Introduction

Gesine’s Chocolate and Strawberry Cream Puff Cake is a stunning dessert that combines rich chocolate, fresh strawberries, and delicate cream puffs. It’s perfect for special occasions or when you want to impress with a beautiful, flavorful cake.

Gesine’s Chocolate and Strawberry Cream Puff Cake Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients

1 batch batter from King Arthur’s Original Cake Pan Cake
8 to 10 Easy Mini Puffs
1 cup (204g) freshly prepared Chocolate Ganache, still warm
2 cups (454g) freshly prepared Pastry Cream, still warm
1/4-ounce (7g) packet plain gelatin, softened by sprinkling over 2 tablespoons (28g) cold water
2 cups (454g) heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks
1/4 cup (85g) strawberry jam
1 cup (227g) freshly prepared Pastry Cream, still warm
14 large fresh strawberries
1 1/2 cups (306g) Chocolate Ganache, chilled

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease an 8” round springform pan. Prepare the cake batter as instructed and pour it into the pan.
Step 2: Bake the cake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven, place on a rack, and after 10 minutes, loosen the sides of the pan. Leave the cake in the springform to cool.
Step 3: Once cool, remove the ring, trim the cake top to level it to about 3/4” tall, replace the ring, cover the cake, and freeze while preparing fillings.
Step 4: For the chocolate filling, prepare ganache using 1 2/3 cups chopped chocolate. Put 1 cup warm ganache in a bowl and stir in 2 cups warm pastry cream.
Step 5: Gently dissolve the softened gelatin by microwaving at 40% power in 10-second intervals until liquid. Add this to the ganache and pastry cream mixture, stirring well. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
Step 6: For the strawberry filling, mix strawberry jam with 1 cup warm pastry cream in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
Step 7: Trim the tops off 12 strawberries and cut them lengthwise in half. Remove the cake from freezer, line the pan sides with the strawberries, alternating point up and down, cut side facing out.
Step 8: Make a small hole in the bottom of each mini puff to fit a Bismarck piping tip. Prepare enough puffs to form a circle inside the cake pan.
Step 9: Fill a pastry bag fitted with a Bismarck tip with strawberry filling. Fill each puff completely until heavy, and arrange them in a circle on the chocolate cake.
Step 10: Gently whisk the cooled chocolate pastry cream to loosen it, then fold in the whipped cream.
Step 11: Spoon or pipe the chocolate filling around and on top of the cake and filled puffs, ensuring the tops of puffs are fully coated. Avoid filling oozing between strawberries and the pan wall.
Step 12: Level the chocolate filling flush with the springform top using an offset spatula. Freeze the cake covered until set, at least 2 hours or overnight.
Step 13: Reheat 1 cup chilled ganache gently over a hot water bath. Spread evenly over the cake with an offset spatula.
Step 14: Fill a pastry bag with the remaining 1/2 cup ganache fitted with a small writing tip. Pipe circles around the cake perimeter.
Step 15: Trim the remaining 2 strawberries tops and slice horizontally into circles. Decorate the top of the cake with the strawberry slices.
Step 16: Warm the sides of the springform gently with a blow dryer or warm towel and carefully release the ring. Refrigerate the cake to thaw before serving. Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water for clean slices.
Step 17: Store leftovers well wrapped in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Tips & Variations

Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor and visual appeal.
If you don’t have a Bismarck tip, a small round piping tip can work to fill the mini puffs.
For extra shine on strawberries, brush them lightly with warmed apricot jam before arranging.
Make the cake a day ahead to allow flavors to develop fully and to simplify serving.

Storage

Store the cake well wrapped in the refrigerator for up to two days. Before serving, allow it to come to a slightly chilled temperature for the best texture. Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water between cuts for clean slices. This cake is not recommended for freezing once fully assembled.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use store-bought pastry cream and ganache?

Yes, you can substitute homemade with good quality store-bought pastry cream and ganache to simplify the process, but freshly made versions offer better flavor and texture.

How do I make the mini puffs?

Mini puffs are made from choux pastry baked into small rounds. You can find recipes online or purchase ready-made mini cream puffs from specialty stores for convenience.

Gesine’s Chocolate and Strawberry Cream Puff Cake Recipe

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4.4 from 121 reviews

Gesine’s Chocolate and Strawberry Cream Puff Cake is an elegant layered dessert that combines a tender cake base with luscious chocolate and strawberry fillings, surrounded by fresh strawberries and filled mini cream puffs. This show-stopping cake is finished with a smooth ganache glaze and decorative fresh strawberries, perfect for special occasions or indulgent gatherings.

Author: Lena
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes (including chilling and freezing times)
Yield: 12 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

1 batch batter from King Arthur’s Original Cake Pan Cake
8 to 10 Easy Mini Puffs

Chocolate Ganache

1 2/3 cups (283g) chopped chocolate
1 cup (204g) freshly prepared Chocolate Ganache, still warm
1 1/2 cups (306g) Chocolate Ganache, chilled

Pastry Cream

2 cups (454g) freshly prepared Pastry Cream, still warm
1 cup (227g) freshly prepared Pastry Cream, still warm

Gelatin

1/4-ounce (7g) packet plain gelatin, softened by sprinkling over 2 tablespoons (28g) cold water

Whipped Cream

2 cups (454g) heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks

Strawberries and Jam

1/4 cup (85g) strawberry jam
14 large fresh strawberries

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Cake Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch round springform pan to prevent sticking.
Bake the Cake: Prepare the cake batter as per King Arthur’s original cake pan cake instructions and pour it into the greased pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes before loosening sides and cooling completely in the pan.
Trim and Freeze Cake: Once fully cool, remove the springform ring. Trim the top to level the cake to 3/4-inch height. Replace the ring, cover, and freeze while making fillings.
Prepare Chocolate Filling: Make chocolate ganache using 1 2/3 cups chopped chocolate. Place 1 cup warm ganache in a bowl, stir in 2 cups warm pastry cream.
Add Gelatin: Dissolve softened gelatin by microwaving gently at low power in 10-second intervals until liquid. Stir gelatin into chocolate ganache and pastry cream mixture thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap touching surface and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
Prepare Strawberry Filling: In a bowl, mix strawberry jam with 1 cup warm pastry cream. Cover with plastic wrap touching surface and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Prepare Strawberries: Trim tops and leaves off 12 strawberries and cut them lengthwise in halves. Remove cake from freezer and line the inside of the cake pan sides with strawberries cut side facing out, alternating their direction.
Prepare Mini Cream Puffs: Make a hole in the bottom of 8 to 10 puffs large enough for a Bismarck piping tip.
Fill the Mini Puffs: Transfer strawberry filling to a pastry bag with Bismarck tip, then fill each puff until heavy and fully filled. Arrange the puffs in a circle on top of the chocolate cake layer.
Combine Chocolate Filling: Gently whisk the cooled chocolate pastry cream to loosen, then fold in whipped heavy cream for a light mousse texture.
Assemble Cake Layers: Spoon or pipe chocolate filling over the cake and filled cream puffs, coating tops of puffs entirely. Avoid filling seeping between strawberries and pan sides.
Freeze Cake: Smooth the surface of the chocolate filling flush with pan rim using an offset spatula. Cover and freeze the cake for at least 2 hours or overnight until set.
Glaze With Ganache: Gently reheat 1 cup chilled ganache over a hot water bath until pourable. Spread evenly over the frozen cake surface with an offset spatula.
Decorate With Piped Ganache: Put remaining 1/2 cup ganache into a pastry bag fitted with a small open writing tip; pipe decorative circles around the cake perimeter.
Top With Strawberry Slices: Trim tops of remaining 2 strawberries, slice horizontally into circles, and arrange decoratively on the cake top.
Remove Springform and Chill: Warm sides of the springform gently with a blow dryer or damp warm towel to release. Refrigerate for a few hours to thaw before serving. Cut with sharp knife dipped in hot water between slices for clean cuts.
Store Leftovers: Wrap leftovers well and refrigerate for up to 2 days.