Strawberry Crepe Cake Layers (Printable)

Layered crepes filled with fresh strawberries and silky vanilla cream, chilled to perfection.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Crepes

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2.5 cups whole milk
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for cooking
05 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

→ Vanilla Cream Filling

08 - 2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled
09 - 0.33 cup powdered sugar
10 - 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Strawberries

12 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
13 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, optional for macerating

→ Decoration

14 - Powdered sugar for dusting
15 - Whole strawberries for garnish
16 - Fresh mint leaves, optional

# How-To:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Gradually add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, whisking until smooth. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
02 - Heat a nonstick skillet 8 to 10 inches in diameter over medium heat. Lightly butter the pan. Pour approximately 0.25 cup batter, swirling to coat the bottom evenly. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until edges lift easily, flip, and cook another 30 seconds. Stack crepes on a plate and repeat to make 16 to 18 crepes. Allow to cool completely.
03 - In a large bowl, beat heavy cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Add softened mascarpone and vanilla extract; beat just until smooth and thick.
04 - Toss sliced strawberries with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and let sit for 10 minutes to release juices.
05 - Place one crepe on a serving platter. Spread a thin layer of vanilla cream over the crepe and sprinkle with a few sliced strawberries. Top with another crepe. Repeat layers until all crepes, cream, and strawberries are used, finishing with a crepe on top.
06 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the cake to set.
07 - Just before serving, dust the top with powdered sugar and garnish with whole strawberries and fresh mint leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks dramatically fancy but the technique is more forgiving than you'd think, leaving you feeling genuinely proud without spending all day in the kitchen.
  • Fresh strawberries and mascarpone cream taste like spring captured between paper-thin crepes, the kind of flavor that makes people close their eyes when they taste it.
  • You can make it the night before and just decorate in the morning, which means you're actually relaxed when guests arrive instead of covered in flour.
02 -
  • The crepe batter must rest for twenty minutes before cooking, or the crepes will tear and be tough; I learned this the hard way by skipping the wait the first time and ending up with pancake-like results.
  • Never overbeat the mascarpone mixture once you've added the mascarpone cheese, because even thirty seconds too long can turn it from silky to grainy, and there's no coming back from that.
  • Slice the strawberries on the same day you assemble the cake; pre-sliced berries that sit overnight release too much liquid and turn the crepes soggy.
03 -
  • If you don't have a crepe pan, an eight to ten inch nonstick skillet works perfectly; the shape doesn't matter as much as even heat and a non-stick surface.
  • Mascarpone can be substituted with cream cheese in a pinch, though you'll need slightly less and should beat it carefully so it becomes completely smooth before adding the whipped cream.
  • Save your prettiest strawberries for garnish; the slightly imperfect ones are perfect for layering because they get hidden between the crepes anyway.
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