Karpatka Cake Recipe — Polish Cream Puff Cake That Tastes Like a Giant Éclair! (Easy Recipe)

Learn how to make Karpatka, a classic Polish cream puff cake with light, airy choux pastry and the silkiest custard cream. This cake tastes just like a giant éclair — but it’s much easier to make at home! Soft, creamy, and beautifully rustic, Karpatka gets its name from the Carpathian Mountains, thanks to its wavy, golden pastry peaks. A big thank you to my sponsors for supporting this channel and helping me share more baking recipes with you! 💛 INGREDIENTS (22 cm / 8.5-inch cake) For the Pastry Layers: 70 g water 70 g milk 60 g butter ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp sugar 100 g all-purpose flour 3 eggs (room temperature) For the Custard Cream: 500 g milk 1 tsp vanilla extract pinch of salt 2 eggs 160 g sugar 40 g cornstarch 150 g butter (very soft,) For Topping: Powdered sugar (for dusting) TIPS FOR PERFECT KARPATKA My cake rings: https://amzn.to/42a86wF Glass bowls: https://amzn.to/424rgE6 ✔️ Butter + Custard MUST be the same temperature This is the #1 secret to smooth cream. If one is colder, the mixture can separate. ✔️ Poke tiny holes in the bottom layer This helps the cream settle and keeps the cake moist. ✔️ Fill the deep waves Add a little cream into the deeper “mountain” areas so the top layer sits nicely. 🛠️ Troubleshooting: If Your Cream Separates If your custard cream looks grainy, curdled, or split - don’t worry! It’s very common with Karpatka. Here’s how to fix it: Warm the bowl slightly Place the mixing bowl over a pot of warm (not hot) water for 5–10 seconds, just to soften the butter. Then beat again - it usually comes back together smoothly. If it still looks a little split, don’t worry — once chilled inside the cake, it will still set beautifully. 0:00 – Intro 0:47 – Making the Custard 2:17 – Cooling the Custard 2:38 – Making the Éclair Dough 3:33 – Adding the Eggs 4:17 – Preparing & Baking the Layers 5:32 – Finishing the Cream 6:51 – Assembling the Cake