Blood Orange Crêpe Cake (Printable Version)

Elegant layered crêpes with tangy blood orange curd and fluffy whipped cream for a show-stopping French dessert.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crêpes

01 - 16 ready-made crêpes, 8 inches diameter each

→ Blood Orange Curd

02 - 1.5 cups blood orange curd, store-bought or homemade

→ Whipped Cream

03 - 1.5 cups heavy cream
04 - 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Garnish

06 - 1 blood orange, thinly sliced
07 - Zest of 1 blood orange
08 - Powdered sugar for dusting
09 - Edible flowers, optional

# Steps:

01 - If preparing homemade blood orange curd, complete preparation and allow to cool completely to room temperature.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form using a hand or stand mixer.
03 - Lay one crêpe on a serving plate and spread approximately 2 tablespoons of blood orange curd in an even layer across the surface.
04 - Place another crêpe on top of the curd layer and spread 2 tablespoons of whipped cream evenly over the crêpe.
05 - Repeat the alternating pattern of crêpe, blood orange curd, crêpe, and whipped cream until all crêpes are used, finishing with a crêpe as the final layer.
06 - Cover the assembled cake and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the layers to set properly.
07 - Just before serving, arrange blood orange slices on top, sprinkle with blood orange zest, dust with powdered sugar, and garnish with edible flowers if desired.
08 - Slice the cake with a sharp chef's knife using gentle pressure and serve while chilled.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • It looks like you labored for hours, but most of the work is just stacking and spreading.
  • The blood orange curd gives it a jewel tone that makes every slice feel like an occasion.
  • You can make it the morning of and let it chill while you do everything else.
  • Store bought crêpes mean no flipping, no batter splatters, no stress.
02 -
  • Don't overwhip the cream or it will turn grainy and hard to spread smoothly.
  • Chill the cake for the full hour, it needs time to set or the layers will slide when you cut.
  • Use an offset spatula to spread the curd and cream, it makes everything faster and neater.
  • If your crêpes are floppy or uneven, trim them with kitchen shears to the same size before stacking.
03 -
  • Freeze the assembled, ungarnished cake for 30 minutes before the final chill to help it set even faster.
  • Use a turntable if you have one, it makes spreading each layer so much easier and more even.
  • Save a little extra curd to serve on the side for anyone who wants a more intense citrus hit.
  • If your crêpes are slightly stale, a quick 10 second warm in the microwave between damp towels will soften them right up.
Go Back