Café de Olla Crepe Cake
This Café de Olla Crepe Cake is a deliciously spiced twist on the classic French dessert, inspired by the rich, aromatic flavors of traditional Mexican café de olla. Layer upon layer of tender cinnamon-coffee crepes are stacked with a whipped topping infused with piloncillo, coffee extract, and warm spices like clove and star anise. Finished with a dusting of cocoa powder and chocolate curls, it’s a show-stopping dessert perfect for holidays, brunches, or special celebrations.
Ingredients
For the crepes —
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp grated piloncillo or dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp coffee extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground clove
- ⅛ tsp ground star anise, or substitute with a pinch of Chinese five spice
- Zest of 1 orange
- Pinch of salt
For the whipped topping —
- ½ tbsp grated piloncillo or dark brown sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground clove
- Pinch of ground star anise or five spice
- 1½ tsp coffee extract
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 12 oz or about 3 cups store-bought whipped topping
- Optional: small pinch of orange zest for brightness
For finishing —
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
- Chocolate shavings or curls
Instructions
- In a blender, combine all ingredients for the crepes. Blend until smooth. Chill the batter for 30 minutes.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and lightly grease it for the first crepe only.
- Pour in about 3 tbsp of batter, swirl to coat, and cook for about 1 minute per side until golden.
- Cool the crepes on a flat surface. Trim with a 7-inch cutter if needed for uniformity.
- In a small bowl, mix piloncillo, coffee extract, and vanilla. Let sit 2 minutes, then stir until dissolved.
- Fold this into the whipped topping along with the spices and zest. Chill until ready to use.
- To assemble, layer a crepe with about ¼ cup of whipped topping. Repeat with remaining crepes and cream.
- Finish the top and sides with cream. Chill for at least 2 hours.
- Dust with cocoa powder and garnish with chocolate curls before serving.
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Letting the batter rest ensures tender, flexible crepes.
- To speed things up, cook two crepes at a time using two pans.
- If using fresh whipped cream instead of store-bought, beat 2 cups heavy cream with 2 tbsp powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Trim the crepes for a professional finish or leave rustic for a homemade feel.
- This cake slices best when fully chilled—overnight is ideal.
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