Hi all,

Maybe I don't really know what bavarian cream is... I wanted to find a creamy pudding-like vanilla filling for a cake, so I made the Vanilla Bavarian Cream recipe from The Cake Bible. Well, it turned out entirely like a custard. I went ahead and filled the cake with it anyway and the flavor was yummy, but the consistency was kind of spongy.

Any thoughts? Maybe it is pastry cream that I was thinking of? Do you have a recipe for a creamy, puddingy vanilla filling?

Thanks!
patti

Homemade cooked cornstarch pudding recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Homemade-Vanilla-Pudding/Detail.aspx

HTH

I use Martha Stewart's Pastry Cream recipe from her website. It's very yummy and once you get the hang of it, it is actually pretty easy to do. I make it at least once a week, so I'm used to it now. I remember being flustered by it initially tho'.

If what you want is vanilla pudding, why not just use vanilla pudding?

Pastry Cream is the filling in an eclair or cream puff. Is that what you're thinking of?

Theresa

Bavarian cream is like that.. it holds its shape due to the gelatin in it. I'm thinking you are wanting a pastry cream. Teh flavor is almost the same, but the texture is different... I use pastry cream in cakes all the time and to fill eclairs and to fill my mouth...

... I use pastry cream in cakes all the time and to fill eclairs and to fill my mouth... [/quote]

LOL...you're too funny!

There is a variation of buttercream which we use in Czech and Slovak republic - you cook double strength vanilla pudding, let it cool, cream a stick of butter with sugar (make buttercream) and mix tablespoon for tablespoon the pudding into the buttercream.
You have to be careful - both need the same temperature or it will separate.
Pastry cream here are the same ingredients but you give only butter into the hot vanilla pudding. You get different texture, but you can use both as filling in the cake and even for piping.

I have cupcakes decorated with pastry cream in my gallery - http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1324709

Thanks for these replies! I think pastry cream was what I was aiming for. Basically, I want a yummy, creamy filling for a cake and this sounds like it would be one. Thanks again for clarifying!
patti