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Cream Puff Cake

A show-stopping dessert made with airy choux pastry and rich vanilla custard. Perfect for any celebration.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French-inspired
Calories: 290
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Choux Pastry
  • 1 cup Water For choux base
  • ½ cup Unsalted butter Cut into chunks
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup All-purpose flour
  • 4 Large eggs Room temp for best results
Custard Filling
  • 2 cups Whole milk For custard
  • ¾ cup Granulated sugar For custard
  • 4 Egg yolks Whisked with sugar
  • 3 tablespoon Cornstarch Thickener for custard
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract Add to custard after cooking
  • ¾ cup Heavy cream Whipped into cooled custard
Optional Toppings
  • 2 tablespoon Powdered sugar Optional topping
  • ½ cup Chocolate chips Optional melted topping
  • 2 tablespoon Cocoa powder Optional for chocolate variation

Equipment

  • 1 Heavy-bottomed saucepan For heating liquids
  • 1 Wooden spoon Or heat-resistant spatula
  • 1 Stand/Electric mixer For mixing dough and cream
  • 1 Pastry bag w/ round tip For piping choux
  • 2 Baking sheets Line with parchment
  • 1 roll Parchment paper For baking choux puffs
  • 2 Wire cooling racks Cool puffs evenly
  • 1 Fine-mesh strainer For custard or flour sifting

Method
 

  1. Heat water, butter, salt; melt completely
  2. Stir in flour until dough forms a ball
  3. Cook 1–2 mins to remove flour taste
  4. Cool slightly, beat in eggs one at a time
  5. Pipe small puffs onto parchment-lined sheets
  6. Bake at 425°F 15 min, then 375°F 10–15 min
  7. Cool on wire racks, pierce holes for filling
  8. Heat milk; mix yolks, sugar, cornstarch; temper with hot milk
  9. Cook custard until thick; stir in vanilla
  10. Cool custard with plastic wrap on top
  11. Whip cream; fold into cooled custard
  12. Fill puffs, arrange in cake form
  13. Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle chocolate

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.