Pear and Ginger Cream Cheese Crèpe Cake

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

Believe it or not, this dreamy, impressive cake doesn’t require any baking. Alternating layers of zippy pear ginger compote and cream cheese frosting are sandwiched between delicate, lightly sweetened crèpes. Each component can be made ahead up to 2 days in advance (keep crèpes wrapped tightly in plastic wrap)—just make sure everything is at room temperature before it’s time to assemble and the spreading will be smooth sailing. (Or you can make the entire cake up to one day in advance and keep well wrapped and chilled; bring to room temperature before serving.) The pear filling can be left rustic and slightly chunky or puréed in a blender for a more refined texture. Save the prettiest crèpe to crown the top.

Serves 8

FOR THE PEAR FILLING:
4 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and finely chopped
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup finely chopped candied ginger
1 tablespoon pear brandy, rum or cognac

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE CRÈPES AND ASSEMBLY:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
3 cups milk, at room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 teaspoons vanilla vegetable oil, for the pan
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

FOR THE PEAR FILLING:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add all the ingredients except for the brandy. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Uncover and simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the pear brandy, rum or cognac.

Use a potato masher to break up the fruit into a coarse purée. Alternatively, you can purée the mixture in a blender until completely smooth. Set aside to cool. The pear filling can be made and refrigerated up to 3 days in advance.

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and billowy, about 1–2 minutes.

Add the softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat for another minute.

Add the crème fraîche, confectioners’ sugar, ground ginger and vanilla extract and beat for another 2 minutes, or until everything is fully incorporated and the mixture looks smooth and creamy with soft peaks.

Use right away to assemble the crèpe cake or refrigerate for up to 3 days. If refrigerated, soften for a few hours at room temperature before using.

FOR THE CRÈPES AND ASSEMBLY:
Add first 7 ingredients to a blender and mix on high speed until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

When you’re ready to make the crèpes, heat an 8-inch nonstick or seasoned carbon steel crepe pan over medium-high heat. Use a wadded paper towel to lightly grease the pan with about ½ teaspoon vegetable oil.

Stir the batter and pour a scant quarter cup onto the hot pan. Quickly swirl the pan to distribute the batter into an even, thin crèpe. Cook for about 30 seconds on each side, or until the surface is lightly browned and speckled. Transfer the finished crèpe to a large plate.

Repeat until all the batter is gone, re-oiling pan about every fourth crèpe. Stack the crèpes on top of one another (no need to spread them out or layer with parchment). Make sure they are fully cool before assembling the cake.

To assemble the cake, place 1 crèpe on a large cake plate or stand. Use an offset spatula to spread 3–4 tablespoons of cream cheese filling onto the crèpe, spreading as close to the edges as possible. Place another crèpe on top and spread with 3–4 tablespoons of the pear filling. Repeat the process, alternating between the cream cheese and pear fillings, until you’ve used up all the crèpes.

Cover the cake with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to a day.

Take the cake out of the refrigerator at least an hour before serving. Use a sieve to dust the top with about 2 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar. Slice into wedges and serve.

This recipe appeared in the Winter 2025 issue as part of a larger story, Snow White Sweets.