Napoleon Cake Recipe
This Napoleon cake is a lighter Russian classic made with flaky pastry and a whipped cream–condensed milk filling. No custard or stovetop needed!
Servings: 10
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
Store the cake in the fridge in an airtight container. It keeps well for up to 3 days and tastes even better the next day as the layers soften. Freezing isn’t recommended— the cream may separate and the pastry can lose its texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4.7g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5.2g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 176mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 19g