Vanilla Mille Crepe Cake

Vanilla Mille Crepe Cake

This vanilla mille crepe cake is made with a whopping 75 layers of crepes, whipped cream, and sugar! The recipe instructs you to layer 25 crepes with equal layers of vanilla whipped cream and granulated sugar. The layered crepes make a soft and tender cake that is made light and creamy from the whipped cream, with some crunch and bite from the granulated sugar and bruleed top. It’s the perfect holiday dessert, especially when paired with a sparkling champagne like Mumm Napa Cuvée M.

A big thank you to Mumm Napa for sponsoring this vanilla mille crepe cake. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep Hummingbird High up and running!

What is a mille crepe cake?

A mille crepe cake is a layer cake made of crepes stacked with different fillings. Its name translates to “a thousand crepes”, which describes the recipe’s many layers of crepes and filling.

Although crepe cakes have long existed in French pastry under the name “gâteau de crêpes”, modern mille crepe cakes were invented by Japanese pastry chef Emy Wada.

Emy began selling different flavored crepe cakes at her pastry shop, Paper Moon Cake Boutique in the 1980s. According to this interview, Emy created the modern crepe cake in an attempt to preserve the crepes’ freshness. Because crepes are super thin, they tend to dry out quickly. However, Emy discovered that stacking them in layers in between different fillings preserved the crepes’ soft textures. She then dubbed her creation “mille crepes”, a portmanteau of two classic French desserts: crêpes and mille-feuille.

These cakes were so popular that she later expanded to the United States under the name “Lady M.” Even today, Lady M continues to sell different kinds of mille crepe cakes. I’m currently coveting this ube version and this pistachio one!

Why You Should Make Vanilla Mille Crepe Cake

Here are all the reasons to make vanilla mille crepe cake:

This vanilla mille crepe cake is a showstopper at any holiday party.

And let’s talk about Mumm Napa for a second. Mumm Napa is a sparkling wine brand established in California in the late 1970s. However, their roots can be traced back to G.H. Mumm, France’s leading champagne house. They follow traditional French heritage winemaking techniques to create their sparkling wine.

As a result, their sparkling wine is delicious. The wine has delicate white and yellow stone fruit aromas, with subtle notes of wild strawberry, vanilla, and honey. It pairs perfectly with many desserts, especially ones with strong vanilla flavors (like this vanilla mille crepe cake). Be sure to grab a bottle for your next holiday soiree over on MummNapa.com!

This vanilla mille crepe cake is a fun, all-day project for bakers looking to step up their baking game.

I’m not going to lie to you. This vanilla mille crepe cake is a bit of a project! It takes a lot of time to make the crepes and assemble them into the cake.

That being said, although the recipe is time consuming, its steps are fairly easy. The process for making crepes is very similar to that of making pancakes. And I truly believe that’s a good skill to learn and have. You get to practice it over and over while you make the crepes for this cake. You can also make the recipe interactive. Take turns with your guests making different crepes and build the cake together as a fun activity for your holiday party while you sip glasses of Mumm Napa Cuvée M!

Despite its fancy nature, most of the vanilla mille crepe cake ingredients are probably already in your pantry and/or fridge.

That’s right! Although this vanilla mille crepe cake looks and sounds fancy, most of its ingredients are already likely in your pantry and fridge. The crepe cake doesn’t require any specialty ingredients—just pantry staples like flour, sugar, milk, and eggs! If you cook and bake regularly, you will likely have everything you need on hand. No extra trip to the grocery store needed!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Now that I’ve convinced you to make this vanilla mille crepe cake recipe, here’s everything you need:

Shopping List for Vanilla Mille Crepe Cake

Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the exact ingredient quantities:

• large eggs
• kosher salt
• all-purpose flour
• whole milk
• unsalted butter
• heavy or whipping cream
• pure vanilla extract
• granulated sugar

And let’s talk about some key ingredients and any potential substitutions:

All-Purpose Flour

You need 4 cups all-purpose flour to make this vanilla mille crepe cake.

Does a 1-1 gluten-free all-purpose flour work in this vanilla mille crepe cake recipe?

I’m sorry, but I don’t know. I rarely bake with those types of flour replacements because they’re expensive and my household is fortunate not to have any gluten restrictions. However, if you replace the flour in this recipe with any gluten-free alternatives, please leave a comment so I can update this post accordingly!

Whole Milk

You need 4 ½ cups whole milk to make this vanilla mille crepe cake.

Can I use skim, low-fat or non-fat milk instead of whole milk instead?

Yes, but with reservations. Skim, low-fat, and non-fat milks will lead to less flavorful baked goods!

Can I use non-dairy milk like almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, or oat milk instead of whole milk?

Yes! You can use alternatives like almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, and/or oat milk in this recipe without altering the results. However, be mindful that using an alternative milk with “strong” flavors (like coconut or oat milk) will impart their flavors into the crepes, too. Specifically, your crepe cake might have a subtle coconut or oat milk flavor to it, too.

Cream

You need 1 ½ cups heavy or whipping cream to make this vanilla mille crepe cake.

Heavy Cream versus Whipping Cream

Heavy cream and whipping cream are made from the same ingredients: cream (duh, lol). However, heavy cream has slightly more fat than whipping cream. Heavy cream typically contains at least 36% fat, while whipping cream contains at least 30%. For this recipe, you can use whichever variety you prefer. 

Can I use store-bought canned whipped cream?

No, please don’t! Canned whipped cream tends to deflate quickly once you’ve squirted it from the can. If you use it in this recipe, it will quickly turn into liquid between the layers, leaving you with a soggy, slippery crepe cake!

How To Make Vanilla Mille Crepe Cake

Here are the basic steps to make this mille crepe cake from scratch:

First, make the crepe batter.

1. Prep the ingredients for the crepe batter. (Prep Time: 5 minutes)
   The ingredient prep for this crepe cake recipe is easy! Simply measure out ingredients like eggs, flour, milk, and butter. That’s it! The recipe works best if ingredients like eggs and milk are still cold and straight from the fridge. No need to bring them to room temperature beforehand!
   
   However, you will need butter that’s been melted and cooled slightly. I suggest melting the butter first to give it time to cool while you measure out and prep the rest of the ingredients.
   
   
2. Make the crepe batter. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
   Similarly, making the crepe batter itself goes by fairly quickly. Simply whisk together the eggs and salt. Then, alternate whisking in small amounts of flour and milk. Once completely combined, add the melted butter.
   
   
3. Rest the crepe batter. (Chill Time: 1 hour)
   Now comes what is admittedly an annoying part of the recipe: resting and chilling the crepe batter. There are several reasons why most crepe recipes instruct you to rest the batter—you can learn more in the FAQ below. But TL/DR, it’s the secret to perfectly thin and delicate crepes that still hold up in this crepe cake.
   
   If you don’t want to wait an hour for the batter, you can make it up to 48 hours in advance. Just keep it covered and refrigerated in the fridge until you’re ready to make the crepes. Again, learn more in the FAQ section below!

Next, make the crepes.

1. Make the crepes. (Cook Time: 40 minutes)
   To make a single crepe, ladle ¼ cup of crepe batter into a large nonstick frying pan. Swirl it into a thin circle and cook over medium heat. Flip it over when bubbles form on the surface and the edges are set, about 1 minute. Then, cook the other side for 15 to 30 seconds.
   
   Now, repeat this process over and over until you have 25 total crepes.

Then, prep the other ingredients for assembling the crepe cake.

1. Prep the ingredients for the whipped cream. (Prep Time: <5 minutes)
   All you need to do to prep the whipped cream is pour the amount of heavy cream and vanilla needed for the recipe in a stand mixer bowl. That’s it!
   
   Note that the whipped cream does not contain any sugar of some kind. You’ll be sprinkling each crepe with a layer with granulated sugar instead. Doing so gives the crepe cake a subtle, signature crunch.
   
   
2. Make the whipped cream. (Work Time: <5 minutes)
   Use a stand mixer to whip the cream and vanilla until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can easily use a handheld electric mixer.

Finally, assemble the vanilla mille crepe cake.

1. Assemble the vanilla mille crepe cake. (Work Time: 25 minutes)
   Assembling the vanilla mille crepe cake is easy but time consuming. Place a crepe on a flat plate or cake stand. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar over the crepe, then scoop 2 Tablespoons of whipped cream in the middle of the crepe. Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly over the crepe, just like you would spread butter on toast. Place another crepe on top of these layers, and repeat the entire process over and over again until you have just one crepe left.
   
   
2. Chill the assembled vanilla mille crepe cake. (Chill Time: 2 hours)
   Once you’ve assembled the cake, I recommend chilling it for at least 2 hours. Doing so allows the crepe cakes to absorb the sugar and cream, leading to a more flavorful cake.
   
   If you’re pressed for time, you can skip this step. However, I don’t recommend it. Slicing the crepe cake will be a nightmare—the crepes will slip and slide as you do so. Chilling the cake helps prevent this from happening.
   
   
3. Brulee the top of the vanilla mille crepe cake. (Work Time: <5 minutes)
   If you want to go the extra mile, use a chef’s torch to brulee the top of your vanilla mille crepe cake—it’s how they do it at Lady M! Simply sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of granulated sugar over the top crepe and torch it until the sugar melts and caramelizes.
   
   If you go this route, you need to serve the mille crepe cake immediately after bruleeing. The brulee tends to soften the longer it sits, losing its signature crunch.

Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ

FAQ: Cooking Tools To Make Vanilla Mille Crepe Cake

Do I need special tools to make a crepe cake?

No, you do not need special tools to make this crepe cake! I think that you can get away with using just a 9-inch nonstick frying pan to make the crepes—check out the sections below on my pan recommendations!

However, to make this crepe cake, I personally used the following “specialty” items:

• a crepe batter spreader
• a crepe turner
• a rotating cake stand
• an offset spatula
• a chef’s torch

Wait, what’s a crepe batter spreader and turner?

You can get specialty tools like a crepe spreader and a crepe turner to make crepes. The crepe spreader looks like a wooden “T”. You drag this across the crepe batter in the pan to form a circle. The crepe turner looks like a wooden stake. Its pointed ends, along with its thin and wide nature, makes it ideal for flipping delicate crepes. Many varieties are available online, and come in a set with both a spreader and turner.

You don’t NEED these tools to make this vanilla mille crepe cake. However, they do make the process of making crepes easier.

What’s a rotating cake stand?

A rotating cake stand, or a cake turntable, is a cake stand with a plate that rotates 360 degrees. This function allows bakers to smooth the sides of cakes evenly and efficiently. The best cake stands are sturdy, with a heavy base that doesn’t easily move when accidentally nudged.

I found my rotating cake stand at a local restaurant professional supply store; however, this Ateco model is very similar. If you’re on a budget, opt for this cheaper, lightweight plastic version by Wilton. I also like this rotating cake stand from Food52. It looks like a regular cake stand, so there’s no need to put yourself through the scary task of moving your beautiful, finished cake onto a serving platter!

What’s an offset spatula?

While spatulas for cooking have a wide rectangular or square head, offset spatulas have a thin, blunt blade. This blade enables you to easily spread and scrape sauces, fillings, frostings and more when baking. If you don’t already own one, I recommend investing in both a short and long offset spatula with sturdy metal blades. These ones from Ateco are my favorites.

In this recipe, the offset spatula can be used in two ways. I used my offset spatula to spread the whipped cream on the crepes. And if you don’t have a dedicated crepe turner, you can use an offset spatula to flip the crepes in the pan!

The Best Frying Pan To Make Crepes

Although you can get specialty crepe machines and crepe pans, I personally find that the best frying pan is probably already one you have at home. Just use your favorite nonstick, large (at least 9 or 10 inches) frying pan.The most important factor is this: the pan needs to be NONSTICK. I love my cast iron skillet, but it is not the tool for this particular job.

FAQ: Vanilla Mille Crepe Cake Techniques

I’m too lazy to make the crepe batter from scratch. Can I use box mix?

Yes! In a pinch, you can use box mix crepe batter to make this vanilla mille crepe cake.

Why do I need to rest the crepe batter?

Great question! During this resting period, the starch molecules in the flour absorb the milk, eggs, and butter in the batter. Doing so causes the molecules to swell, giving the batter a thicker and more viscous consistency that’s easier to cook when making crepes.

Additionally, the gluten formed during the whisking process relaxes. Any air bubbles in the mixture also slowly work themselves out of the batter. Both processes make the crepes extra tender and delicate.

Do I need to grease the pan when cooking the crepes?

Nope! Not if you use my recipe to make the crepes from scratch. Because of the butter in the batter, the crepes are “self-greasing”, especially when combined with the nonstick surface of the pan. I actually find that even using a light spray of cooking oil or butter to grease the pan beforehand leads to overly browned crepes.

I don’t have a chef’s torch. Do I really need to torch the top of the vanilla mille crepe cake?

Nope! If you don’t have a chef’s torch, feel free to skip the step of bruleeing the top of the vanilla mille crepe cake. Instead, just serve it with any leftover whipped cream and/or garnish with fresh fruit.

FAQ: Fit This Vanilla Mille Crepe Cake Into Your Schedule

How long can I refrigerate the crepe batter before cooking the crepes?

You can make the crepe batter up to 48 hours in advance of making and cooking the crepes. Just keep it refrigerated in an airtight container or in a bowl tightly wrapped in plastic wrap until then.

How long can I make the vanilla mille crepe cake ahead of serving?

You can make the crepe cake up to 48 hours in advance of bruleeing and serving! To do so, loosely cover the assembled cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

FAQ: How To Store Vanilla Mille Crepe Cake

How To Store Vanilla Mille Crepe Cake

The crepe cake will keep in the refrigerator, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.

Can you freeze vanilla mille crepe cake?

Sort of. I don’t recommend freezing the entire assembled crepe cake. Whipped cream doesn’t hold up well after being frozen—it tends to get weepy and liquidy! You’ll likely end up with a soggy crepe cake after defrosting.

However, you can freeze the individual crepes without any toppings or fillings after you cook them. To do so, stack the crepes with a layer of wax paper in between each one. Wrap the entire stack in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.

To use in this recipe, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Assemble the crepes with whipped cream and granulated sugar as instructed in the recipe.

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