use any allulose. For the filling, it should work but it will take quite a bit longer to set.
It looks like you used chocolate graham crackers. If so how do you adapt your recipe?
No, I used regular graham crackers.
I made this today with the mentioned graham cracker recipe… not enough Graham crackers to do all the layers in the eclair cake. And the ganache wasn’t spreadable or pourable. I used a Ghirardelli unsweetened chocolate bar. Followed the recipe exactly as written.
The graham crackers are indeed enough for the recipe, and the ganache should be easily pourable. I am not sure what went wrong for you, but if you read other comments, you see it works as written.
Is it ok to substitute half and half for the almond milk?
Sure!
I made this and it is to die for! Really delicious!!
Will the eclair freeze good and for how long
No I don’t think it will. The freezing and thawing process will change the consistency of the pastry cream.
She stated above it doesn’t freeze well at all.