This layered crepe cake recipe is as beautiful as it is tasty and takes less than an hour to make. A crepe cake is such a delicately light treat to enjoy for breakfast or lunch that is layered with wafer thing crepes and filled with a vanilla cream cheese frosting.
Contents
🌟 Why this recipe works
If you love crepes and cream cheese frosting, you're gonna absolutely love this decedent crepe cake! Created in France, crepe cakes (also known as mille crepe cake or gâteau de crêpes) became very popular around the world because they're super easy to make and extremely delicious.
Cream crepe cakes are amazing! The layers-upon-layers of wafer-thin crepes and cream filling make them one of the most decadent and delightful desserts. Plus, the ingredients are minimal, which makes them an inexpensive treat to make for special occasions or everyday baking.
With basic pantry ingredients, like flour, milk, eggs, butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and condensed milk - you can make a delicious crepe cake without worrying about special trips to the grocery store!
The secret to making the perfect crepes lies in the crepe batter, and this recipe produces the perfect batter that is neither runny nor too thick for creating the most amazing crepes. And once they're stacked with cream filling, your crepes will hold up perfectly and look like a work of art!
For more delicious cake recipes to impress your guests, try our delicious spiced pumpkin roll cake, hummingbird cake, and sock it to me cake.
🍽 Key Ingredients
All you need to make this layered crepe cake is basic pantry ingredients.
For the Crepes:
Liquid - Water and milk are combined to create the perfect crepe batter.
Eggs - Eggs act as a binding agent and help give the crepes more structure.
Butter - Melted butter gives the crepes a rich flavor and helps them become more tender.
Flour - All-purpose flour is used to make the crepe batter.
Sugar - Granulated sugar helps sweeten the crepes.
Salt - Salt adds a hint of flavor and helps balance out the sweetness of the cake.
For the Frosting:
Butter - Unsalted butter makes up the base of frosting and helps give it a light, creamy texture.
Sweetened Condensed Milk - This milky sweet ingredient helps to thicken the frosting.
Cream Cheese - Softened cream cheese gives the frosting a delicious flavor and creamy texture.
Vanilla Extract - To give the cream cheese frosting a lovely vanilla flavor, you'll need a few drops of vanilla extract.
Substitutions
Whole Milk
If you don't have 2% milk on hand, feel free to substitute it with whole milk.
Almond Flour
For a gluten-free option, try substituting all-purpose flour with almond flour.
Mascarpone cheese
You can substitute the cream cheese for mascarpone cheese or heavy cream.
🔪 How to make crepe cake
Crepe cakes are perfect for special occasions and everyday baking because they're so easy to make! With just a few simple steps, you can be well on your way to creating a delicious cake that is sure to impress. Here's how it's done!
Preparations
Step 1
Add all of the crepe ingredients to a blender a blend for 1 minute until smooth and well combined.
Step 2
Set your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat the butter and condensed milk for around 5 to 7 minutes on high. The mixture should be pale in color and look like whipped cream.
Step 3
Add the cream cheese slowly while beating on medium-high speed until no lumps remain, then add the vanilla and continue to beat for 3 minutes. Store the pastry cream mixture in the fridge while making crepes.
Step 4
Set a large nonstick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat with a small amount of butter (just enough to grease the pan).
Cooking instructions
Step 1
Once the pan is hot, ladle a small amount of crepe batter into the hot skillet while swirling the batter around the skillet to completely cover the bottom in a thin layer.
Step 2
Cook the crepes for 30-40 seconds before flipping them over. Repeat this step with the remaining batter.
Tip: Transfer the cooked crepes to a plate to let them cool before assembling the cream crepe cake.
Step 4
To make the crepe layer cake, place 1 cooled crepe on a serving plate or cake stand and spread 3 tablespoons of cream filling evenly on top.
Tip: Repeat this step for the remaining crepes and cream filling.
Step 5
Once it's assembled, place the crepe cake in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours to help the frosting firm up.
Step 6
Slice and serve with fresh berries on top and a dusting of powdered sugar.
💭 Cooking tips
Keep the crepes thin
To help keep the crepes consistently thin, use a measuring jug/cup to measure out the same amount of batter before pouring it into the pan.
Resting the crepe batter
Let the crepe batter rest for 20 minutes before making crepes. This will help the gluten in the flour relax, resulting in a softer crepe.
Greasing the pan
When sautéing the crepes, make sure to use a tiny dot of butter before each batch so they don’t stick and can be easily flipped. Too much butter will cause them to become greasy.
Room-temperature dairy products
To ensure a smooth, lump-free frosting, make sure to use softened cream cheese and butter that has been left out on the counter to soften. Cold dairy products will not mix together well.
📖 Recipe Variations
Crepe cakes are perfect for adventuring with flavor variations - you can add chocolate, nuts, fruit, and more. Here are a few suggestions to try at home:
Chocolate crepe cake with chocolate ganache
For pure chocolate indulgence, substitute ¼ cup of flour for cocoa powder in the crepe recipe. Once you have cooked and stacked the chocolate crepes with the cream cheese frosting, pour the chocolate ganache over the top.
To make the ganache, melt 2 cups of chocolate chips with 1 cup of heavy cream in the microwave, stir it and let it cool slightly before pouring over the crepe cake.
Coffee-flavored crepe cake
To add a hint of coffee flavor to the crepe cake, add 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder to the cream filling with the vanilla.
Strawberry crepe cake
For a fruity take on this classic recipe, fold 1 cup of chopped fresh strawberries into the cream cheese frosting before assembling the cake. Garnish the top of the cake with a thin layer of frosting and place sliced strawberries on top.
🥗 What to serve with
A crepe cake is a thing of beauty once it is sliced with those thin layers stacked high with sweet cream filling in between, and it can be served with a variety of syrups and sweet ideas.
- One of the best things to serve with a slice of crepe cake is ice cream! Especially in summer - it's the perfect combo.
- If you're looking for something more healthy and fresh, a mixture of fresh fruits like banana, mango, pineapple, or berries goes great with crepes.
- When it comes to syrups, the world is your oyster. Maple syrup, strawberry syrup, caramel sauce, or chocolate gravy are great options.
🙋 Frequently asked questions
Why are my crepes sticking to the pan?
You may not have used enough butter when sautéing the crepes. Make sure to use a tiny dot of butter before each batch to ensure that the crepes don’t stick and can be easily flipped.
Can I make the crepe batter ahead?
Yes, you can make the batter ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 1 day. Stir it before using, as the flour may have settled at the bottom.
My crepes keep breaking before flipping them. What can I do?
If your crepes keep breaking, make sure you are leaving the crepes to cook long enough before moving them around in the hot skillet. Crepes need to completely cook on the bottom before they can be moved around and flipped over.
🧊 Storing and ♨️ reheating
If you have leftover crepe cake, you can easily store and enjoy a slice over the next few days.
Fridge - Cover the crepe cake with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer - It is difficult to store a crepe cake in a freezer because of its size. However, you can freeze the cooked crepes and filling separately by placing the crepes in a freezer bag with parchment paper in between each crepe and freezing the filling in an airtight container.
Thaw overnight in the fridge before assembling. You will need to whisk the whipped filling to a spreadable consistency again.
🍳 More Cake Recipes
If you enjoy making crepes, here are a few more of my favorite cake recipes. And if you're looking for more try my collection of 37 fun things to bake.
👪 Serving size
This crepe cake recipe can be sliced into 12 servings. Since the cake has 16 layers, it is quite tall and will give you a generous serving per slice.
Whether you're looking for a classic recipe or want to mix things up with a fruity twist, crepes make a delicious and impressive dessert option. With just a few simple ingredients and easy steps, you can make your own beautiful crepe cake that will be sure to impress your guests.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Try one of my comfort dinner recipes for your next family meal! And if you have any questions, I'm here to help!
📋 Recipe
Absolutely Delicious Crepe Cake
Ingredients
For the Crepes (makes 15 layers):
- ½ cup Warm water
- 1 cup 2% Milk
- 4 large Eggs
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter - melted, plus more to sauté
- 1 cup All-purpose flour - *measured correctly
- 2 tablespoons Granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
For the Crepe Cake Frosting:
- 1 cup Unsalted butter - softened at room temp, (16 Tbsp)
- 12 ounces Sweetened condensed milk - (from a 14 oz can)
- 8 ounces Cream cheese - softened at room temp
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
Instructions
Preparations
- Add all of the crepe ingredients to a blender a blend for 1 minute until smooth and well combined.
- Set your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat the butter and condensed milk for around 5 to 7 minutes on high. The mixture should be pale in color and look like whipped cream.
- Add the cream cheese slowly while beating on medium-high speed until no lumps remain, then add the vanilla and continue to beat for 3 minutes. Store the pastry cream mixture in the fridge while making crepes.
- Set a large nonstick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat with a small amount of butter (just enough to grease the pan).
Cooking instructions
- Once the pan is hot, ladle a small amount of crepe batter into the hot skillet while swirling the batter around the skillet to completely cover the bottom in a thin layer. Cook the crepes for 30-40 seconds before flipping them over. Repeat this step with the remaining batter.
- Transfer the cooked crepes to a plate to let them cool before assembling the cream crepe cake.
- To make the crepe layer cake, place 1 cooled crepe on a serving plate or cake stand and spread 3 tablespoons of cream filling evenly on top. Repeat this step for the remaining crepes and cream filling.
- Once it's assembled, place the crepe cake in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours to help the frosting firm up.
- Slice and serve with fresh berries on top and a dusting of powdered sugar.
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