Amazing Cream Puff Cake

Picture a cream puff stretched across a 9 by 13 pan and you have this crowd-pleaser. The base is real choux pastry made from scratch: water and butter come to a boil, flour is beaten in until the dough pulls into a ball, then eggs go in one at a time to build that signature puff.

Spread thin and baked hot, the crust rises into a craggy, hollow layer just like a cream puff. Once it has cooled completely, a filling of vanilla pudding beaten with cream cheese gets spread over the top, richer and more stable than pudding alone.

Whipped topping goes on after the pudding sets, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup finishes each square. It tastes like an eclair, feeds a crowd, and comes together with no fussy piping at all.

Chef Tips

• Beat the flour into the boiling butter mixture until it forms a smooth ball and films the pan; that dries the dough so it puffs properly.
• Add the eggs one at a time and beat fully between each, or the choux won’t rise.
• Cool the crust completely before adding the filling, or trapped steam turns the base soggy.
• Hold off on the chocolate drizzle until just before serving, so it stays glossy on top instead of soaking in.

Variations

• Use chocolate or banana pudding in place of vanilla.
• Drizzle with caramel or hot fudge instead of chocolate syrup.
• Scatter sliced almonds or toffee bits over the whipped topping.