Description
This Cream Puff Cake brings together the airy, tender texture of choux-style pastry with a rich, creamy filling and light whipped topping — a dessert that feels elegant yet is surprisingly easy. It’s perfect for celebrations, family dinners, or whenever you crave something indulgent but not heavy.
Ingredients
Base (Choux-style pastry base)
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1 cup water
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½ cup unsalted butter
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1 cup all-purpose flour
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4 large eggs (room temperature)
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Pinch of salt (optional — depending on desired flavor)
Creamy Filling
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8 oz (≈ 225 g) cream cheese, softened
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2 packages vanilla pudding mix (or as appropriate)
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~3 cups (about 720–750 ml) cold milk
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
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About 1½–2 cups heavy whipping cream (or whipped topping), whipped until soft peaks
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Optional: powdered sugar or a bit of sugar to sweeten cream
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Optional: chocolate syrup or melted chocolate — for drizzling or decorating
Instructions
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Preheat & Prepare Base
Preheat oven to 200 °C (≈ 400 °F). Grease a rectangular or 9×13-inch baking pan.
In a saucepan, bring the water and butter to a boil. Remove from heat, then add the flour (and salt if using) all at once. Stir vigorously until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the pan. -
Add Eggs
Let the dough cool slightly, then add the eggs one at a time — mixing thoroughly after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy. -
Bake the Base
Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan (use a spatula for smoothness). Bake until the base is puffed, set, and lightly golden. Then let it cool completely in the pan. -
Prepare the Filling
In a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth.
In a separate bowl, mix cold milk with vanilla pudding mix and vanilla extract until combined and slightly thickened.
Fold the pudding mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. -
Assemble the Cake
Pour the cream-cheese + pudding filling over the cooled pastry base, spreading evenly.
Chill in the fridge for at least 1–2 hours (or until filling is set). -
Add Topping
Once chilled, spread or pipe the whipped cream (sweetened if desired) over the filling layer.
Drizzle with chocolate syrup or melted chocolate if you like. -
Serve & Enjoy
Slice into squares and serve chilled. For a crisp cut, you can chill a bit more before slicing.
Notes
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Let the pastry base cool completely before adding filling — otherwise, the filling may melt or become runny.
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Chill sufficiently after layering filling — filling needs time to set firmly.
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Use cold milk for pudding mix so it sets properly.
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Whipped cream topping adds a light finish — don’t skip it for the classic texture balance.