This Heaven on Earth cake is a delightful dessert that will take you to eternal bliss.
It’s cool, creamy, and lighter than air.
This must-try dessert is- without exaggeration- heaven on earth. If you’ve never had this cake before, you must try it!
I hear the angels singing as I dig in, one bite after another.
The layers of angel food cake, custard, cherry pie, and whipped cream are delicious.
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 my go-to cake when I 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 flawless. You’ll easily fool anyone into thinking you made it from scratch.
Ingredients
- Angel Food Cake – The base of the dessert. Angel food cake is ultra-light. 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 Vanilla Pudding – The custard that makes the cake rich and creamy.
- Milk – Use whole or 2% milk for the best results.
- Greek Yogurt – Adds a little tang, and lots of creaminess!
- 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 an element of crunch. It’s optional, but I highly recommend it. Cherries and almonds make such a delicious pair!
Tips for the Best Cake
- Try a different cake flavor! 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.
- Or, try a different filling. If you’re not a fan of cherry pie, use blueberry, strawberry, or raspberry filling instead. Apple or peach compote tastes great, too.
- Don’t love vanilla? No problem! You also have infinite options when it comes to the pudding mix. Try cheesecake, chocolate, or lemon. Feel free to mix and match.
- Make your own whipped cream! Beat whipping cream with a bit of sugar until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes.
- Make the cake in advance. It needs (minimum) 3 hours in the fridge for the cake to set and the flavors to mingle.
- Don’t have a 9×13 pan? Fear not! Other sized pans can work, too. You will have to adjust the ingredients accordingly.
- 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.
- Toast your almonds for extra nuttiness. Toasting for 1-2 minutes will enhance their flavor, making the almonds even tastier.
- Make it for adults-only! Soak the cake cubes in wine, Irish cream, or sherry. Boozy cakes are much more fun to eat.
Can You Freeze Heaven on Earth Cake?
I do not recommend freezing leftovers because of all the creamy fillings. The consistency will be off once thawed.
However, you can freeze angel food cake. Let it thaw before you use it. Save the creamy bits until you want to assemble the cake.
Just remember that the assembled cake needs at least 3 hours in the fridge to set.
What Exactly is This Dessert?
Heaven on Earth cake is a luscious dessert with angel food cake, pudding, cherry pie filling, and whipped cream.
As it rests in the fridge, all of the ingredients and flavors mingle. This results in a moist, creamy, and incredibly delicious dessert.
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. Therefore, it requires little to no effort.
That’s what’s amazing about this dessert. Even if you use premade ingredients, it’s so insanely delicious 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
kcalThis heaven on earth cake is cool, creamy, and lighter than air! Learn how to make this delicious cherry and almond cake, plus get tips for the best result.
Ingredients
1 (14 ounce) angel food cake (or 2 (10 ounce) loaves)
1 (3.4-oz) pack instant vanilla pudding mix
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup 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!
WOW! DOUBLE WOW!
The first time I made this cake, I followed the directions exactly, and it was amazing and disappeared almost instantly.
The second time, I went back to my beginnings as a cook and used two homemade angel food cakes and two “Cook and Serve” vanilla pudding packages, reducing the milk by one cup or five cups total. When the pudding was fully cooked and about half cool, I whipped in about one teaspoon of almond extract and about a 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste before adding the yogurt.
I didn’t have any regular vanilla or plain Greek yogurt, but I did have a few personal size serving cups of cherry Greek yogurt with fruit on the bottom, so I used two of those. I assembled as directed then topped with REAL homemade, Chantilly whipped cream, and the last of the cherry pie filling.
Oh, I was out of regular cherry pie filling, but I had dark cherry pie filling and used that. I am not a fan of nuts in or with my food, so I used a touch of toasted coconut to garnish the top.
This was for a potluck, and it was the first to disappear. Thank goodness I had made a small two-serving container just for the hubby and me to share the next day. Hubby just asked if I would make it again for our Father’s Day cook-out. You bet I will, Honey.
Oh, I am thinking that another time I may go back to Grandmother’s roots and make the pudding from scratch as well. I know making the cooked pudding and the homemade Chantilly cream is more work, but boy did it kick it up a notch. The original is awesome, but the bumped-up version is Double Awesome!
Please be more specific about the angel food cakes. 1-2 isn’t helpful unless you specify the total weight, size or number of cups of cubed cake.
Hi Laurie!
I’ve clarified this in the recipe.
You’ll need 1 (14 ounce) angel food cake.
Or you can use 2 (10 ounce) loaves if you prefer more cake than topping 🙂
Can Strawberry pie filling be substituted for the cherry pie filling?
Hi Jane! You can absolutely use strawberry pie filling instead on cherry. It sounds like a tasty swap! What a great idea. I’ll have to give it a try next time
Great recipe! Halfway through, I found that I was out of instant pudding! So I had to learn how to make some, lol! Looking forward to desert tonight and know it will be good 🙂