Hamdi Saidani Pioneer Woman blackberry crepe cake is a no-bake layered dessert of 15 thin crepes stacked with vanilla bean whipped cream, lemon curd, and blackberry jam. It takes 3 hours 50 minutes with most of that time being hands-off resting and chilling.
This recipe comes from Ree Drummond’s Food Network show The Pioneer Woman, featured in the “Summer Sweets” episode. Ree says the layering does not need to be precise because every random swipe of curd and jam evens out as you build.
The blended batter must chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before you cook a single crepe. That resting time lets air bubbles from the blender escape, so the batter spreads thin and even instead of puffing up and tearing on the skillet.
Pioneer Woman Blackberry Crepe Cake
Description
Thin blender crepes layered between clouds of vanilla bean whipped cream with swipes of tangy lemon curd and sweet blackberry jam. The whole stack chills into a sliceable cake that looks impressive but needs no oven at all.
Ingredients
For the crepes:
For the whipped cream:
For assembly:
Instructions
- Blend the crepe batter. Add milk, flour, granulated sugar, salt, and eggs to a blender. Blend until completely smooth with no lumps.
- Rest the batter. Cover the blender jar and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight. This step is not optional.
- Heat the skillet. Place a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and add 1 teaspoon of melted butter to coat the surface.
- Cook each crepe. Pour just enough batter to cover the bottom of the skillet in a thin layer. Let it sit undisturbed for 60 to 90 seconds until the edges are set and the underside is slightly golden.
- Flip and finish. Carefully flip the crepe and cook the second side for only 15 to 20 seconds. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining butter and batter until you have 15 crepes.
- Make the whipped cream. Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste together in a large bowl until light and airy. Set aside.
- Start the first layer. Lay one crepe on a cake stand or large plate. Spread 3 tablespoons of whipped cream over the surface, leaving a small gap around the edge. Add about 1 tablespoon of lemon curd and spread it over the cream.
- Build the layers. Place the next crepe on top, add 3 tablespoons of whipped cream, and spread about 1 tablespoon of blackberry jam over it. Continue stacking crepes with cream, alternating between lemon curd and blackberry jam on each layer.
- Finish the top. Place the last crepe on top and mound the remaining whipped cream in the center.
- Chill the cake. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for cleaner slices.
- Garnish and serve. Top with halved fresh blackberries and lemon wheels before slicing.
FAQs
Why does the crepe batter need to rest for at least 2 hours in the fridge?
Resting lets the flour fully hydrate and allows every air bubble from the blender to rise out of the batter. Crepe batter full of bubbles produces uneven, puffy crepes that tear when you try to flip them.
Two hours is the minimum, but overnight works even better if you have the time. Cold batter also hits the hot skillet more evenly, giving you consistent golden color across the whole surface instead of spotty light and dark patches.
Why alternate between lemon curd and blackberry jam instead of using both on every layer?
Using one filling per layer keeps each crepe from getting too heavy and sliding out of place. Lemon curd and blackberry jam together on a single layer would create a slippery double coating that makes the whole stack shift and lean.
Alternating also gives each bite a slightly different flavor depending on where you cut. One slice might hit more lemon layers while the next gets more blackberry, so the cake tastes a little different with each piece you serve.
Why leave a small gap around the edge when spreading the whipped cream?
The weight of the crepes presses the cream outward as you build the stack, so filling that starts at the edge gets squeezed out the sides and drips down. Leaving a small border gives the cream room to spread under pressure without spilling over.
That gap also creates a clean profile when you slice into the finished cake. You see defined layers of crepe and cream all the way to the edge instead of a smeared line where everything blurs together.
Why does this recipe use vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract?
Vanilla bean paste has a thicker consistency that holds up in whipped cream without adding extra liquid. Extract is thinner and can slightly loosen the cream, which matters when you need the filling to stay firm between 15 layers.
The paste also leaves visible vanilla bean specks throughout the white cream, adding to the look when you slice the cake. In a dessert with this many layers, those small black flecks make the cross-section more striking on the plate.
Why does the assembled cake need to chill for at least 1 hour before serving?
Chilling lets the whipped cream firm up and bond with the crepes so the layers hold together when you cut a slice. A warm or room-temperature crepe cake slides apart under the knife, and each piece falls into a flat mess on the plate.
The cold also lets the lemon curd and blackberry jam set slightly, creating cleaner lines between the layers. If you can leave it longer, up to overnight, the flavors meld together even more and each slice holds its shape.
