If you’re looking for an impressive dessert that doesn’t take an entire afternoon to assemble, I have just the thing. Cream puffs are one of my favorite sweets, made with light-as-air pâte à choux filled with rich pastry cream. But rather than piping the pastry and cream, make an easy-to-assemble cake that tastes just like the classic French dessert instead.
In this recipe, you’ll make a light and airy crust, then add layers of sweet vanilla pudding and fluffy whipped cream. For the finishing touch, make sure to add a rich chocolate drizzle. There’s no easier—or more delicious—way to serve cream puffs to a crowd than with this cream puff cake. Here’s how to make it.Why You’ll Love It
- It tastes just like a cream puff. This crust is made with the same batter as the classic French pâte à choux and is layered with creamy vanilla pudding, whipped topping, and a chocolatey drizzle.
- It’s incredibly easy to make. This recipe teaches you how to make the pastry crust with simple step-by-step instructions. From there, it’s all about adding the rich and creamy layers, with whipped topping and instant vanilla pudding used as shortcuts.
Key Ingredients in Cream Puff Cake
- Pâte à choux: You’ll need unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, and eggs to make this dough. Don’t let the name intimidate you—it’s incredibly simple to make.
- Instant vanilla pudding: Use two boxes of vanilla pudding instead of making pastry cream from scratch. Make sure to buy instant pudding (not the cook-and-serve variety), which sets up quickly when mixed with cream cheese and cold milk.
- Whipped topping: Spread thawed frozen whipped topping over the pudding layer. Three cups of homemade whipped cream can be substituted, if you don’t mind the extra step of making it.
- Chocolate syrup: Add a chocolatey drizzle over the top of the cake just before serving. You can use store-bought syrup (I prefer Ghirardelli Premium Chocolate Sauce) or make your own chocolate syrup.
A Few Tips
1. Lightly spray the bottom of the baking dish with cooking spray, but leave the sides ungreased. This will prevent the crust from sticking, but allow it to climb up the sides for a dramatic presentation.2. Use a mini offset spatula or a lightly greased flexible spatula to spread the batter evenly.
