Cream Puff Cake

1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
8 ounces cream cheese -- softened
4 cups cold milk
3 sm. packages Instant Vanilla pudding and pie filling
1 pint whipped cream -- OR cool whip
chocolate syrup -- optional
cherry pie filling -- optional

In a saucepan, melt butter in water. Add flour all at once and stir until a ball forms. Remove from heat. Put into a bowl and beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Spread mixture flat in a 9 X 13 pan. Bake at 400° for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool.

Mix cream cheese in electric mixer until smooth, slowly add milk and beat until smooth.( don't worry if there's small lumps) Add instant pudding mix, one package at a time, mixing well. Spread over the cooled shell. Top with whipped cream (I use cool whip) and chill thoroughly. Just before serving, drizzle chocolate syrup over the top.

Note: I like to put a layer of cherry pie filling between the pudding and the whipped topping. I like to put the filling in the food processor and pulse 2 or three times to break up the cherries. It spreads better and the cherries are more evenly distributed. I always use sugar free pudding and cool whip, so it's not as fattening that way.