Napoleon Cake is a popular Eastern European dessert, often considered a variation of Mille-Feuille in France or Cremeschnitte in Romania. Also known as Russian Napoleon Cake and French Napoleon Cake, this Napoleon dessert features multiple thin layers of crisp, buttery puff pastry dough filled with rich, homemade diplomat cream. This cake is traditionally left to rest overnight, allowing the cream to soften the pastry for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Why you'll love my easy Napoleon cake recipe?

Bakery style cake: The best thing about this easy Napoleon cake is that it tastes (and looks) like you bought it from your local European bakery – with flaky cake layers and a rich pastry cream recipe that rivals anything store-bought.

Simple ingredients: This easy Napoleon pastry recipe skips the homemade puff pastry dough without sacrificing flavor or texture. You’ll still get those signature flaky cake layers and rich layers of pastry cream using just a few simple steps.

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 sheets pre-made puff pastry frozen or refrigerated
• 2 cups fresh raspberries may substitute with seasonal fruit
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting

For the diplomat cream:

• 6 eggs yolks
• 6 egg whites whipped
• 1½ cups milk (whole milk)
• 1½ cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 6 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 vanilla bean pods, scrapped may substitute with 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• 3 teaspoons gelatin
• 2 Tablespoons cold water

Instructions

Make the diplomat cream.

• In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until light yellow in color. Then, add corn starch and whisk until smooth and thick .
• Heat milk and vanilla over medium/low heat until steaming. Slowly add a little of the milk mixture at a time to the eggs while whisking continuously. 1½ cups whole milk, 2 vanilla bean pods, scrapped
• Pour the whole mixture through the sieve back into the pot. Gently whisk continuously for 5 to 7 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat.
• Add the cold water to a wide bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over it. Whisk to combine and set aside until no more powder is visible and the gelatin looks bloomed. Then, microwave for 10 seconds. 
• Add the microwaved, bloomed gelatin and butter. Whisk vigorously until combined. Then, add the whipped egg whites and gently whisk in until fully combined and no more white is visible.
• Directly cover the cream with plastic wrap to prevent a top layer of dry skin from forming. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours until thick and chilled. Before using, give it a mix to smooth out the texture as it will have set into a firm, thick custard.
• After the custard is chilled, use a hand mixer to whip the heavy whipping cream on high speed, one cup at a time, in same bowl as the custard until pale yellow, fluffy and thickened. This can take up to 5 minutes.

Bake the puff pastry.

• Use a rolling pin to flatten the puff pastry into a rectangle. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake at 425°F for 17-20 minutes until deep, golden brown. 
• Use the back of a spatula to press down the puff and remove the broken, crispy pieces. Save this for the topping later. Place the puff pastry back into the oven for an additional 5-7 minutes until even more golden brown and even more crispy. Set aside to cool.

Assemble the cake.

• Cut each rectangle into two equal pieces. You will end up with 4 pieces total. Alternate starting with a sheet of puff pastry and generous layer of cream, about 1 cup. It's okay if some of the filling falls on the sides. After you finished the last layer, use the leftover cream to cover all the sides.
• Sprinkle and press all sides with the broken puff pastry pieces.

Refrigerate until set.

• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to two days before serving. his helps the cream set and the layers soften, making it easier to slice. Garnish with fresh fruit and powdered sugar before serving.

Recipe from Bake cook repeat