Imagine a cake with 12 layers but no need to be baked. A cake filled with pastry cream that doesn’t need any fancy piping. It’s Instagram-worthy and easy to make in less than an hour. It’s possible to make this cake! The crepe Cake is here!
Crepes sometimes make an appearance at dessert. You might sprinkle them with confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and chocolate-hazelnut spread. These are delicious and not to be missed. But, they’re only the beginning of the possibilities that crepes have.
Let’s make these delicate French-style pancakes into a rich, decadent cake. It will not need to be baked and can be made ahead of time.
Anatomy of crepe cakes
Two basic ingredients are required to make crepe cakes: filling and crepes.
You can mix and match recipes to create a completely new cake, or you can follow our recipe for Chocolate Crepe Cake to make a stunning final product.
You can make approximately 18 to 20 medium (8″) crepes with only 3 cups of filling if you go the “choose-your-own-adventure” route. This will ensure that your cake is tall enough to be generously filled.
Filling: Think ahead
Before you make crepes, do yourself a favor by thinking about the filling. Think about the flavor profile that you want — fruity? Vanilla-infused? Chocolatey? Nutty? Is the filling going to complement or contrast the crepes?
Any thick, spreadable and delicious filling can be used: frosting lemon curd jam or my personal favorite: pie cream.
You have a variety of flavor options if you choose to make pastry cream. You can use any of these variations (butterscotch or citrus, pistachio and many more! You can find the baking tips in our Pastry Cream recipe. You can also make the vanilla version as described in the recipe. Once it has chilled, add a flavoring addition such as fruit puree, liqueur or, in my case, chocolate hazelnut spread.
No matter what flavor you choose, use a thicker version of pastry cream to give your crepes more body and stability. Here’s how:
- Use our Pastry Cream recipe to increase the cornstarch to 1/3 cup (39g), and leave out the optional 1 cup (227g), of whipped cream.
- For a quick and easy recipe, try our Quick-and–Easy Pastry cream Mix. Increase the mix to 1 3/4 cups (198g), for a stiffer consistency.
Regardless of which route you choose, make sure to prepare the filling first and let it chill for at least an hour before you begin making crepes.
Crepes with flavored ingredients
You can certainly make plain crepes but you don’t have to limit yourself to this simple approach. You can jazz them up with your favorite extract, citrus zest (grated) or cocoa powder (because chocolate is the ultimate dessert delicacy).
Here’s how to make chocolate crepes:
- 1 3/4 cups (210g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (21g) unsweetened chocolate, Dutch-process or natural
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (340g) milk, at room temperature
- 8 tablespoons (113g), unsalted butter, melted
*To make it gluten-free, use the Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. Make sure that all other ingredients are gluten free, if necessary.
Combine the flour, salt and cocoa powder. This recipe will work with Dutch-process or natural chocolate powder. Dutch-process will produce a more bittersweet, pure flavor.
Next, add the eggs, milk and melted butter. It is easier to incorporate the wet ingredients into dry ingredients by starting with room-temperature eggs and milk.
Continue whisking the batter until it is smooth. Because of the high level of hydration, you don’t need to overmix it. The batter will rest before being cooked.
To remove lumps from the batter, use a strainer to pour it into a bowl. After that, let it rest at room temperature for 30 min. This allows the batter to thicken slightly, and the gluten to relax, resulting in more tender crepes.
Cooking takes time
Now is the best time to grab your crepe pan. You don’t need one? You can use any nonstick 8- to 10-inch skillet.
Heat the crepe pan according to the manufacturer’s instructions at the end of the rest. For skillets, heat the skillet on medium-low for a few moments. To get even coverage, melt a little butter in a pan.
Make a couple of test crepes by pouring 1/4 cup batter into a pan and swirling it around until you get an 8-inch circle. You can add some milk to thin the batter until it is pourable. It should be thinner than traditional pancake batter.
Turn down heat if the crepes are not setting evenly.
Cook the remaining crepes once you’ve achieved the correct batter consistency and the right pan temperature. Let the crepes cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes or until you have used up all of the batter. Once they are cooled, you can stack them.
When the crepes cool, you can add any finishing touches to your filling.
Personalize your pastry cream
You can now flavor your pastry cream with jam, nut butter or chocolate-hazelnut spread if you have not done so already. This will make your crepe cakes pop with flavor.
Begin with two cups (510g), of pastry cream, and 3/4 cup of the flavor you choose (jam, spreads, etc.). Heat the ingredient in the microwave for 20 seconds, until it becomes soft and pourable. Add it to the chilled pastry crème.
Mix the pastry cream until smooth.
Once you have your main ingredients, you can start building your crepe cakes!
You can stack it!
Start by stacking three crepes onto a plate. Start with three separate crepes. This will create a solid base that will support your cake when it is sliced.
Spread about 2 tablespoons of the filling over the top of the crepe. Leave about 1/2″ border unfinished. This task is best done with an offset spatula. Place another crepe on top.
Layer one crepe with 2 tablespoons of filling each time until you run out. For added stability, layer 2 to 3 crepes depending on how many you have and how thick your filling is.
Finish by placing three layers of crepes on the top. Wrap the entire cake in plastic wrap or other reusable wrap. To spread the filling evenly, press down gently on the top of the cake. To remove excess filling from between layers, you can use a bowl or a spatula or smooth it along the sides like you would decorate naked cakes.
Refrigerator magic
The cake should be kept in the refrigerator for at least one hour, or even overnight. It’s hard to wait to eat your delicious crepe cake. The pastry cream helps the crepes become moister and more cake-like as they chill. The cake sets and becomes more firm, which makes it easier to cut and enjoy.
Make sure to remove the cake from the refrigerator before serving. Garnish it with any garnishes you wish. Simple garnishes of confectioners’ sugar and berries look fresh and elegant.
