Mango Crepe Cake Recipe

Quick Summary: A mango crepe cake is a no-bake French Mille crepe dessert made by layering thin crepes with whipped cream and fresh honey mango. You make the crepes ahead, stack them with cream and mango, chill for 1 to 2 hours, then decorate with mango curls and lime zest.

What is a crepe layer cake?

A crepe layer cake, also called a Mille crepe cake, is a French no-bake dessert built from many thin crepes stacked with whipped cream and, in this case, fresh mango. Unlike a baked sponge cake, it has delicate paper-thin layers that stay light and soft.

Over time, I tested different creams and fruit varieties, as well as different approaches to stacking crepes (with and without mold). I even tried layering crepes as they are, and those cut perfectly, with neat edges.

I suggest cutting the crepes to the desired size on a plate or a cake ring. And I also recommend using a mousse cake mold or ring to stack crepes. You will end up with a neat cake, with each crepe perfectly layered.

However, if you are in a hurry, you can stack crepes, keeping their natural lacy-looking edges. If you do not have a mold, you can still make this crepe cake.

Finally, I created the best mango crepe cake recipe as an inspiration from a Mille crepe dessert served at T Xuan in Paris.

It is a unique Chinese tea room in the center of Paris, founded by Yuelin Cui and Pierre-Henri Boissavy, that offers a wide variety of Chinese desserts.

The best cream for a crepe cake

The best cream for a Mille crepe cake is whipped cream. Homemade tastes better than store-bought, and you can flavor it in many ways:

• Stiff peaks: whip the cream until stiff so the crepes do not slip while you stack them.
• Stabilizer: add a whipped cream stabilizer to help homemade cream hold its shape (use one 0.35 oz/10 g package per 1 cup of cold cream).
• Vanilla: flavor it with ½ to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for vanilla whipped cream.
• Orange flower water: add 1 teaspoon to the orange-flavored cream used in these Banoffee Pie Cups.
• Rose water: stir in 1 teaspoon rose water for a floral note.
• For adults: add 1 teaspoon dark rum or fruit brandy.
• Sugar swap: replace granulated white sugar with golden brown sugar.
• Chocolate cream: try white chocolate or milk chocolate whipped cream.

Why you'll love this recipe

1. It is easy: make French crepes in advance, then assemble the cake within one hour (chilling time not included).
2. It is a great alternative to a birthday cake: if you have never made a crepe birthday cake, this is your chance to try one.
3. It suits a crepe party: a crepe cake is another fun option to serve when guests gather.
4. It is a delicious upgrade for crepe lovers: simple crepes turn into a special layered dessert.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Crepes: Make thin crepes using the French crepe recipe. The thinner the crepes, the neater the cake. If your crepes are thick, use fewer of them than the recipe suggests.

• Whipping creates at least a crepe recipe. To stabilize it, add a whipped cream stabilizer, though it is optional.

• Sugar: Use granulated white sugar, or replace it with golden brown sugar.

• Mango: Honey mangoes work best because they have a small seed and a high flesh-to-seed ratio. You can also use other seasonal mango varieties available in your area.

• Flaked almonds: Use store-bought toasted flaked almonds, or toast them yourself at 300°F (150°C) for 10 to 15 minutes.

• Lime: Use organic, untreated lime and make fresh zest with a zester.

Equipment

• Mousse cake mold: the same diameter as your crepes (about 7 inches/18 cm), plus an acetate cake collar to line it
• Electric mixer to whip the cream to stiff peaks
• Rubber spatula to spread the cream and make decorative waves
• Mandoline slicer or a vegetable peeler to cut very thin mango slices
• Zester grater to make fresh lime zest
• Food processor and a fine-mesh sieve if you want to make a smooth mango puree

How to make a mango crepe cake

Step 1. Follow the recipe for French crepes, making thin crepes. Let them cool. Then use a plate and cut the crepes into 7-inch/18 cm (photo 1).

Step 2. To make the whipped cream, beat 1 ⅔ cups + 1 tablespoon (400 g) cold whipping cream with 2 ⅔ tablespoons (40 g) sugar in an electric mixer until stiff peaks (photo 2).

Step 3. Slice up mangoes into thin slices.

Step 4. To assemble the cake, adjust a mousse cake mold to the same diameter as crepes, place it on a serving platter, and line the mold with an acetate cake collar.

Step 5. Place the first crepe in the mold, spread a thin layer of the whipped cream, and place another crepe. Spread another layer of the cream, place another crepe, and cover with the cream again.

Step 6. Arrange mango slices over the entire surface of the crepe (photo 3). Repeat these steps with all 12 crepes to mount the cake, adding mango slices for every three crepes.

Step 7. Finish with the last crepe, cover the mold with plastic film, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Step 8. To decorate the cake, whip ⅓ cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (100 g) whipping cream with ⅔ tablespoon (10 g) sugar until soft peaks form. Take the cake out of the fridge, remove the mold and acetate film. Garnish the top of the cake with the whipped cream, mixing with a rubber spatula.

Step 9. Sprinkle s formides of the cake with toasted flaked almonds.

Step 10. Slice the remaining mangoes very thinly with a mandoline (the thinner the slices, the easier they are to curl). Use a sharp knife to cut each oval slice in half.

Step 11. Twist mango slices into spirals and arrange them over the top of the cake. Using a zester, grate fresh lime zest and sprinkle it over mango curls (photo 4). 

Expert tips

1. Be sure to make firm whipped cream to spread between crepes: it helps keep the crepes from slipping and sliding when you unmold the cake.
2. To decorate the cake, whip the cream until firm, then pipe it over the top of the cake as desired.
3. If you do not have a mandoline slicer, carve off the mango's cheek, place it on a flat surface with the flat side down, peel the skin with a vegetable knife to cut very thin slices, then cut each slice in half. To decorate the top of the cake, twist each slice into a spiral.
4. Make a mango puree in a food processor, then strain it through a fine-mesh sieve, and pour it over each slice while serving (optional).

Storing and freezing

Keep the cake covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. The cream stays firmest on the first day.

You can freeze plain crepes, stack them between sheets of parchment, place them in an airtight bag, and freeze for up to 1 month; thaw before assembling.

Freezing the finished cake is not recommended, as the whipped cream and fresh mango lose their texture once thawed.

Recipe variations

This crepe cake is easy to adapt. Here are a few ways to change it then it through

• Different fruit: swap mango for strawberries, raspberries, or peas, or a layered crepe cake.
• Mango coconut: fold a little coconut cream into the whipped cream and sprinkle toasted coconut on the sides for a mango coconut crepe cake.
• Chocolate crepe cake: Use chocolate crepes or white or milk chocolate whipped cream.
• Flavored cream: flavor the whipped cream with vanilla, orange flower water, rose water, or a spoonful of rum for adults.
• Gluten-free: make tMakerepes with a gluten-free flour blend so the whole cake is gluten-free.

Recipe FAQ

Can you make a mango crepe cake in advance?
You can make the crepes in advance and even freeze them, but assemble the cake on the day of serving. Whipped cream made without a stabilizer is not stable enough to hold stacked crepes in place for long.

What crepes can you use to make this cake?
Use homemade or store-bought thin crepes (not pancakes). The thinner the crepes, the neater the cake. You can also use gluten-free crepes or chocolate crepes.

How do you cut a Mille Crepe cake?
Warm a long chef's knife in hot water and dry it with a paper towel. Cut the cake, then wash and wipe the blade between each slice to keep it clean.

What is the difference between a crepe cake and a regular cake?
A regular cake is baked with layers of sponge, while a crepe cake is no-bake and built from many thin crepes stacked with cream. The result is lighter, with delicate paper-thin layers.

How many calories are in a mango crepe cake?
One slice of this mango crepe cake has about 406 calories, based on 10 servings. The exact number depends on your crepes, the amount of cream, and the mango you use.

Is it cheaper to buy or make a mango crepe cake?
Making it at home is usually cheaper than buying one from a bakery, since crepes, cream, sugar, and a few mangoes cost less than a store-bought layered crepe cake.

How do you serve a mango crepe cake?
Serve it chilled, cut into thin slices with a warm knife. It pairs well with tea or coffee, and you can add a spoonful of mango puree to each plate.

Love crepes? Try these next!

• French Chocolate Crepes
• Basic Crepes Recipe
• Banana Nutella Crepes
• Crepes Suzette Flambe
• Crispy Crepes
• Vanilla Baby Dutch Pancake
• Beggar's Purses With Caramelized Apples
• Browse all the Crepe and Pancake Recipes

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.