Crepe Cakes Are Multi-Layered Masterpieces

Another day, another TikTok trend, but we will admit that this platform may be one of the best ways for people to show off visually stunning culinary creations and crepe cakes certainly fit into this category. What is a crepe cake, you say? No, you probably don't say that, since it's kind of self-explanatory. It is, of course, a cake made from piled-up layers and layers of crepes sandwiched together with a sweet or savory, sticky filling of some sort. While a pile of pancakes may not sound too impressive, in reality, crepes make quite a canvas for painting gorgeous eye candy (or cake, as it were).

While crepe cakes vary from recipe to recipe, some may contain as many as 15 or even 20 or more crepes piled high, which is a count that puts Maryland's multi-layered Smith Island cake to shame. One TikTok video shows an elegant tower of crepes topped with mango puree — the creator claims it was a first attempt at making such a dish, but the picture-perfect outcome makes us wonder if they didn't secretly practice a time or two before filming. Yet another video shows the steps involved in cooking the crepes and layering them with a whipped chocolate ganache, while another showcases one layered with what appear to be vegetables in white sauce alternating with some sort of guacamole.

While no cake is going to be quite as easy to make as a short TikTok video clip will imply, crepe cakes on the whole are not difficult. The basic sequence involves making a batch of crepe batter — for best results, refrigerate it for an hour or eight — then cook as many crepes as it will afford. (Here are some tips for correct crepe cooking.) If you want an extra-elegant cake, you can even trim the crepes so that they are perfectly round, although if you're practically perfect yourself, they probably came out that way in the first place. If you're satisfied with a little imperfection, though, you can just opt for a more rustic approach and leave the crepes au naturel.

Choose your filling, anything from Nutella to Cheez Wiz, then spread it on top of a crepe (leave just a little bare crepe around the edges) and sandwich it with another one. Repeat, repeat, repeat until all the crepes are stacked. Finish with a top layer of filling, a different topping altogether (raspberry jam atop a chocolate-filled cake, for example), or a sprinkling of something complementary such as cocoa powder, powdered sugar, or parmesan. Refrigerate the crepe cake for at least an hour or so, maybe more, as this will give the filling time to firm up and also allow the entire creation to blend into a more homogeneous whole.