Awhile back, while we were visiting some relatives, my sister in law pulled a scrap of paper out of her purse and said, You need to copy this recipe down.

I am sure most of you, like me, would follow that instruction without any further enticing. You know recipes that are shared in that manner have got to be top notch. Those are the recipes that have been potluck tested, mom reviewed and church lady approved.

I finally got around to trying this recipe and I will tell you, it was delicious, but quite unusual.  My family loves donuts, especially the cream filled varieties. The name of this recipe promised to be a crowd pleaser.

The ingredients were easy enough to locate; in fact, I had most of them on hand already. The instructions appeared simple to complete. Then I read the steps again, and thought, What in the heck? I had never made a cake like this before.

Ingredients

1 stick (8 TB) margarine
1 c water
1 c flour
4 eggs
3 c milk
8 oz cream cheese
2 boxes (4 oz) vanilla pudding
1 tub (8 oz) whipped cream topping
Chocolate syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place margarine and water in a small pan on stove top. Bring to boil until margarine is melted and well mixed with water. Place in a glass mixing bowl, add 1 cup flour and stir to mix completely. Separately add all four eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each egg with a fork.
Lightly spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking oil. Spread out dough mixture in pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes then lower temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for an additional 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted to cake comes out clean. The cake will look very bumpy or wavy and should be a light brown color. Cool completely, the bumps will go down.

In a mixing bowl, combine milk, instant vanilla pudding and cream cheese. Beat for 2 minutes or until smooth. Spread on top of cake. Chill in refrigerator for 10 minutes and top with whipped cream topping. Drizzle with the chocolate syrup just before serving.

Approximate Nutrition Information:Servings Per Recipe: 12, Amount Per Serving: Calories: 313, Fat: 17g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 366g, Total Carbs: 32g, Protein: 7g.

Make it a Meal: Obviously, this is a dessert. The name includes the word “cake”. This isn’t a recipe that qualifies as a meal, unless you want to serve it for supper on a really hot, humid day. Then all bets are off. I say, go for it!

Variations: You could substitute other flavors of pudding instead of vanilla. Some fresh fruit diced over the top of this dessert would be a nice touch.

 

The cake layer of this recipe is one of the most bizarre I have ever made. As you mix the eggs into the batter, the dough that forms seems clumpy and overly sticky. I was skeptical. Then as it bakes, the cake rises high and nearly over flows the pan. I will admit, I thought for a moment I might have an oven disaster on my hands!

Amazingly, when the cake cools, it really does collapse into the pan, leaving a nice edge around the outside of the pan to hold the creamy filling in place.

One taste of this dessert and you will know why it is named Cream Puff Cake it tastes just like the cream filled pastry! I will be putting this recipe into the rotation for the menu, it was a big hit with my family.

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