Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Gesine’s Chocolate and Strawberry Cream Puff Cake Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 130 reviews
  • Author: Isabella
  • Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes (including chilling and freezing)
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Gesine’s Chocolate and Strawberry Cream Puff Cake is a decadent layered dessert combining a tender chocolate cake base, rich chocolate and strawberry pastry cream fillings, and delicate mini cream puffs. Fresh strawberries line the sides, and a glossy chocolate ganache coat completes this elegant, show-stopping cake perfect for special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

  • 1 batch batter from King Arthur’s Original Cake Pan Cake
  • Lightly greased 8” round springform pan

Chocolate Filling

  • 1 2/3 cups (283g) chopped chocolate for ganache
  • 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 over 2 tablespoons (28g) cold water

Strawberry Filling

  • 1/4 cup (85g) strawberry jam
  • 1 cup (227g) freshly prepared Pastry Cream, still warm

Cake Assembly

  • 8 to 10 Easy Mini Cream Puffs
  • 2 cups (454g) heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks
  • 14 large fresh strawberries (12 strawberries trimmed and halved lengthwise, 2 strawberries trimmed and sliced horizontally for decoration)
  • 1 1/2 cups (306g) Chocolate Ganache, chilled

Instructions

  1. Bake the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8” round springform pan. Prepare the cake batter as directed, pour into pan, and bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with few moist crumbs. Cool for 10 minutes, loosen pan sides, and leave the cake in the pan to cool completely.
  2. Prepare Cake Base: Once cooled, remove springform ring. Trim the top of the cake to level it (3/4” tall). Replace the ring, cover, and freeze while preparing fillings.
  3. Make Chocolate Filling: Prepare ganache using 1 2/3 cups chopped chocolate. Place 1 cup warm ganache in a bowl, stir in 2 cups warm pastry cream. Gently dissolve softened gelatin in microwave at 40% power in 10-second intervals, swirl until liquid. Add gelatin liquid to ganache mixture and combine thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap touching surface to avoid skin. Refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
  4. Make Strawberry Filling: In a bowl, stir 1/4 cup strawberry jam with 1 cup warm pastry cream. Cover with plastic wrap touching surface. Refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
  5. Prepare Strawberries for Cake Sides: Trim tops of 12 strawberries, cut in half lengthwise. Remove cake from freezer. Line sides of pan inside ring with strawberry halves, alternating points up and down, cut side facing out flat against pan ring.
  6. Prepare Mini Cream Puffs: Make a hole in bottom of 8 to 10 puffs large enough to fit a Bismarck piping tip. Use pastry bag with Bismarck tip to fill each puff fully with strawberry filling until heavy. Arrange filled puffs in circle on top of chocolate cake layer.
  7. Assemble Chocolate Layer: Gently whisk cooled chocolate pastry cream to loosen, fold in whipped heavy cream. Spoon or pipe chocolate filling around and on top of cake and puffs, coating puffs fully. Avoid filling oozing between strawberries and pan. Level surface flush with pan top using offset spatula.
  8. Freeze Cake: Cover and freeze cake until completely set, at least 2 hours or overnight.
  9. Finish Cake with Ganache: Reheat 1 cup chilled ganache over hot water bath gently. Spoon evenly over cake top with offset spatula. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small open writing tip with remaining 1/2 cup ganache and pipe decorative circles around cake perimeter.
  10. Decorate with Strawberries: Trim and slice remaining 2 strawberries horizontally into circles. Arrange attractively atop the ganache.
  11. Remove Springform Ring: Gently heat sides of pan with blow dryer or warm damp towel to loosen. Carefully release ring.
  12. Chill and Serve: Refrigerate cake several hours to thaw before serving. Use a hot water-dipped sharp knife to cut clean slices.
  13. Storage: Wrap leftovers well and refrigerate up to a couple of days.

Notes

  • Ensure gelatin is fully dissolved before adding to filling to avoid lumps.
  • Keep fillings covered with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent skin formation.
  • If mini puffs are not readily available, you can make basic choux pastry mini puffs separately.
  • Freeze cake thoroughly before ganache application for cleaner finishes.
  • For clean cake slices, dip knife in hot water and wipe between cuts.
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Chocolate cake, strawberry cream puff cake, cream puffs, chocolate ganache, layered cake, pastry cream, strawberry dessert

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Find it online: https://isabellavance.com/gesines-chocolate-and-strawberry-cream-puff-cake-recipe/