Strawberry Crepe Cake That Holds Together: Feather-Light Crepes, Silky Cream, and a Berry in Every Layer
Twenty feather-light crepes stacked with vanilla diplomat cream and strawberries in every layer. Assemble it a day ahead; the long chill turns the stack into a cake that cuts clean.
Equipment
- Blender or Large Bowl and Whisk
- 8- or 9-Inch Nonstick Skillet
- Medium saucepan
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Offset spatula
- Serving Plate or Cake Board
- Plastic wrap
Ingredients
For the Crepe Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk (from the 3 1/2 cups total)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- as needed unsalted butter or neutral oil for the pan
For the Pastry Cream
- 2 cups whole milk (from the 3 1/2 cups total)
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or seeds from 1 vanilla bean)
For the Diplomat Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Strawberry Layers
- 2 lbs fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For Finishing
- as needed powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Make the pastry cream: In a medium saucepan, warm 2 cups of the milk with half the sugar and the vanilla until steaming. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and the cornstarch until thick and pale. Stream the hot milk into the yolks while whisking, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the whisk leaves a visible trail and the cream bubbles for 30 seconds. Stir in the butter, strain into a clean bowl, press plastic wrap onto the surface, and chill completely.
- Blend the crepe batter: Put the flour, remaining milk (1 1/2 cups), eggs, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt, melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a blender. Blend 20 seconds, scrape the sides, then blend 10 more. Cover and rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
- Cook the crepes: Heat a nonstick skillet over medium and brush with butter or oil. Pour in a scant 1/4 cup of batter, swirl to coat the bottom thinly, and pour back any excess. Cook 60 to 90 seconds until the edges lift, flip, and cook 20 to 30 seconds more. Repeat to make 18 to 20 crepes, then cool completely before assembly.
- Whip and fold: In a cold bowl, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the fully chilled pastry cream in three additions.
- Prepare the strawberries: Hull and slice the berries about 1/8 inch thick. Toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and let sit 10 to 15 minutes. Pour off the released juice and reserve it separately.
- Assemble: Set one crepe on the serving plate, brush with strawberry juice, spread about 2 tablespoons cream, and scatter 3 to 4 strawberry slices on top. Repeat, pressing down gently every few layers, until all crepes are used. Save the prettiest crepe for the top and tidy the edges with an offset spatula.
- Chill: Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. The long chill is what makes the cake cut cleanly.
- Finish and serve: Dust the top with powdered sugar and add fanned strawberry slices or drizzle the reserved juice over each slice. Cut with a serrated knife in one smooth glide, wiping the blade clean between cuts.
Notes
Make-ahead: assemble the cake a day before you plan to serve it. The overnight chill softens the crepes and lets the cream set, so the first cut comes out clean. The assembled cake keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge, loosely covered.
Storage: leftover crepes freeze for up to 2 months with parchment between layers; do not freeze the assembled cake because the cream weeps and the berries turn mushy.
Swaps: for gluten-free crepes, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and add 30 minutes to the batter rest. For dairy-free, use oat milk and plant-based butter in the crepes and swap the pastry cream for coconut cream whipped with powdered sugar; expect a faint coconut note.