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Smooth + rich Cream Puff Cake is a take on the popular cream puff dessert. Drizzle it in chocolate for a perfect bite!

If you love desserts like Cream Puffs and Eclairs, then you’ll love this cake version. Cream Puff Cake is like one giant cream puff in cake form!

A slice of cream puff cake drizzled in chocolate sauce.

Cream Puff DESSERT

This Cream Puff Cake is an ALL-TIME favorite dessert!!

I have my mom make it for my birthday each year, because it’s my favorite, and I’ll tell you why I LOVE it so much. It’s because it’s like a GIANT Cream Puff, and I LOVE Cream Puffs!!

If you like them too, then I promise you will love this Cream Puff Cake Recipe. It’s the perfect combination of crust, cream, and pudding, and I think I could eat it all day long.

How to Make Cream Puff Cake

This Cream Puff dessert is easier to make than you’d think. The crust is the hardest part and that’s not very hard either – it just takes getting used to.

PREP. Prepare a 9×13 ceramic or glass baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

CRUST. Boil the margarine and water in a medium saucepan. Add flour and mix well. Remove from heat and add eggs – ONE AT A TIME (this is important). Mix well and spread the dough into a greased 9×13 dish.

Bake the crust at 400° for 30 minutes. The crust will puff up the sides, which is what you want. Let cool.

FILLING. In a large bowl, mix pudding, milk, and cream cheese. beat until lumps disappear. Pour the pudding mixture into the cream puff crust. Top with Whipped Cream and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Before serving, drizzle with chocolate syrup. We love to drizzle it with our homemade Chocolate Fudge Sauce. You can also top it with a chocolate ganache or sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top.

RECIPE Tips

Pudding. Use INSTANT vanilla pudding or white chocolate, or it won’t set. Only use the pudding powder. Do not make it into pudding.

Room temperature ingredients. The butter, cream cheese, and eggs all need to be at room temperature so that they mix together smoothly.

Pastry. Cool the pastry crust completely before adding the filling or the cream will melt and not set. A hot shell will also get soggy more quickly. 

Toppings. Add berries to the top of the slices of cake. Use the homemade Chocolate Fudge Sauce to create a pretty design on the top of the cake.

Homemade Whipped Cream

Make your own Whipped Cream using 2 cups heavy whipping cream, 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.

  • Chill your metal mixing bowl then add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to the bowl.
  • Use an electric mixer and whip on low speed then increase to medium-high. Mix until soft peaks form.

Use Cool Whip instead of Whipped Cream. Cool Whip is an easy substitute for whipped cream. Make whatever is best for you and be sure to still have some homemade Chocolate Fudge Sauce on hand to drizzle over it – you won’t regret it!

Storing Info

Make ahead of time. Up until you add the Whipped Cream, this can be covered and placed in the fridge up to 24 hours in advance. If you don’t want to mess up the whipped cream with Saran Wrap, just leave that off until right before serving.

STORE. Covered and stored in the fridge, this Cream Puff Cake can last up to 5 days. Keep it refrigerated when not being eaten because the dairy products need to stay cool.

A slice of cream puff cake drizzled with chocolate syrup.

For more Cake recipes:

More Collections: New Years Eve Desserts,

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4.99 from 152 votes

Cream Puff Cake Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
Smooth + rich Cream Puff Cake is a take on the popular cream puff dessert. Drizzle it in chocolate for a perfect bite!
Servings: 12
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 35 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup butter, or margarine
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 box instant vanilla or white chocolate pudding (large box)
  • 3 cups milk
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 8 oz whipped cream
  • chocolate syrup
Save This Recipe!
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Instructions 

  • Prepare a 9×13 ceramic or glass baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Boil the margarine and water in a medium saucepan. Add flour and mix well. Remove from heat and add eggs – ONE AT A TIME (this is important).
  • Mix well and spread the dough into a greased 9×13 dish.
  • Bake the crust at 400° for 30 minutes. The crust will puff up the sides, which is what you want. Let cool.
  • In a large bowl, mix pudding, milk, and cream cheese. beat until lumps disappear. Pour the pudding mixture into the cream puff crust. Top with Whipped Cream and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
  • Before serving, drizzle with chocolate syrup. We love to drizzle it with our homemade Chocolate Fudge Sauce. You can also top it with a chocolate ganache or sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 307kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 95mg, Sodium: 250mg, Potassium: 169mg, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 900IU, Calcium: 119mg, Iron: 0.8mg

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

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
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Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Recipe Rating




276 Comments

  1. Henriette Lockwood says:

    4 stars
    My family and friends love my cream puffs I’m just want to see what else I can do with the shell part of it and this sound awesome I will have try it thanks

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      If they love cream puffs, then they will like this 🙂 I hope you try it & they love it!!

  2. Sue Laue says:

    I’ve made similar crust for a Danish Puff recipe I make, but I use butter not margarine. I assume that would be fine for this recipe also.

    1. Sue Laue says:

      Sorry, I missed the other comments about using butter. I’m going to make this for my daughter’s birthday. It looks super yummy.

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        NO worries 🙂 I hope she likes it!!

  3. Jeanne says:

    Can butter be used instead of margarine?

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Yes 🙂 Hope you try it & like it!!

  4. Linda Gehrett says:

    What happens if you use real butter?

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Yes, of course 🙂 Enjoy!

  5. Mary says:

    I love all y’all recipes there are so delicious

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Awe, thank you so much!! I am so glad you do 🙂

  6. Kathy says:

    Can’t wait to try your recipes!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Awe, thank you!! I can’t wait for you to try them!!

  7. valerie says:

    5 stars
    Thank you for this quick and wonderful addition to my arsenal of treats !!!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      LOL..you are so welcome!! Glad I could help 😉

  8. Charlotte Batzer says:

    I am interested in recipes for diet reasons. Your recipes look so darn good.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Awe, thank you so much! Let me know what you think of ones you try!

  9. Angela Turdo says:

    5 stars
    I love your recipes, Would like to see more.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Thank you so much. I hope you keep stopping by!!

  10. Jeanne Bruenderman says:

    Look forward to trying cream puff cake. So excited that it’s not a Graham cracker crust. The pastry crust must be awesome. Genius. Thanks.
    Jeanne

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      It is my favorite!!! I hope you like it!! It’s our go-to cake!