4-Ingredient Paper Thin Napoleon Cake Recipe: Easy & Moist
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This easy and moist multi layered, paper thin napoleon cake recipe consists of ONLY 4 Ingredients. Store-bought puff pastry sheets (Pepperidge Farm brand) and a sweet pastry cream that includes cream cheese, condensed milk and cool whip.
The beauty of baked golden brown puff pastry is seeing all those crispy, flaky air pockets and you might think its crazy but we will destroy them and instead, those air pockets will be our helping guide of creating paper thin cake layers that alternate with a delicious cream and create a decadent napoleon dessert.
Creating those paper thin layers of puff pastry will give you the pleasure of experiencing a super creamy and soft pastry that you can leave as a whole cake or cut into small pastry portions.
This multi layered decadent dessert is a perfect, yet different blend of the Russian napoleon cake (which consists of many thin layers as well) and a french mille-feuille. Mille-Feuille is a french pastry or french cake that is made up of 3 layers of puff pastry alternating with 2 layers of custard cream and the top of the cake is often topped off with whipped cream, fresh berries or seasonal fruits.
The first time i tried this cake was at my sister’s house and if i let you in on a little secret, I wasn’t a big fan of puff pastry dough so, in order for me to like the dessert, it had to be REALLY GOOD! Only after this cake i began to like puff pastry. Trust me, you will want to make this easy napoleon cake recipe and most likely it’ll end up in your “favorite cakes” folder too.
Where can i find puff pastry sheets?
Puff pastry if often found next to pie crusts and other frozen doughs in the freezer section of the grocery store. I like to keep a couple packages of frozen puff pastry in my freezer at all times because this cake is perfect for last minute baking.
Ingredients for Multi layered Napoleon Cake:
- 2-1lb package of Puff Pastry sheets (Pepperidge Farm brand), thawed according to package instructions.
- 8oz package Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
- 10oz Condensed milk (preferably La Lechera)
- 16oz Extra creamy cool whip
How to make multi layered Napoleon Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Bake 4 sheets of puff pastry according to package instructions. (DO NOT roll out the dough with a rolling pin or poke the sheets with a fork) and allow to completely cool.
How to make Pastry Cream:
2. While the puff pastry sheets are baking and cooling, prepare your cream. Into a bowl of a standing mixer, add 8oz of cream cheese and 10oz condensed milk and mix together until there are no lumps of cheese left. Add 16oz of thawed or frozen cool whip and mix on low speed until everything is incorporated, then whip on high speed until the cream is thick in texture and holds shape.
Note: You may have some leftover cream based on how much you add for each layer. Use it up by trying another dessert idea at the bottom of this post or refrigerate for later. This cream can easily be used for sponge cakes or cupcakes as well.
How to assemble Multi layered Napoleon cake:
3.Place baked puff pastry sheet in between 2 cutting boards and press down firmly to flatten it out. (I like to do this in a large baking sheet to catch all the falling crumbs)
Once you have pressed the sheets, you will notice all the buttery layers and air pockets inside. Shake off the crumbs from the top and use the air pockets as a guide to peel off as many thin puff pastry layers as you can. (see pics) The layers won’t be perfect, some will tear and that’s normal, (This is probably the hardest part or most annoying of the whole recipe)
4.Reassemble the sheet cake back together alternating it with the cream.
On a square cake board or cake stand add a dollop of cream to the bottom to keep the cake from moving as you work on it. Place the bottom of the sheet cake as the base, and spread a thin layer of cream. Follow with peeled layers gluing them with cream as needed. Repeat this until you have used up all the puff pastry sheets. The layers DO NOT have to be perfect, some will tear (like a face mask) and that is okay. Assemble it like a sweet puzzle alternating paper thin cake, cream, cake, cream, cake… etc. The more layers you get, the better your cake will be.
The key here is to alternate many paper thin layers of puff pastry and thin layers of cream for best results.
Using 4 puff pastry sheets (2 packages) makes about a 2″ high cake. If you want a higher cake, add more sheets.
5.When you are done with all the layers, top off the top and sides of the cake with all those golden brown crumbs. Don’t worry about any imperfections, crumbs usually cover it all up. I don’t claim to be a professional cake decorator, so I’m sure you can make it much prettier than mine, but non-the-less, this cake is a delicious dessert even with just golden crumbs as decor.
It is best served the following day after the cake layers have had a chance to soften even more from the cream but it can also be consumed after 4-6 hours in the fridge. Although the layers are paper thin, it is important to allow the cake to set a few hours so then when you cut into it, the cake isn’t spreading out.
Cut into portion slices and enjoy!
What should i do with all the remaining puff pastry crumbs?
When i made this puff pastry cake, i had about 4 cups of crumbs leftover as well as some of the cream. I combined the two together in a small bowl, transferred to a deep dish, spread some more cream on top and decorated with fresh fruits whatever i had on hand. I didn’t know what to expect out of it, but to my surprise, the crumbs absorbed the cream and softened up and it made another wonderful tea cake.
- 4cups Puff pastry crumbs
- 2-3cups pastry cream +1cup for top of the cake
- Fresh fruit for decor
Next time i make it, i will add a little bit more pastry cream to the inside so the crumb cake is even more creamy and moist. I would have never thought some leftover crumbs with a combination of pastry cream can make almost the same delicious napoleon cake but different textures . If you are experimental as well, give this crumb cake idea a try and let me know what you think in the comments below. 🙂
Related Posts:
Speedy Chocolate Cake with a 3-ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting
Very Easy Milky Girl Cake Recipe
Best Markiza Cake Recipe (Classic Marquise Torta)
Golden Key Cake
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it went in the comments below. Better still, snap a photo and tag it on Instagram with #alenashomecooking. I love seeing your creations.
4-Ingredient Paper Thin Napoleon Cake Recipe: Easy & Moist
This easy and soft, paper thin napoleon cake recipe consists of ONLY 4 Ingredients. A decadent dessert that is so tender, you'll go for seconds.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Puff Pastry sheets (Pepperidge Farm brand) thawed according to package instructions.
- 8 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese (softened)
- 10 oz Condensed Milk (preferably La Lechera)
- 16 oz Extra Creamy Cool Whip
Instructions
How to make multi layered Napoleon Cake:
-
Preheat oven to 400F. Bake 4 sheets of puff pastry according to package instructions. (DO NOT roll out the dough with a rolling pin or poke the sheets with a fork) and allow to completely cool.
How to make Pastry Cream:
-
While the puff pastry sheets are baking and cooling, prepare your cream. Into a bowl of a standing mixer, add 8oz of cream cheese and10oz condensed milk and mix together until there are no lumps of cheese left. Add 16oz thawed or frozen cool whip and mix on low speed until everything is incorporated, then whip on high speed until the cream is thick in texture and holds shape.
How to assemble Multi layered Napoleon cake:
-
Place baked puff pastry sheet in between 2 cutting boards and press down firmly to flatten it out. (I like to do this in a large baking sheet to catch all the falling crumbs)
-
Once you have pressed the sheets, you will notice all the buttery layers and air pockets inside. Shake off the crumbs from the top and use the air pockets as a guide to peel off as many thin puff pastry layers as you can. (see pics) The layers won't be perfect, some will tear and that's normal, (This is probably the hardest part or most annoying of the whole recipe)
-
Reassemble the sheet cake back together alternating it with the cream. Use the bottom of the sheet cake as the base, and spread a thin layer of cream, follow with peeled layers attaching then with cream as needed.
Repeat this until you have used up all the puff pastry sheets.The layers DO NOT have to be perfect, some will tear (like a face mask) and that is okay. Assemble it like a sweet puzzle alternating paper thin cake, cream, cake, cream, cake… etc. The more layers you get, the better your cake will be.
The key here is to alternate many paper thin layers of puff pastry and thin layers of cream for best results.
-
5.When you are done with all the layers, top off the top and sides of the cake with all those golden brown crumbs. Don't worry about any imperfections, crumbs usually cover it all up. I don’t claim to be a professional cake decorator, so I’m sure you can make it much prettier than mine, but non-the-less, this cake is a delicious dessert even with just golden crumbs as decor.
Made this cake twice. The first time I didn’t add enough cream so it turned out a little dry but yesterday when i remade it, I added a more generous amount and I love it. It’s like butter in your mouth. So good!
Keeper recipe! Very very delicious 🤤
This 👏🏻 cake 👏🏻 is 👏🏻 delicious 👏🏻