Crepe Cake With Pastry Cream and Raspberries
Beautiful in its elegant simplicity, this crepe cake is the perfect dessert when you want something unique but not complicated. Don’t you think it would be perfect for a romantic dinner with your sweetheart?
Multiple, delicate layers of crepes, with creamy and luscious pastry cream, it’s the ultimate marriage of flavors and textures. You can do most of the work ahead of time and can spend your Valentine’s day focusing on making yourself look pretty (or handsome), having a relaxing, easy going day, and indulging in a delicious dinner that you DIDN’T slave over.
My husband will take this cake over a traditional one any day, and I tend to agree. We love simple desserts and this one looks like a million bucks to boot. Can’t go wrong with this, I tell you.
Ingredients:
Crepes:
2 cups milk
3/4 cup water
4 eggs
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon butter or oil, to grease the skillet for the crepes
2 batches of Pastry Cream
1 pint raspberries, to garnish the cake
powdered sugar, to sprinkle on top of the raspberries
chocolate shavings, to garnish the cake, optional
Instructions:
I would recommend making the Pastry Cream ahead of time, but it can be done either way.
Make the crepe batter by mixing all the ingredients in a blender – the milk, water, eggs, butter, sugar, vanilla, salt and flour.
Chill the crepe batter at least for 1 hour. I usually make it the night before I’m planning to make the crepes. If you make the batter and the pastry cream the day before, assembling this cake will be a cinch.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Brush with a little bit of butter or oil, using a paper towel to distribute an even amount over the skillet. When the skillet is hot, pour in some crepe batter (a little bit more than half of a 1/4 measuring cup for an 8 inch skillet) and tilt the skillet, distributing the batter evenly over the surface of the skillet.
Flip the crepe over when the edges are slightly dry, about 1 min on the first side and 30 seconds on the second side.
Repeat with all the batter, putting the crepes on a round dinner plate and covering with aluminum foil while you’re cooking the next crepe, to prevent the crepes from drying around the edges. You should have 30-32 crepes, if you’re using an 8 or 9 inch skillet.
Assemble the cake by placing a crepe on a plate or cake stand. Scoop out about 1/4 cup of the pastry cream and spread it out all over the surface of the crepe.
Repeat with all the crepes and pastry cream.
Instead of using Pastry Cream, you can also make this a “Nalistniki Cake”, by using a farmer’s cheese mixture. I’m sure it would taste DELICIOUS. Another option is to whip up some heavy cream and fold it into condensed milk. Yet another option is to use a Cream Cheese frosting. The possibilities are endless.
Chill the cake for at least an hour, since the pastry cream needs to set. You won’t be able to cut the cake right away, since it will be too wobbly and unsteady.
Garnish with fresh raspberries or any other berries, fruit, chocolate shavings and sprinkle on some powdered sugar.
- 2 cups milk
- ¾ cup water
- 4 eggs
- 6 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon butter or oil, to grease the skillet for the crepes
- 2 batches of Pastry Cream
- 1 pint raspberries, to garnish the cake
- powdered sugar, to sprinkle on top of the raspberries
- chocolate shavings, to garnish the cake, optional
- I would recommend making the Pastry Cream ahead of time, but it can be done either way.
- Make the crepe batter by mixing all the ingredients in a blender. Chill the crepe batter at least for 1 hour. I usually make it the night before I'm planning to make the crepes. If you make the batter and the pastry cream the day before, assembling this cake will be a cinch.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Brush with a little bit of butter or oil, using a paper towel to distribute an even amount over the skillet. When the skillet is hot, pour in some crepe batter (a little bit more than half of a ¼ measuring cup for an 8 inch skillet) and tilt the skillet, distributing the batter evenly over the surface of the skillet.
- Flip the crepe over when the edges are slightly dry, about 1 min on the first side and 30 seconds on the second side.
- Repeat with all the batter, putting the crepes on a round dinner plate and covering with aluminum foil while you’re cooking the next crepe, to prevent the crepes from drying around the edges. You should have 30-32 crepes, if you're using an 8 or 9 inch skillet.
- Cool the crepes. Assemble the cake by placing a crepe on a plate or cake stand. Scoop out about ¼ cup of the pastry cream and spread it out all over the surface of the crepe. Repeat with all the crepes and pastry cream. Chill the cake for at least an hour, since the pastry cream needs to set. You won't be able to cut the cake right away, since it will be too wobbly and unsteady. Garnish with fresh raspberries or any other berries, fruit, chocolate shavings and sprinkle on some powdered sugar.
katy b
Your cake looks so perfect! I made this cake a few weeks ago but it was more dome shaped, and I made it with cream cheese/sour cream frosting. It was still delicious!
olgak7
I’ve used cream cheese/sour cream frosting before and it tastes delicious too, Katy. I try to spread out the frosting evenly on each level, because it will be harder to correct once you have many layers. You can put more frosting around the edges than in the center; that will usually help too.
Aurelia
I absolutely love this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing it, I’ll try it out (and I know my Mom will love this too) 🙂
olgak7
Awesome! Enjoy:).
malvina
Thanks Olga! I am making this beauty right now!!!!!!!!!! thanks for the idea it will be perfect for tomorrow:)
olgak7
That’s great, Malvina. I hope you enjoyed the Crepe Cake.
Oksana
I’ve made a crepe cake before, also using the custard, but from a different recipe. Someone told me to look up the prices on crepe cakes, and they are through the roof! And here, for just a few bucks and not much work, we can have it right in our kitchen. Nutella is an awesome filling, but it’s too rich. Do you think your nutella cupcake frosting will work for this?
olgak7
I think that sounds delicious, Oksana. That frosting should work really well here. Let me know how it turns out if you try it.
Natasha
This looks so good that I squeeked of excitement when I saw it!! Definitely making this! Today!!!
olgak7
Yay! Mission accomplished:). I hope you enjoy it, Natasha.
Julia
Wow… so beautiful! If I haven’t already bought ingredients for a Valentine’s day cake, I would be making this one! I guess I’ll wait for the next special occasion.. hubby’s birthday next month 🙂 Really, it’s stunning!!!
olgak7
Thank you, Julia. It’s such a simple but delicious dessert. We really enjoyed it.
Inna
I knew I had to make this the second I saw it!! It turned out delicious the only problem I had was that the cream was a little runny and the cake was difficult to eat without it falling apart. I did the wooden spoon test on the cream and it didn’t run together on the spoon. It’s absolutely delicious though, I’m hoping it will get firmer after sitting in the fridge over night. Thanks!!
olgak7
Every stove and saucepan is different. You probably needed to cook it longer, Inna. It does get firmer in the refrigerator. I hope it works out for you, Inna.
Mimi @ Culinary Couture
I have always wanted to make a crepe cake! This one looks so gorgeous!
olgak7
Thanks, Mimi. I hope you enjoy this one.
Julia @Vikalinka
Just adore the look of this crepe cake! So delicate and gorgeous! I pinned it for the future as soon as I saw it on Pinterest yesterday. I’ve been really enjoying your photography lately, Olya. 🙂
olgak7
Thanks, Julia! I’m so happy to hear that. We’ve been trying to do better with our photography and are so excited when it works:). Our secret is natural lighting. It’s a bummer when it’s not sunny, but it helps that we live in the “Sunshine State”.
Julia @Vikalinka
Sunshine is a lot harder to come by for us living in London. 🙂 Most days are as grey as they can be. Winter months are a torture for me when it comes to photography! I can’t wait for longer days and at least a bit of sunlight.
olgak7
I can imagine! Wow. I’m definitely thankful for our sunny Florida.
Valentin Goncharenko
Wow wow wow wow wow!!! That looks absolutely intense!! So looking forward to making this cake with my wife!! Olga and Serge your photos are unparalleled!! You guys are just taking such great photos! Love the lighting the colors! Such terrific shots!!
olgak7
Thank you, Valentin! That means a lot to me. Thanks for the encouragement:).
Dina
it looks beautiful. i had one of these from lady m. they are lovely!
olgak7
Thanks, Dina:).
Diana
Amazing recipe! Just made this but I did a homemade raspberry jam on every 5th crepe and it was delicious! This ones definitely a keeper ☺️ Thanks!
olgak7
Yum! That sounds delicious, Diana.
Lynna
I`ve been thinking I`ll make this for awhile now, but never had the occasion! I must find an excuse. I love how pretty it turns out!
Becky
I made this last week and it didn’t turn out nearly as beautiful as yours – it tasted fantastic, but we lovingly called the cake a “cake pile”, as it did not stay stacked. My pastry cream didn’t set up but it looked just like yours so I’m not sure what went wrong. Oh well. Like I said, it was absolutely delicious. And it made for a memorable b-day for my sister. : )
suzie
Is it ok if we use the crepe maker instead of cooking them on the skillet? and will i still have to chill the mix in the fridge?
olgak7
I’ve never used a crepe maker, so I can’t say for sure. However, I would recommend chilling the batter anyway. Resting the batter allows the flour to be better absorbed into the liquid and also helps the crepes to be thin and delicate instead of chewy.
Deborah Pucci
Looks absolutely delicious!
Jong Belegen Kaas
hi,i love how u make your crepe cakes, simple and elegant. beautiful site.
olgak7
Thanks:).
Joanna
Can I assemble this the day before?
olgak7
Absolutely, Joanna! I actually prefer to make most cakes the day before I plan to serve it. It should be just fine for a few days, as long as it’s covered tightly.
Amy
I was just wondering how long this crepe cake can last for in the fridge?
olgak7
It should be just fine for a few days, as long as it’s covered tightly. I don’t usually like to keep any dessert longer than 3 days, but that’s just my preference.
Irina
Absolutely delicious, it was a huge hit at our Easter dinner party. However, I would recommend assembling this cake the day you are planning on serving it, as mine got a little soggy around the edges the next day. But that wasn’t a big deal, just a small imperfection that’s all.
olgak7
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Irina!
Mine lasted in the refrigerator for 3 days and didn’t get soggy, though. Maybe you used more pastry cream than I did? I’m not sure what the reason is.
Stacey
Hi Olga,
This crepe cake looks delicious! I have referenced it in my blog post about the Chocolate Ganache Crepe Cake I made for my husband’s birthday. This is one of the next recipes that I am going to try because it looks lovely.
olgak7
A chocolate crepe cake sounds heavenly. Yum! I will have to try it out too. Happy birthday to your husband!
Julia
My crepes were awful. They would get dark brown on the outside without cooking all the way through. The batter wouldn’t spread when I poured it in the pan and I had to use more than 1/4 cup per crepe. They were too thick and somehow soggy. I don’t know what I did wrong.
olgak7
I’m sorry to hear that the crepes didn’t work out for you, Julia. Was your skillet hot enough? I find that the batter doesn’t spread properly if the skillet is not hot enough. If you had to use more than 1/4 cup, maybe your skillet is bigger? Mine is 10 inches. Unfortunately, since I’m not in the kitchen with you as you’re cooking, it’s hard for me to say what went wrong. Crepes are tricky to make, though. I hope you don’t give up on them:).
Anna Babiyets
Olga, I love your site, you’re amazing, I have on crepe cake, can I make it and put it over night in fridge would be still good? Thanks let me know please.
olgak7
Yes, it should still be good, Anna. That’s what I did.
kelly
May i pls know what is half and half in the pastry cream? I have trying to find out and couldnt get it 🙂 thanks
olgak7
“Half and half refers to various beverages or liquid foods made of an equal-parts mixture of two substances. In the United States, the dairy product half and half is a mixture of one part milk and one part cream.” Wikipedia
Julie
Such a beautifully elegant dessert! Thank you for posting the recipe!
Naomi
OMG,this is such an amazing plus elegant dessert!
I fell in love with this crepe cake when I first see the picture lol
Good job,Olga,keep up your work,I’m so in love with your website now hehe (^_^)
(sorry for my bad English lol because English is not my first language ><)
olgak7
Thank you for the kind words, Naomi:). I’m so glad that you are enjoying my website.
Marina
This is the cake my nana made for special occasions like birthdays and christmas. I have been looking through my diaries for the recipe but gave up when I saw you had it on your site. Thanks so much our chaplain is making it for international day at her church.
Regards, thanks and kind wishes
Marina
olgak7
That’s great, Marina! I hope you enjoy the crepe cake and it will bring back those warm memories again.
deepu
Hi its look so yummy u mentioned flour,which flour pls tel clearly.i am eager to do this
olgak7
All purpose flour.
If I use any other type of flour, I specify what kind, otherwise, all purpose flour is the one in every other recipe.
Lillie
Wow.
Janna
This was delicious! Thank you for the recipe! I learned a trick from my mom, if you take melted butter and brush it on the edges lightly, they won’t dry out or crack and will be super moist ;))
olgak7
Thanks for the tip, Janna.
Another tip is to cover the plate with crepes with aluminum foil, which works great too. I like the lacy look that the crisp edges give to the cake, so that’s why I left them this way, but in other crepe recipes, I like to keep them covered while I’m cooking them which keeps them nice and soft even around the edges:).
Marcie
I was thrilled when I found this recipe for dessert on Easter but sadly it did not turn out as lovely as yours. My cream, which I made following your recipe to a T, was perfect in the bowl but as soon as I began applying it to the cool crepes it began to run. I measured out less than a 1/4 cup for each layer but after the fifth it turned into the leaning tower. I tried refrigerating it before the next layer and it seemed to make the sliding/runniness worse. I’m not sure how it’s going to look come dinner but at least it tastes delicious! Your advice is gladly welcomed. Happy Easter!
Masha
Thank you for the great recipe! Have you tried assembling this cake the day before you serve it? I’m wondering if it will taste better or worse the day after assembly. I have made Medovik before, and I know that usually is an overnight cake, as it tastes better the second day.
Thank you!
Inna
Hi,
Can I ignore the corn starch?
olgak7
If you would rather not use the cornstarch, use this recipe instead: https://www.olgasflavorfactory.com/breakfast/apple-blueberry-crepes/
Cornstarch is an important ingredient in this recipe.
angie
Thank you so much for this recipe. I always wanted to make this cake. I love it!
olgak7
You’re welcome, Angie. Enjoy:).
ann
I must say when i saw this cake from your post, i thought it looked amazing. Very beautiful cake and crepes turned out amazing with slight taste of vanilla. Sorry to say that the custard cream was not good tasting. It tasted eggy. I followed recipe to the T. The cake took long time to make and unfortunately was not worth it in my opinion. I just didnt get this thick custard eggy taste of the cream. I will keep the recipe for the crepes though…. crepes on their own were great. Sorry but overall cake i must rate 3.5 out of 10. 🙁 i wish i liked it more. Its was beautiful though. Thanks. Just wanted to be honest.
ann
Correction: pastry cream not custard cream.
Tina Basu
This is so cool, I love the idea of a crepe cake! I will have to give it a try soon.