This Is the Most Popular Dessert Recipe In the South

There are so many tasty desserts that I attribute to the South: banana pudding, hummingbird cake, peach cobbler, pecan pie. They all satisfy my sweet tooth. Interestingly, none of them have been the most popular dessert of the southern states over the last five years. According to Google Trends, the top slot is chocolate éclair cake, a decadently delicious no-bake creation that will satisfy all chocolate lovers. 

Chocolate éclair cake is inspired by the French éclair, a pastry made with an eggy dough that’s baked, filled with pastry cream, and topped with chocolate glaze. The southern sweet takes a much simpler approach. 

It’s a type of icebox cake made with layers of graham crackers and instant vanilla pudding that’s blended with milk and whipped topping, then garnished with a thick layer of chocolate. It can be made ahead and serves a crowd, so there’s no wonder it’s so popular.

Enter Peanut Butter Éclair Cake

If it seems like this dessert couldn’t get much better, Simply Recipes contributor Molly Allen has proven us all wrong. Her peanut butter éclair cake adds nutty peanut butter to the equation for a chocolate peanut butter cup-like twist that’s as magical as it sounds. 

It’s so simple: Combine instant vanilla pudding with peanut butter, milk, and whipped topping. Next, layer graham crackers and peanut butter pudding in a large baking dish. Transfer the cake to the fridge or freezer to set while you heat heavy cream, then stir chopped chocolate into it to melt into a creamy ganache. 

Pour the ganache over the chilled cake, sprinkle the top with chopped peanut butter cups, and chill in the fridge for at least five hours or overnight. All that’s left to do is slice squares with a sharp knife and dig in. It’s great for making ahead for a potluck or family dinner.

How To Make This No-Bake Cake Your Own

What’s fun about this cake is how riffable it is. This iteration is for chocolate peanut butter fans, but if you’d like to keep things classic, leave out the peanut butter and peanut butter cups. 

Try using chocolate pudding mix for an even deeper chocolate flavor, using instant banana pudding, or playing with different flavors of graham crackers, like cinnamon or chocolate. You can also make your own whipped cream instead of reaching for whipped topping.