🍰 Polish Cream Cake (Karpatka / Creamy Custard Cake)
Polish cream cake, commonly called Karpatka, is a traditional Polish dessert made with two layers of light choux pastry filled with rich vanilla custard cream and topped with powdered sugar. The bumpy pastry surface resembles the Carpathian Mountains, which is how it got its name.
🧾 Ingredients
For the pastry layers
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- ½ cup (115 g) butter
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ tsp salt
For the vanilla custard cream
- 3 cups (720 ml) milk
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- ½ cup (60 g) cornstarch
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp butter
Topping
- Powdered sugar for dusting
🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Prepare the Choux Pastry
- Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).
- In a saucepan, heat water, butter, and salt until boiling.
- Add flour all at once and stir quickly until the dough forms a ball.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth.
2️⃣ Bake the Layers
- Divide dough into two portions.
- Spread each portion on a lined baking tray or pan.
- Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and puffed.
- Let both layers cool completely.
3️⃣ Make the Custard Cream
- In a bowl mix cornstarch, egg yolks, sugar, and ½ cup milk.
- Heat remaining milk in a saucepan until hot.
- Slowly whisk the egg mixture into the hot milk.
- Cook while stirring until thick and creamy.
- Remove from heat, add vanilla and butter, and cool.
4️⃣ Assemble the Cake
- Place one pastry layer on a tray.
- Spread the custard cream evenly over it.
- Place the second pastry layer on top.
- Refrigerate 1–2 hours so the filling sets.
5️⃣ Finish
Dust the top generously with powdered sugar before serving.
✅ Tips
- Chill well before slicing so the custard holds shape.
- Use a serrated knife to cut through the crispy top layer.
- Some versions add whipped cream to the custard for extra lightness.
If you want, I can also show you another famous Polish dessert called “Napoleonka” (Polish Pope’s Cream Cake) which is similar but made with puff pastry and vanilla cream.