How to Make Raspberry Crêpe Cake

Oh la la, this beautiful Raspberry Crêpe Cake! Elsa Goldman, our senior content producer, spent the better part of a sunny afternoon in the studio making it, but she wants you to know that it can be broken down into steps that you can do ahead — and in fact, that’s just how she’s written the recipe for you. You absolutely CAN do this!

And oh my, it’s worth every minute you put into it. She’s layered the fluffy crêpes with raspberry coulis and raspberry diplomat cream, so the cake is light as a cloud and super refreshing. It’s like a bite of summer. And when you slice into it, seeing all those thin, thin layers is a bit thrilling — but not half as thrilling as the first bite.

Serves: 8 to 10

Special equipment: Immersion blender, stand mixer, paddle attachment, whisk attachment, small paint brush, empty egg carton

Crêpes

Yield: 20

Ingredients
6 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 cups whole milk
½ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
Kosher salt
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour

Directions

  1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter foams and turns golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  2. Pour the milk into the pot and whisk to combine. Heat until steaming, about 5 minutes. Transfer the milk and butter to a large bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
  3. Using an immersion blender, blend the milk while slowly pouring in the sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Blend to combine, 20 seconds.
  4. While blending, slowly pour in the beaten eggs until combined, 15 seconds. Add the flour in 2 additions, blending until just combined, 15 seconds.
  5. Strain the batter through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Chill in the refrigerator until cold, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Immersion blend immediately before cooking.
  6. To cook the crêpes: Heat a medium non-stick pan over medium heat. Spray with cooking oil.
  7. Scoop ¼ cup of batter into the pan, swirling the pan to evenly coat the bottom. Cook until light golden brown on the bottom, about 1 minute. Loosen the edges with a small rubber spatula, lift the crêpe, and carefully flip it over. Cook for 1 minute more, or until the bottom is just set.
  8. Transfer the crêpe to a large plate. Repeat step 7 with the remaining crêpe batter, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the crêpes golden brown. Stack the cooked crêpes on top of one another.
  9. Let the crêpes cool completely. Cooked and cooled crêpes can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before assembling the cake.

Pastry Cream

Yield: 2 ½ cups

Ingredients
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ⅔ cup whole milk
¼ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
6 egg yolks
3 Tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp Chambord liqueur
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold, diced

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, prepare an ice bath. Rest a similar size bowl in the ice bath, and line it with a mesh sieve. Set aside.
  2. In a medium sauce pot, whisk together the sugar, milk, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until steaming, about 7 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch until thick, smooth, and slightly lighter in color. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg yolks, while whisking constantly, until combined. Return the custard to the pot.
  4. Place the pot over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the custard begins to thicken, 4 to 5 minutes. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute more, continuing to whisk vigorously, until it reaches the consistency of pudding. Immediately strain the custard into the bowl over ice.
  5. Add the vanilla, Chambord, and butter, and immersion blend until well combined and silky smooth. Place plastic wrap flush against the pastry cream, and let cool to room temperature, 30 minutes.
  6. Transfer the custard to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to make the diplomat cream. The pastry cream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before assembling the cake.

Raspberry Coulis

Yield: about 1 ¼ cups

Ingredients
1 gelatin sheet
3 pints raspberries
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

  1. To bloom the gelatin, fill a small bowl with ice water. Submerge the gelatin sheet in the water and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
  2. In a small sauce pot, combine the raspberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
  3. In the pot, blend the raspberries with an immersion blender until smooth. Strain the coulis through a mesh sieve and into a small bowl.
  4. Immediately transfer ⅔ cup of the hot coulis to a second small bowl. Remove the gelatin from the water and gently squeeze it to remove excess water. Stir the gelatin into the ⅔ cup of coulis until dissolved.
  5. Note: This stabilized coulis will be used in the crêpe cake layers. Reserve the remaining, unstabilized coulis for the diplomat cream.
  6. Cover and chill the coulis in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or for up to 2 days before assembling the cake.

Diplomat Cream

Ingredients
2 ½ gelatin sheets
Remaining raspberry coulis (about ¾ cups)
2 ½ cups pastry cream (1 recipe)
4 drops red food coloring (optional)
¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp heavy cream, cold

Directions

  1. Note: Make the diplomat cream the same day you assemble the cake.
  2. To bloom the gelatin, fill a small bowl with ice water. Submerge the gelatin sheets in the water and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
  3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the pastry cream on medium speed to loosen it, 30 seconds.
  4. Heat the reserved raspberry coulis in a microwave safe bowl in 15 seconds intervals until hot.
  5. Remove the gelatin from the water and gently squeeze it to remove excess water. Stir the gelatin into the hot coulis until dissolved.
  6. While mixing on low speed, slowly pour the hot coulis into the pastry cream, mixing until well combined, 1 minute. Add the food coloring, if using, and mix until combined.
  7. Strain the raspberry pastry cream through a mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until cold, 30 minutes.
  8. In a clean stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream on medium high speed until medium peaks form, 2 minutes.
  9. In 3 additions, gently fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream until just combined. Chill the diplomat cream in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the cake.

Candied Flowers

Ingredients
12 edible flowers
1 egg white, beaten gently to loosen
Granulated sugar, for dusting

Directions

  1. Using tweezers, remove the centers of the flowers, leaving the petals and base instact.
  2. Using a small, clean paint brush, lightly brush the insides and outsides of the petals with egg white.
  3. Sprinkle the granulated sugar over the petals to coat.
  4. Rest the flowers inside an empty egg carton to help them hold their shape, and let dry for at least 1 to 3 hours and up to 1 day.

Cake Assembly

Ingredients
2 pints raspberries
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

  1. To assemble the crêpe cake: Place one crêpe on a serving platter. Top with ⅓ cup diplomat cream. Using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the crêpe, leaving a ½” border uncovered. Repeat this step with 5 more layers of crêpes and diplomat cream.
  2. Top the diplomat cream with a crêpe and ⅓ cup of the stabilized coulis. Using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the crêpe, leaving a ½” border uncovered.
  3. Top the raspberry coulis with 6 more layers of crêpes and diplomat cream.
  4. Top the diplomat cream with another crêpe and ⅓ cup of the stabilized coulis.
  5. Finish the cake with the remaining crêpes and diplomat cream.
  6. Chill the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
  7. Immediately before assembling: Top the final layer of diplomat cream with raspberries. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with the candied flowers.
  8. Slice and enjoy! Leftover crêpe cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe source: Elsa Goldman

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