This heaven on earth cake is a delightful dessert that will take you to eternal bliss.
It’s cool, creamy, and lighter than air.
If you’ve never heard of or had this cake before, now is the time to give it a whirl! This must-try dessert is – without exaggeration – heaven on earth.
I hear the angels from above singing as I dig in, one bite after another.
The layers of angel food cake, custard, cherry pie, and whipped cream are truly a work of art.
If none of those things are enough to convince you, I’m sure this one will.
Heaven on earth cake is so easy to make! You won’t even need the oven.
Heaven on Earth Cake
Heaven on earth cake is one of my go-to cakes when I’m required to bring something to a party.
No matter where I take it, it’s always a certified hit.
With its layers of cake, pudding, cherry pie, cream, and almonds, how can it not be? Each simple element creates a perfect harmony of flavors and textures.
Even though the elements are all store-bought, the combination is so flawless, you’ll easily fool anyone into thinking you it from scratch.
Ingredients
- Angel Food Cake – The base of the dessert. Angel food cake is ultra-light, and eating it makes you feel as if you’re floating on air. You can use either a boxed mix or store-bought cake. You can also make the cake from scratch if you’re up to the task.
- Instant Pudding Mix – The custard that makes the cake rich and creamy. Pudding is mixed with milk and Greek yogurt to achieve that smooth and silky consistency.
- Cherry Pie Filling – The sweet and fruity contrast to the creamy pudding. Its red hue against the white cake and whipped cream look stunning, too!
- Whipped Cream – You’ll use the good-old Cool Whip to finish off this dessert, but you can also make whip up your own whipped cream.
- Almonds – For that element of crunch. It’s optional, but I highly recommend it. Cherries and almonds make such a delicious pair!
Tips for the Best Cake
- Traditional heaven on earth cake has angel food cake at the base, but you’re free to use other cakes, too. Lemon cake, chocolate cake, yellow cake, or even pound cake all work. I even tried it with brownies, and it was sensational.
- Just like the cake, you can also swap out the filling. If you’re not a fan of cherry pie, use blueberry, strawberry, raspberry instead. Apple or peach compote tastes great, too.
- You also have infinite options when it comes to the pudding mix. You can’t go wrong with vanilla, but other flavors such as cheesecake, chocolate, and lemon are interesting choices, too. Feel free to mix and match.
- The recipe calls for store-bought frozen whipped cream, but you can also make your own. Simply beat whipping cream with a bit of sugar until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes.
- Make the cake in advance. It needs at least 3 hours in the fridge for the cake to set and absorb the flavors from the pudding and filling.
- You’ll need a 9×13-inch baking pan for this cake, but other sizes will work, too. Just adjust the ingredients accordingly.
- You can also turn this cake into a trifle. Display all those beautiful layers in a large trifle glass! Or, assemble the layers in glasses or mason jars. It makes for a charming, Instagram-worthy presentation.
- Can you freeze angel food cake with creamy custard? I do not recommend freezing leftovers because of all the creamy fillings. The consistency will be off once thawed.
- If using almonds, be sure to toast beforehand! Toasting for 1-2 minutes will enhance their flavor, making the almonds even nuttier and tastier.
- If serving this dessert solely to adults, soak the cake cubes in wine or sherry. It adds a bit of a kick and let’s be honest, boozy cakes are much more fun to eat.
What Exactly is This Dessert?
Heaven on earth cake is a cool, light, and creamy dessert with angel food cake, pudding, cherry pie filling, and whipped cream.
As it rests in the fridge, the light and airy cake absorbs the flavors from the pudding and cherry filling.
Some say it’s a trifle, others, an icebox cake. However you want to call it, though, one thing is certain: it truly is heavenly.
The saying, “great things require time and effort,” does not apply to this cake.
Sure, it calls for five components (six, if you’re adding almonds), but each of them is store-bought, thus requiring little to no effort.
That’s what’s amazing about this dessert. Even if you use boxed or canned ingredients, it’s so insanely delicious that no one will be able to tell.
How To Serve The Cake
You won’t need a knife! Simply scoop the cake on plates with a large serving spoon. You can end there or garnish it with fresh fruits and berries.
More Light Cake Recipes to Try
Key Lime Cake
Do Nothing Cake
Pineapple Angel Food Cake
Heaven on Earth Cake
12
servings20
minutes338
kcalIngredients
1 to 2 store-bought or homemade angel food cakes
1 (3.4-oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/2 cups 1 1/2 milk
1 cup 1 Greek yogurt
1 (21-oz)can cherry pie filling, divided
1 (8-oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Toasted almond slivers for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Slice the angel food cake into bite-sized chunks.
- In a large bowl, stir the pudding mix and cold milk until combined. Gently mix in the Greek yogurt until well-blended.
- Layer half of the cake slices into a 9×13-inch baking dish or a trifle pan. Top with 2/3 of the cherry pie filling.
- Top with the remaining cake slices. Spread the pudding-yogurt mixture evenly over the cake.
- Spoon the thawed whipped topping over and spread evenly. Top with the remaining cherry pie filling and sprinkle with almonds if using.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours before serving. Enjoy!
