Strawberry Cream Puff Cake

Strawberries and cream puffs? Um, yes! I really enjoyed making this cake I found over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Maybe because it was something I had never made before, or because I knew both my husband and I would love it, or because it just sounded so fresh and light and summery. And it was, all of the above.


I love how the baked shell puffs out and has so much texture. And the cream cheese filling is so light and creamy. Top it with strawberries and you are sure to impress anyone! It's a beautiful cake, and really pretty easy to make. Next time I make it, I may have to try a combination of different berries. Yum!


Strawberry Cream Puff Cake
from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
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Cream Puff Base
5 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
2/3 cup flour
3 eggs

Cream Cheese Mixture
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar

2 cups strawberries
1 tsp sugar

For the cream puff layer, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring the butter, water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the flour all at once and stir quickly until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the mixture until smooth. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until the mixture is shiny with a satiny sheen. Don’t overbeat.

Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan (or a 9-inch circle cake pan if you don't have a springform). Using an offset spatula, spread the mixture on the bottom and one inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and prick pastry with a toothpick 10-12 times. Return to the oven and bake 5-10 minutes more until golden brown but not overbaked (you can insert a toothpick into the center and if it comes out with sticky dough, it still needs longer in the oven). Cool completely.

For the cream cheese mixture, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat with the cream cheese until mixture is smooth and light. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread onto the cooled cream puff shell.

Mix sliced strawberries with sugar, and place on top of the cake.