Heavenly Cream Puff Cake Recipe: Sweet Layers of Cloud-Like Joy

Sweet dreams come alive with this delectable cream puff cake that promises pure indulgence.

Layers of delicate choux pastry melt seamlessly into rich, velvety cream.

Each bite offers a symphony of textures that dance across your palate.

The classic French-inspired dessert brings elegance and simplicity to your table with minimal effort.

Delicate puffs stacked and filled create a stunning centerpiece that wows everyone.

Decadent yet approachable, this recipe turns an ordinary afternoon into a luxurious culinary experience.

You’ll fall in love with every creamy, dreamy slice of this heavenly cake.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

Calories: 290 kcal

Servings: 11

Everything In Cream Puff Cake

• Butter: Provides rich, velvety foundation for the crispy base, selecting high-quality unsalted butter ensures clean flavor.
• Water: Creates steam to help dough rise and develop flaky texture, use filtered water for best results.
• Flour: Builds structure and provides strength to the pastry base, selecting all-purpose flour creates perfect consistency.
• Eggs: Bind ingredients together and contribute to golden, glossy appearance, use fresh room-temperature eggs.

• Cream Cheese: Delivers tangy, smooth base for filling, choose full-fat cream cheese for luxurious texture.
• Pudding Mix: Adds sweetness and thickens filling, select vanilla flavor for classic dessert profile.
• Milk: Helps create silky consistency and balances pudding mix, whole milk provides richest results.
• Whipped Topping: Lightens filling and adds airy texture, fresh whipped cream can be substituted for homemade touch.

• Chocolate Syrup: Provides decadent drizzle and visual appeal, dark chocolate creates more sophisticated flavor.
• Powdered Sugar: Optional elegant dusting that adds subtle sweetness, use fine-grain variety for smooth coverage.

Tools For Cream Puff Cake Prep

• Baking Dish (9×13-inch): Essential for creating the perfect base and size for the cream puff cake.
• Medium Saucepan: Perfect for combining butter and water, creating the dough base.
• Electric Mixer: Crucial for beating cream cheese, mixing eggs, and ensuring smooth, creamy textures.
• Large Mixing Bowl: Necessary for preparing the cream cheese filling and folding ingredients.
• Whisk or Wooden Spoon: Helpful for stirring dough and mixing ingredients.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons: Required for accurate ingredient measurements.
• Spatula: Great for spreading dough and filling evenly in the baking dish.

How To Bake Cream Puff Cake

• Dough Foundation

Create a golden, puffy base by combining butter and water in a saucepan. Stir in flour until a smooth ball forms. Gently incorporate eggs one by one, mixing until the dough becomes silky and radiant. Spread the mixture evenly in a baking dish and bake until it transforms into a beautiful, golden landscape with a crispy exterior.

• Creamy Dreamscape

Whip cream cheese into a velvety canvas. Slowly blend pudding mix and milk, creating a luscious cream that speaks of indulgence. Softly fold in whipped topping, giving the filling a light, airy personality that will melt in your mouth.

• Sweet Symphony

Lavish the cooled crust with the dreamy cream filling, creating layers of delightful texture. Drizzle chocolate across the surface, adding a decadent touch that transforms the dessert into a work of art. Chill in the refrigerator, allowing flavors to dance and meld together.

• Delightful Finale

Slice into elegant squares and serve. Each bite promises a celebration of creamy, crispy, chocolatey perfection that will enchant your taste buds and leave everyone craving more.

Smart Tips For Cream Puff Cake

• Room Temperature Magic: Let eggs and cream cheese sit at room temperature for smoother mixing and better texture blending.
• Texture Perfection: Beat eggs into dough mixture slowly to ensure a silky, uniform consistency without lumps or separation.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: Prepare this dessert a day ahead and store covered in refrigerator for deeper flavor development and convenient serving.
• Dietary Swap Options
• Gluten-Free Version: Replace regular flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for crust
• Low-Sugar Alternative: Use sugar-free pudding mix and reduced-fat cream cheese
• Dairy-Free Adaptation: Substitute cream cheese with coconut cream and use non-dairy whipped topping
• Flavor Boost Techniques: Enhance filling by adding vanilla extract, almond extract, or orange zest for subtle yet exciting flavor complexity.

How To Serve Cream Puff Cake Easily

• Party-Ready Plating: Transform your cream puff cake into a stunning dessert centerpiece with elegant slicing and decorative garnishes that will wow guests.
• Chocolate Lover's Dream: Enhance the chocolate drizzle by adding chocolate shavings, cocoa powder sprinkles, or mini chocolate chips for intense flavor and visual appeal.
• Fruity Fresh Twist: Top each slice with fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries to add a bright, tangy contrast to the rich, creamy filling.
• Whipped Cream Wonderland: Create swirls of fresh whipped cream on top of each slice, garnishing with a light dusting of powdered sugar for a delicate, elegant finish.

Best Way To Store Cream Puff Cake

• Quick Chill Technique: Refrigerate the cake for 2-3 hours before serving to enhance flavor and texture, allowing ingredients to blend perfectly.
• Slice Storage Hack: Store individual slices in sealed containers within the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, maintaining fresh taste and creamy consistency.
• Freezing Strategy: Wrap the entire cake or individual portions tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze for maximum 2 weeks without compromising quality.
• Smart Serving Tip: Remove cake from refrigerator 10-15 minutes before serving to soften slightly, which helps release delicate flavors and improves overall eating experience.

Heavenly Cream Puff Cake Recipe

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4.7 from 35 reviews

• Total Time: 3 hours
• Yield: 11 1x

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Description

French cream puff cake combines elegant pastry layers with rich vanilla custard. Delicate choux pastry and silky cream create a sophisticated dessert you’ll savor with each luxurious bite.

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Ingredients

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• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (240 ml/8 fl oz) water
• 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese (softened)
• 2 cups (480 ml/16 fl oz) cold milk
• 2 packages (3.4 oz each) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup (240 ml/8 fl oz) whipped topping (or homemade whipped cream)
• ½ cup (120 ml/4 fl oz) chocolate syrup or melted chocolate
• Optional: powdered sugar for dusting

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Instructions

1. Dough Preparation: Heat water and butter in a saucepan until boiling, then swiftly mix in flour to form a cohesive dough ball, creating a robust pastry foundation.
2. Egg Integration: Cool dough slightly, then methodically blend eggs one at a time, whisking until the mixture becomes silky and glossy, ensuring a perfect puff texture.
3. Baking Process: Spread the velvety dough evenly in a greased rectangular pan, then bake in a preheated oven until the surface achieves a golden, crisp-edged landscape.
4. Filling Creation: Whip cream cheese until impossibly smooth, then blend pudding mix and milk to develop a rich, lump-free cream with impeccable consistency.
5. Topping Incorporation: Delicately fold whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture, maintaining its airy structure and voluminous character.
6. Assembly and Decoration: Once the pastry base cools completely, layer the creamy filling uniformly across the surface, then artistically drizzle chocolate syrup in elegant patterns.
7. Finishing Touches: Refrigerate the dessert for several hours to allow flavors to meld and filling to set, then slice into precise squares and optionally dust with a light veil of powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

• Manage Dough Consistency: Ensure flour is added quickly and mixed thoroughly to prevent lumps, creating a smooth, glossy dough that forms a perfect base for the cake.
• Control Egg Integration: Add eggs one at a time, mixing completely between additions to maintain a silky texture and prevent potential curdling or separation.
• Prevent Filling Deflation: Fold whipped topping gently into cream cheese mixture to preserve its light, airy structure and avoid losing volume during mixing.
• Temperature Matters: Allow cake base to cool completely before adding filling to prevent melting and maintain the dessert’s structural integrity and clean layering.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 11
• Calories: 290
• Sugar: 18 g
• Sodium: 180 mg
• Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 22 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 5 g
• Cholesterol: 80 mg