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I love pancakes and crêpes. I am not fussy; sweet ones, savoury ones, classic English ones (with lemon and sugar, of course!), thin French crêpe-style ones, thick American-style ones, fluffy Scotch ones – they are all delightful. If you haven’t tried making a Crêpe Cake before, they are much much simpler than they look. This one has many many layers so I’m calling it a Mille Crêpe Cake. Imagine delicate crêpes layered with a sweet white chocolate-infused cream and strawberries. Yum!
I know the name makes it sound complicated – but it is actually much easier to make a Strawberry Mille Crêpe Cake than you might think (I promise!). They do take a little time, but sometimes it’s nice to just potter about in the kitchen. The secret is to be super careful with the crêpes (like my Mango Pancakes, they are very delicate), and not add too much filling between the layers. Once you have got the hang of it, you can enjoy experimenting with all sorts of berries and flavours to create a whole host of different flavoured mille crêpe cakes!
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- It is quick and easy to put together but looks like a real showstopper.
- It is perfect to make when strawberries are in season.
- It is full of flavour thanks to the sweet white chocolate and fruity strawberries.
- It is so versatile – you can use all sorts of berries.
- It is the perfect light dessert, luxury breakfast or brunch.
- A delicious twist on a classic favourite.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Eggs – use free-range eggs if you can. I also recommend choosing large eggs stamped with the British Lion logo.
Milk – opt for full-fat (whole) milk for the best results.
Plain flour – also known as ‘all-purpose’ flour, this helps create the perfect crêpe batter.
Salt – a pinch of flaky sea salt won’t make this salty – it will just balance out the sweetness in the strawberries and white chocolate. I recommend Maldon Salt Flakes.
Sugar – you can add as much, or as little, as you like depending on how sweet you want your crêpes to be – bearing in mind you will be adding strawberries and a delicious white chocolate cream. I use caster sugar but you could use granulated if that is what you have.
Butter – opt for unsalted butter so you can control the salt level in the dish.
White chocolate – white chocolate has to have a minimum of 20% cocoa butter, try to go for one nearer to 30% for best results.
Double cream – you must use double (heavy) cream in this recipe as single cream won’t whip up so you won’t be able to spread it to layer the crêpes. I like to whisk to soft peaks but you can go a little firmer, if you prefer – just take care not to over whisk or you will be well on your way to making your own butter!
Strawberries – opt for ripe, plump and juicy strawberries for the best results.
Substitutions and Variations:
Vanilla extract – you could add a couple of drops of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (just not vanilla essence which will taste artificial) to the batter for a subtle vanilla flavour.
Nuts – you could decorate with a sprinkling of toasted desiccated coconut, pistachios, flaked almonds or roughly chopped hazelnuts for extra flavour and added crunch, if wished.
Strawberries – you don’t have to make a Strawberry Mille Crêpe Cake! This recipe is also delicious with raspberries, cherries, blueberries, blackberries – pretty much any kind of berry works brilliantly. Or fill with whipped cream and drizzle in chocolate or Nutella! Would also be amazing to do a banoffee version with sliced bananas, caramel sauce and whipped cream.
Icing sugar – a dusting of sieved icing sugar is a super pretty way to add a final flourish before serving. Use vanilla icing sugar if you can find it – trust me, you won’t regret it.
Natural food colouring – for a bit of fun, you could add a couple of drops of food colouring to your batter or the cream to complement the colour of your chosen fruit (e.g, for a Strawberry Mille Crêpe Cake you could opt for pink).
Here’s how to make Strawberry Mille Crêpe Cake:
Here’s a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
ONE: First, make the crêpes: tip the eggs, milk, flour, salt and sugar, to taste, into a blender and blitz until you have a smooth, pourable batter.
TWO: Use a ladle to carefully pour the batter into the centre of the pan. Confidently tilt the pan to spread the batter evenly across the surface to form a thin, even layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes – or until the edges start to lift, then flip and cook for another minute. Place onto a plate.
THREE: Repeat the process until all the batter is used up, stack the crêpes on a plate as they cook.
FOUR: Next, prepare the white chocolate cream: put the chopped chocolate into a medium heat-proof bowl over the pan of barely simmering water. Melt the chocolate, stirring often.
FIVE: Pour the cream into a large bowl and whisk until you have soft peaks – take care not to over-whisk. Gradually fold in the cooled melted white chocolate until smooth and well combined.
SIX: To assemble the Strawberry Mille Crêpe Cake: place a crêpe on a flat serving plate and, using a palette knife or small spatula, spread a thin layer of the white chocolate cream over it. Top with a layer of sliced strawberries.
SEVEN: Repeat, continuing to layer the crêpes, white chocolate cream and strawberries until you have used all your crêpes. Finish with a layer of white chocolate cream and arrange the final strawberries prettily on top.
EIGHT: Chill for at least 1 hour to allow the flavours to infuse and the Crêpe Cake to set. Cut into slices and enjoy!
Cooking Tips:
Be gentle with the crêpes: crêpes are rather delicate so you need to be careful when handling them or else they will tear. They will still be delicious, just not as pretty.
Let the white chocolate cool slightly: make sure the melted white chocolate has cooled slightly before you add to the cream otherwise, you will end up with a bit of a mess and won’t be able to spread it across your crêpes.
Don’t over whip the cream: take care to whip the cream just to soft peaks for the filling – if you over whip, it will split and you will eventually get something akin to butter.
Chill out: don’t be tempted to skip the hour of chilling – it will help the flavours infuse together and allow the Strawberry Mille Crêpe Cake to firm up so you can cut into cleaner slices.
Classic crêpes: serving these as a Strawberry Mille Crêpe Cake makes a show stopping centrepiece that looks super impressive. However, you could just make the individual crêpes and serve with the white chocolate whipped cream and strawberries on the side, or rolled in the middle, if you prefer.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most beautiful way of serving crêpes! Also known as ‘Mille Crêpes’ or ‘Gâteau de Crêpes’, a Crêpe Cake is a French-inspired dessert featuring layer after layer of delicate crêpes sandwiched together with a delicious filling (the word ‘mille’ means ‘a thousand’ in French – although you won’t actually have a thousand layers in this Strawberry Mille Crêpe Cake).
A crêpe is basically a super thin French pancake – very similar to English pancakes (unlike American and Scotch pancakes which have raising agents so are smaller, thicker and fluffier). You can get sweet and savoury crêpes and serve them with all sorts of fillings and toppings – Brittany is famous for making the most delicious savoury buckwheat crêpes filled with Comté or Gruyère cheese and either spinach or ham (yum!). I also love sweet ones topping with chocolate and hazelnut spread, some toasted nuts and fresh berries.
Personally, I don’t. Firstly, I rarely have the time. Secondly, when I have rested the batter, the difference has been minimal and not worth waiting for. By all means, if you are looking for a Strawberry Mille Crêpe Cake recipe that you can prepare in advance, feel free to pop the batter in the fridge to rest before cooking at a time more convenient to you.
Absolutely! Although this is a Strawberry Mille Crêpe Cake, please don’t feel bound by the recipe. It will also be utterly delightful with plump and juicy raspberries, blueberries, pitted cherries or blackberries. You could even add a few drops of natural food colouring to the crêpe batter (or whipped cream) to complement your chosen fruit – just for a bit of fun.
Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
To store: Any leftovers should be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you’ve made it slightly in advance, keep in the fridge covered until ready to serve. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving to bring it to room temperature.
To freeze: I wouldn’t freeze this crêpe cake with the filling. You can freeze the fried crêpes. Layer them up with a sheet of parchment between each one. Then clingfilm the whole thing tightly and place in a freezer bag (or wrap with a final layer of foil). Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze crêpe batter for up to 2 months. When ready to use, defrost overnight until it’s liquid and then give it a good whisk to bring it together.
Make ahead: This mille crêpe cake can turn soggy if made too far in advance. The white chocolate cream can be made a day in advance, covered and stored in the fridge. Remove from the fridge before using to soften it so it smooths on the crêpes well. Then the crêpes can be made on the morning of serving. Just fry and keep them on a plate, wrapped tightly in clingfilm and in the fridge. Assemble the cake no more than a few hours before serving. It needs an hour at least in the fridge anyway, but longer than a few hours and you risk it going soggy. You can store crêpe batter in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container. But I would use it in the first 24 hours when it’s at its best.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
My Tiramisu Pancakes and Easy Pancake Recipe are both great panckes to try. Otherwise, try Hong Kong-style Mango Pancakes that are full of tropical flavours. These Racuchy pancakes are delicious as are these delicious crepe parcels filled with cream and strawberries.
Easy Baking Recipes
Plum Yogurt Cake
Easy Dessert Recipes
San Sebastián Cheesecake
Easy Dessert Recipes
Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding
Easy Baking Recipes
Mini Egg Cookies
Made this recipe and loved it?
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Strawberry Mille Crêpe Cake
Ingredients
For the crêpes:
- 6 large eggs
- 600 ml full-fat milk
- 300 g plain flour
- Pinch of salt
- Sugar, to taste
- Butter, for frying
For the cream:
- 200 g good-quality white chocolate, chopped
- 700 ml double cream
For the filling:
- 400 g fresh ripe strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
Instructions
- First, make the crêpes: tip the eggs, milk, flour, salt and sugar, to taste, into a blender and blitz until you have a smooth, pourable batter.
- Place a medium-sized non-stick frying pan (or crêpe pan if you have one) over a medium heat. Lightly grease with a little butter, wiped with a paper towel.
- Use a ladle to carefully pour the batter into the centre of the pan. Confidently tilt the pan to spread the batter evenly across the surface to form a thin, even layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes – or until the edges start to lift, then flip and cook for another minute. Place onto a plate. I do the crepes in two different sizes so that you end up with a tiered cake but this is totally optional. Use 2/3 of the batter for the large crepes and 1/3 for small ones.
- Repeat the process until all the batter is used up, stack the crêpes on a plate as they cook.
- Next, prepare the white chocolate cream: put the chopped chocolate into a medium heat-proof bowl. Set over the pan of barely simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t come into contact with the water (or the chocolate will overheat). Melt the chocolate, stirring often (alternatively, pop into a microwave-safe bowl and melt in 30 second bursts, stirring between each), until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Pour the cream into a large bowl and whisk until you have soft peaks – take care not to over whisk.
- Gradually fold in the cooled melted white chocolate until smooth and well combined.
- To assemble the Strawberry Mille Crêpe Cake: place a crêpe on a flat serving plate and, using a palette knife or small spatula, spread a thin layer of the white chocolate cream over it. Top with a layer of sliced strawberries.
- Repeat, continuing to layer the crêpes, white chocolate cream and strawberries until you have used all your crêpes. Finish with a layer of white chocolate cream and arrange the final strawberries prettily on top.
- Chill for at least 1 hour to allow the flavours to infuse and the Crêpe Cake to set.
- Cut into slices and enjoy!
