Easy Cream Puff Cake Recipe

Okay, so this is basically a cream puff and a sheet cake had a wildly successful one-night stand and produced a dessert that’s simultaneously fancy and lazy. It puffs, it sands, it fills, and then everyone pretends they didn’t eat three slices in a row. Heads-up: it looks way more complicated than it is, which means you get brownie points (or cream-puff points?) for effort with only half the kitchen drama.

My husband once bravely announced he would “help” by assembling the top layer while I handled the piping. He managed to squirt the filling like a firehose into the cake, which transformed the elegant puff peaks into a modern-art cream smear. Kids cheered. Neighbors called. We ate it anyway. Also, yes, this pan is too small. No, I won’t wash fewer dishes. We are a team of catastrophe and confection.

Time-Saving Hacks

– Use store-bought pastry cream or instant pudding if your oven and dignity are having a standoff. Works surprisingly well.
– Bake the puff layer a day ahead. Less morning chaos = more time to stare at the oven door like it’s a wise sage.
– One mixing bowl trick: reuse the bowl for the whipped topping after wiping out the big stuff—minimal dishes, maximal sloth.
– Keep a chilled can of whipped cream *and* a piping bag in the fridge for emergency elegance. No one needs to know you didn’t whip it by hand.

Serving Ideas

– Serve with berries and a dusting of powdered sugar if you want Instagram likes. Or serve straight from the pan if you want honesty.
– Pair with coffee in the morning and with wine in the evening—two acceptable breakfasts, depending on how the day’s going.
– Serve with a side of shrug and a long apology to anyone who expected something less delicious.
– If the kids drove you nuts that day: serve with wine. If the kids helped? Bribe them with extra filling and call it parenting.

What to Serve It With

– Fresh berries or a fruit compote to cut through the richness.
– A strong coffee, bitter tea, or cold milk depending on your chosen coping mechanism.
– Vanilla ice cream for maximum decadence and minimum restraint.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t overfill the puffs unless you enjoy the theatrical cream eruption. It looks fancy until someone wears it.
– Let the pastry cool before you slice—hot filling is gremlins-level trouble.
– If the shells deflate a bit, that’s okay. We call that “rustic charm.”
– Practice piping away from the cake first unless you like surprise cream art.

✔Storage Tips

Store it in the fridge… if there’s any left. Cold midnight leftovers? Sometimes better than fresh.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Swap the pastry cream for lemon curd for a tart twist.
– Make it chocolate by adding cocoa to the batter or the filling—yes, chocolate fixes everything.
– Use whipped coconut cream for a dairy-free version that still fools most people.
– Swap whatever you want—sugar ↔ honey, soy sauce ↔ tamari, or skip steps and call it “deconstructed.” It still counts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Cream Puff Cake Recipe

A delightful cream puff cake that's simple to prepare and perfect for any occasion.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1.1 cup water Use filtered water for best flavor.
• ▢ 0.5 cup unsalted butter Cut into cubes for easier melting.
• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour Sifted for a lighter texture.
• ▢ 3 large eggs Best if at room temperature.
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream Whipped for the filling.
• ▢ 0.5 cup powdered sugar Add more for sweeter filling.

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
• In a saucepan, combine water and butter. Heat until boiling.
• Stir in the flour all at once, mixing until the dough forms a ball.
• Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Drop spoonfuls of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
• While cooling, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
• Slice the cooled puffs in half and fill with whipped cream.
• Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving.

Notes

For extra flavor, drizzle chocolate or caramel sauce over the filled puffs before serving.