This easy Napoleon Cake Recipe features flaky, golden pastry layers and a sweet whipped cream and condensed milk filling—no custard, no cooking required. A lighter take on the classic Russian Napoleon cake, it’s simple to assemble, make-ahead friendly, and perfect for birthdays, holidays, or any special occasion.
📜 What Is Napoleon Cake?
Napoleon cake, also known as “Napoleon Torte” or Russian mille-feuille, is a multi-layered dessert made with thin, flaky pastry and a velvety custard or pastry cream. Unlike the French mille-feuille, which often has three layers, the Russian version usually has 6–12 thin layers and is left to chill overnight so the cream soaks into the pastry, resulting into a sliceable, melt-in-your-mouth experience.
This cake is a beloved classic in Eastern Europe and is often made for special occasions like New Year’s, birthdays, and weddings.
You’ll Need
- Puff Pastry – Use frozen puff pastry sheets or blocks. Make sure they’re fully thawed before rolling. Roll each piece thinly for crisp, delicate layers that soften perfectly once assembled with cream.
- Flour (for dusting) – Helps prevent sticking when rolling out the pastry. Just a light dusting is enough.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – Brings sweetness and a creamy texture to the filling. No need for extra sugar—this does the job beautifully.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Whip until stiff peaks form. It gives the filling a light, airy texture and helps it hold its shape between layers.
- Fresh Berries (strawberries & blueberries) – Optional, but great for a fresh and colorful garnish. Slice or halve them for easy decorating.
- Powdered Sugar – Adds a simple, elegant finish. Dust just before serving for the best look.
How to Make Napoleon Cake
Prep the pastry: Roll out chilled puff pastry into thin sheets and cut into rectangles. Prick them with a fork to prevent too much puffing.
Bake the layers: Bake the pastry until golden and crisp. Let them cool fully. Save some offcuts for decorating.
Make the cream: Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, then beat in sweetened condensed milk until thick and glossy.
Assemble the cake: Layer pastry and cream, one after the other. Press lightly to keep it even.
Pro Tips for Perfect Napoleon Cake
- It’s best served the next day after refrigerating—it softens beautifully.
- Roll the dough as thin as possible to ensure light, crisp layers.
- Let the custard cool completely before assembling to avoid sogginess.
- Use a cake ring for even stacking, or trim edges for a clean look.
🤔 FAQs
Yes! It actually tastes better after resting overnight in the fridge.
Traditionally 7–12 layers, but you can make as few as 6 and still get great results.
Yes, store-bought puff pastry is a great shortcut, though homemade gives a more authentic taste.
How to Store Napoleon Cake
Napoleon cake should be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered or in an airtight container. It keeps well for up to 3 days, and actually tastes better after resting overnight as the layers soften and the flavors meld. Avoid freezing, as the whipped cream filling can separate and the pastry may lose its crispness.
Family-Favorite Cakes to Serve After Dinner
- Honey Cake
- Carrot Cake with Pineapple and Coconut
- Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake
- Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Bundt Cake
If you try this Napoleon Cake, we’d love it if you left a quick rating or comment below—it really helps others find the recipe and means a lot to us! ❤️
Napoleon Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Napoleon Cake Layers
- 2 pounds puff pastry blocks, thawed according to package instructions
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, for dusting
Cream for Napoleon Cake
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2½ cups heavy whipping cream, 35% fat
For Cake Decoration
- 5 fresh strawberries, halved or sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh blueberries
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Instructions
- Set your oven to 400 °F (200 °C) °F. Pop the rack in the middle so everything bakes evenly.
- Make sure your puff pastry’s chilled but pliable—overnight in the fridge is perfect, or let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes if it’s still stiff.
- Cut each 1-pound block in half so you’ve got four pieces. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll each piece until it’s nice and thin.
- Cut each sheet into two 12″×8″ rectangles—you’ll have eight total. Keep those offcuts on the parchment; they turn into our tasty topping. Give every rectangle a good prick with a fork (or lightly drag a pizza cutter over it) so it won’t puff up too much.
- Lay two sheets (parchment and all) on your baking sheet and bake for about 9–10 minutes—just until they’re gently golden. Don’t wander off! Transfer to a wire rack to cool, then repeat with the rest.
- In a cold bowl, pour in 2½ cups of cold heavy cream. Whip on medium speed until you see soft peaks. Pour in the entire 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, then keep whipping until those peaks are stiff and glossy.
- Place one crisp pastry sheet on your serving platter. Slather on a generous layer of the cream, then top with another sheet. Press down lightly and repeat until you’ve used six sheets—cream between each layer, of course.
- Crumble the last baked sheet and all those trimmings into tiny bits. Stir in 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar, then press the crumbs all over the top and sides of your cake.
- Arrange 4–5 halved fresh strawberries in a circle around the top edge. Scatter 2 tablespoons of fresh blueberries in the center. Dust the fruit and edges with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar for a finishing touch.
- Cover your cake and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1–2 hours. This little nap makes it slice like a dream. Grab a sharp knife, cut yourself a generous piece, and enjoy every flaky, creamy bite!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
All rights reserved. CHEF JAR. All images and content are copyright protected. PLEASE do not use my images without my permission. If you want to share this recipe, PLEASE provide a link back to this post.
I made this Napoleon cake for my mom’s birthday, and it was a huge hit! The cream was so light and perfectly sweet, and the layers softened beautifully overnight. Honestly, it tasted even better the next day. Will definitely be making this again for the holidays!
Hi Elena! That makes us so happy to hear—what a lovely idea to make it for your mom’s birthday! We agree, the cake really does get better the next day. Thank you so much for sharing your feedback! ❤️