Napoleon Cake Recipe
Napoleon Cake Recipe
This Napoleon Cake Recipe bakes ten paper thin, buttery layers from a simple sour cream dough, then stacks them with a silky vanilla custard cream lightened with whipped cream. A full night in the fridge softens the crisp layers into tender, melt in your mouth sheets. Finished with a coat of toasted crumbs, this homemade Napoleon cake is a showstopping dessert for birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Whisk the dough flour and salt. Grate in the frozen butter and toss to coat. Mix the egg, sour cream, and vinegar, then add with 3 tablespoons ice water. Mix just until the dough holds together, adding the remaining water only if needed.
- Divide into 10 equal pieces, shape into discs, wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
- Whisk the yolks, sugar, and cornstarch with 1/2 cup milk until smooth. Heat the remaining milk until steaming. Slowly whisk the hot milk into the yolk mixture, then return it all to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling, then cook for 1 minute more.
- Stir in the custard butter, vanilla, and salt and strain into a shallow heatproof container. Press food-safe plastic wrap onto the surface and refrigerate for about 2 hours, until completely cold.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll each dough disc on parchment into a 9 inch round, prick all over with a fork, and bake for 5 to 7 minutes until golden. Bake in batches; rotate trays if baking two at once.
- Trim each hot layer to 8 inches. Save the baked scraps; toast them further only if pale, watching closely. Cool all layers and scraps completely, then crush the scraps into crumbs.
- Whip the cold heavy cream with the powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Whisk the cold custard smooth, then gently fold in the whipped cream in two additions.
- Stack the layers with about 1/2 cup custard cream between each, reserving enough to coat the top and sides. Coat the cake and gently press on the crumbs.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours before slicing. Garnish with raspberries or powdered sugar if desired.
Keep the butter frozen, prick the dough every 1/2 inch, and let the custard bubble for a full minute; these three steps prevent puffy layers, a starchy filling, and a leaning cake.
Notes
- Trim the layers while they are hot so they cut cleanly.
- Chill the custard completely and cool the pastry layers before assembling.
- Rest the cake for at least 8 hours so the layers soften.
- Allow 1 hour for dough chilling and about 2 hours for custard cooling. Some tasks can overlap. Freeze the dough butter before starting.