Strawberry Cream Puff Cake

It's been a "puttering and putzing" kind of day.  I've been working on various projects in my craft room, learning the software for my new Silhouette Cameo machine and new laptop (geez, is Microsoft 8.1 throwing me for a loop!), doing some household chores. My Hubby is on a Harley trip so I'm not doing much in the kitchen.  Instead I invited myself to dinner at my parents' house. I'm not a total slouch as I did bring dessert!

This dessert combines a cream puff base, a cream cheese-whipped cream filling and fresh strawberries. It's very easy to make which was just perfect on this rather lazy day.

Strawberry Cream Puff Cake

2 cups or one carton of strawberries, sliced

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

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 over beat. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan (I used a 9-inch pie pan).

 

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 (sift if necessary) 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 (I added a little sugar to mine, like the glaze it produces). Keep in the fridge until serving.