Strawberry Cream Puff Cake

Cream Puff Base:
5 TBS Butter
2/3 Cup Water
1 TBS sugar
2/3 cup flour
3 eggs

Cream Cheese Mixture
4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 TSP Vanilla
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2/3 Cup Powedered Sugar

For the cream puff layer, preheat the oven to 375. Bring the butter, water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucpan. 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-inc springform pan (I used a circle cake pan and it worked fine.) 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 the pastry with a tooth pick 10-15 times. Return to the oven and bake 5-10 minutesmore 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.

Top with fresh sliced strawberries mixed with sugar.

I tried this recipe on a Sunday so I didn't have any heavy whipping cream. I made a slight variation that turned out more like frosting. It was very good but very rich. I later made this topping for pancakes with strawberries and it was DELICIOUS. I'm excited to try this recipe again with the correct topping. I love the idea and it's a very easy and fast and pretty cake recipe!! I recommend it for sure!

Thanks to Mel's Kitchen Cafe