Lemon Curd Crêpe Cake
Maybe 20 years ago, a friend showed up at a birthday party with a cake which left everyone speechless. It was a 20-layer crêpe cake filled with ethereally light pastry cream with a caramelized top from a newly opened pastry shop in Manhattan called Lady M. Everyone agreed that it was the best cake any of us had ever tasted.
We later learned the mille crêpes cake was the creation of Ema Wada who in 1985 started selling her cakes in Japan at her Paper Moon Cake Boutique. Six years later she helped found a company in New York City which sold cakes wholesale to top restaurants. By 2004, her cakes became so popular that she opened her own retail shop where people could order a slice of her heavenly creation or take home an entire cake for what was then an astronomical price.
Ema’s now world-famous Mille Crêpes cake brought together French pastry techniques with Japanese sensibilities. Eventually, she returned to Japan to focus on her business there. Since then, the new owner has expanded the business worldwide to 50 boutiques.
For years I’ve wondered if I could ever duplicate Ema’s cake in my home kitchen. Turns out a lot of people have tried as the internet abounds with various recipes. While making the cake is not difficult, it requires time and technique. The most challenging part is creating 20 same-sized crêpes. But, not to worry. This recipe includes an easy hack! The rest is child’s play.
To reduce any stress, make the cake in stages. Then assemble it the day of your party for the best results. The beauty of this cake is that any filling can be used. Madame M offers it with vanilla cream, rose, salted caramel, pistachio, and Earl Grey flavorings. You can riff on the filling with just about anything you like, even whipped cream from a can and fresh strawberries. You’ll still get a standing ovation as this cake is a stunner!
Ingredients
For the crêpes:
1 ¾ cups whole milk
4 large eggs
½ half stick (4 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled. (Plus extra for cooking the crêpes)
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 Tablespoons finely ground cornmeal
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
For the filling and topping:
2 ½ cup heavy whipping cream, divided
2/3 cup lemon curd, ideally Wilkin & Sons’ Tiptree from the UK
2 Tablespoons sugar
Rind of 1 lemon, grated
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 teaspoons Limoncello (or vanilla extract)
Cooking instructions:
1. For the crêpes, combine all the ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth. Be sure to scrape down the sides with a spatula. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
2. Remove batter from the refrigerator and vigorously stir until smooth. Place an 8-inch non-stick skillet over a medium heat and melt ½ teaspoon butter and spread around with a spatula. Add a small ladle of batter (3 tablespoons), enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan, quickly swirling the skillet as you add the batter to evenly coat the bottom of the pan. Cook until edges turn golden, approximately 45 seconds. Carefully flip crêpe with a thin edged spatula and cook for another 30 seconds. (Depending on your heat, you may want to extend or reduce cooking time.) Remove crêpe to a paper towel-lined cutting board. Repeat for the next crêpe making sure to mix batter before ladling into the skillet. Add small dollops of butter, if needed before adding the batter. Cook the next crêpe and stack on top of the first one. Using a 7-inch metal ring (or bottom of a removable cake pan) placed on the center of the crêpes, cut away any excess edges. (That was the hack which can be omitted if you are gifted enough to make crêpes all the same size!) Transfer the two trimmed crêpes to a large plate.
3. Continue cooking the other crêpes, trimming two at a time, then staking cooked crêpes on top of each other. (You should have 20-22 crêpes.) Allow them to cool thoroughly. Crêpes can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to two days.
4. For the filling, add 2 cups of heavy cream into a standing mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat until soft peaks are formed. Be careful not to overbeat your cream. Remove bowl and gently fold in 1/3 cup of the lemon curd until thoroughly integrated. Repeat with remaining lemon curd. Transfer to another bowl, cover and put in the refrigerator.
5. For the final topping use a clean bowl. (As this was a small amount, I chose to do this part by hand.) Whisk together remaining ½ cup heavy cream until soft peaks are formed. Gently fold in mascarpone, grated lemon peel, and finally the Limoncello. (Adjust for flavoring.) Like the filling, the topping can be covered and refrigerated for up to two hours until you are ready to assemble the cake.
6. To assemble the cake, remove crêpes and toppings from the refrigerator. For a clean presentation, create a frame for the cake by cutting 4 2-inch strips of parchment paper and placing them in a square on the serving plate. Place the first crêpe on the center of the plate and spread 2-3 tablespoons of lemon curd filling evenly over the crêpe. Repeat layering with remaining crêpes and filling until you get to the last one.
7. Spoon the mascarpone limoncello mixture on the top of the cake, evenly distributing the mixture to the edge of the crêpe. Refrigerate for two hours to set. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving. Remove parchment paper strips and top with a decorative piece (as I did) or garnish with fresh raspberries. Serve thin slices—as the cake is rich—and take your bows.
Wine recommendations: Normally anything citrus is hard for wine pairings, however, a chilled Beaune de Venise or Crémant from the Loire, Burgundy or Alsace might be quite nice.
Serves: 8-10