This Cream Puff Cake is a family favorite. It’s just like cream puffs but a lot less fussier. This cake is an elegant and decadent treat that I’ve been making for years!
This Cream Puff Cake is so much easier than making the intimidating french pastry. The choux dough seemed very difficult. However, baking it in one pan instead of piping out those individual tubes and trying to make them even and pretty convinced me that this recipe is a winner.
What is pate a choux? Find out here.
- Easy Ingredients: All easy ingredients for an impressive dessert.
- Family Friendly: This elegant dessert is a hit with the whole family
- Makes Great Leftovers: I doubt there will be any left, however, if there are, it is a great leftover.
What You Need to Make Chocolate Eclair Cake
Ingredients
- flour
- butter
- salt
- eggs
- instant vanilla pudding
- milk
- cream cheese
- whipped topping
Equipment
How to Make Cream Puff Cake – Step by Step
- Make Crust: First, bring the water, butter and salt to boil, next, add flour all at once and mix rapidly with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir until the mixture leaves the sides of pan and forms a ball.
- Eggs: Second, add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until completely smooth
- Bake: Third, spread in an ungreased 10- by 15-inch baking pan and then bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Crust will puff up the sides of the pan while in the oven.
- Deflate: When removed from the oven, prick bubbles with a fork. Let cool.
- Pudding: Meanwhile, use an electric mixer to beat the pudding mix, milk and softened cream cheese together until thoroughly blended.
- Topping: Finally, spread pudding mixture over the baked and cooled eclair crust and next, spread Cool Whip over pudding mixture and lastly, drizzle with chocolate syrup.
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Common Questions About Cream Puff Cake
This can be stored in the fridge for two or three days but it must be in an airtight container or it will get soggy.
Absolutely, I wanted this recipe to have easily accessible ingredients but you can get an instant pastry cream here.
Of course, you can use graham crackers as the base for this recipe, but this method is truly the closest to the decadent true french eclair.
Certainly, this recipe can be frozen, I like to precut the slices and then freeze. Before serving let sit out for just a little while for the slices to come out perfectly.
Expert Tips for Making Eclair Cake
- This Recipe Can be Doubled: A great recipe for a crowd. Simply increase the ingredients proportionately and split it into two baking dishes before baking.
- More Chocolate Too: Shavings of chocolate or even a layer of chocolate pudding as well as vanilla make this recipe a chocolate marvel.
- Cooking tip: Choux likes steam, so put a piece of slightly damp parchment under the Choux as it cooks. The steam will help it rise.
- Temperature: Important to use room temperature ingredients when making the Choux, including the eggs, for best results.
- Fruit: To cut all the sweet and add a bit of freshness, I love to top this dessert with a few perfect raspberries. It is so elegant.
⭐⭐⭐ RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐⭐⭐
If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it in the comment section below.
Cream Puff Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup butter, 1-stick
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup water
- 4 large eggs
- 2 3.4 oz packages instant vanilla pudding
- 2 1/2 cups cold milk
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 12 oz container frozen whipped topping, thawed
- Chocolate syrup for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Eclair Base
- Bring the water, butter and salt to boil until butter is melted.
- Add the flour all at once and mix rapidly with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir until the mixture leaves the sides of pan and forms a ball.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until completely smooth.
- Spread in an ungreased 10- by 15-inch baking pan.
- Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Crust will puff up the sides of the pan while in the oven.
- When removed from the oven, prick bubbles with a fork. Let cool.
Filling
- Use an electric mixer to beat the pudding mix, milk and softened cream cheese together until thoroughly blended.
- Spread pudding mixture over the baked and cooled eclair crust.
- Spread Cool Whip over pudding mixture.
- Drizzle with chocolate syrup.
Video
Expert Tips
- This Recipe Can be Doubled: This is a great recipe for a crowd. Simply increase the ingredients proportionately and split it into two baking dishes before baking.
- More Chocolate Too: Shavings of chocolate or even a layer of chocolate pudding as well as vanilla make this recipe a chocolate marvel.
- Cooking tip: Choux likes steam, so put a piece of slightly damp parchment under the Choux as it cooks. The steam will help it rise.
- Temperature: Important to use room temperature ingredients when making the Choux, including the eggs, for best results.
- Fruit: To cut all the sweet and add a bit of freshness, I love to top this dessert with a few perfect raspberries. It is so elegant.
This is a dessert my Mom and Aunt made all the time while I was growing up. It is wonderful! We actually melted chocolate chips with a little shortening to put on top which gave it a little more texture. It’s great!
Yummm! That sounds like a great twist! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
New follower here – I love the setup of this blog!
And oh my, this looks delicious! My kiddos will be happy with you this week, I think. 😉
Thanks, Danielle! I’m following you too! Love your blog! 🙂
My daughter used to ask for this on her birthday. It’s so good. Thanks for sharing it.
Wish I had this right now! Looks yummy. Thanks for linking up to Making It With Allie! I can’t wait to see what you have for next week!
AllieMakes.Blogspot.com
My mouth was watering before I could even finish reading the post! Those look DI-VINE! Thanks for linking up to Fine Finds Friday!!!!
You Have been featured on CraftOManiac, thanks a bunch winks- jen
Good timing on this one! This would be a perfect V Day dessert. Thanks so much for linking it up to Inspiration Friday this week! I’m glad you found us over at our new location and I hope we will see you coming back again! 🙂
Vanessa
Ohooo this recipe must be saved by me and made soon!
For sure this is different and sounds simple to make. Thanks for going through all your files and finding this to share with us.!
Oh, wow, I love the concept of your blog. Lucky for us, you do all the testing, lol. Well, I love eclairs, and making a cake out of it, just sounded way to good to pass up.
Thanks for the recipe!!! This looks fantastic. Excited about your new party, make sure to come link it up in my directory on my blog, so I can come link up. I love cooking, and have some KEEPERS.
I would LOVE if you came to link up to my party **Amaze me August** I am trying to reach 100 linkups, and then I will have a special giveaway, something made my me, lol. I’m pretty excited!!!
Oh and just in case you were curious, how I clean my stove, check this out, he he.
Cleaning my stove with Shampoo
Thanks a ton girl, and hope to see you soon!!!!
Bella 🙂
I’m heading over now! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
outside of your photo being gorgeous…this recipe looks delicious! i could use a slice or two right now. thank you for sharing with tuesday night supper club!
Thanks, Christy! I’m sure my hubby will appreciate the compliment on the photo (he’s my resident photog!) Thanks for hosting the linky! 🙂
Mmmmm…this recipe sounds absolutely divine. I saw your link-up at “Naturally Me Creations” and just had to come by to check it out!
Your newest follower,
Jenn/Rook No. 17
Welcome, Jenn! Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit often! I’m now following your site too — it’s awesome! 🙂
This recipe looks wonderful and easy. I love the name of your blog ;).
Hugs, Kim
OK!…gotta go get my fix on,I’m a chocoholic!…thing I’ll go make a chocolate treat like this, and double duty with some hot chocolate,yum!
~JO
Now you’re talkin! 🙂 Enjoy!
Mmmmm, I can just about taste this. It looks so good.
I’d love for you to share this on my linky, Sweet Tooth Friday. I hope to see you there!
http://alli-n-son.com/2011/02/03/chocolate-toffee/
All linked up, Allison! Thanks for the invite! What a great site you have! THanks for stopping by! 🙂
This looks like an interesting and yummy treat!
Tnx so much for linking up at my party! 😀
I have GOT to make this sometime soon. It looks easy and absolutely yummy! Thanks so much for sharing and for linking up to Making Your Home Sing Monday!
I love the look of this cake sounds delicious I am a new follower of yours as well find time come see me at Annies Home at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
Thanks, Angie! I’m following you back! 🙂
Sounds and looks VERY yummy!
Thanks for linking up!
Eclair and cake together? What more can a girl ask for! This is such a beautiful cake and I’m sure it tastes just as wonderful!
New follower from WEDS Hop. I couldn’t believe it when I saw this recipe on your blog. My mother has been making this for 40 + years & her mother used to make it to…small world. Bringing back lots of great memories. I love your blog. Looking forward to trying some new recipes.
Thanks
Michele
http://www.musings-by-michele.com
Thanks for the kind words, Michele! This is really a great recipe — I’m so glad it was shared with me at my shower! I’m now following you too! 🙂