A strawberry custard pancake cake is made with pancakes (or crepes), layered with homemade vanilla custard and topped with a delicious strawberry compote. If you've got a sweet tooth then I think you are going to love this dessert!
Let me introduce you to my new favourite dessert - strawberry custard pancake cake, which I've put together just in time for Shrove Tuesday which this year happens to fall on 4th March!
This delightful dessert is made by layering homemade pancakes or crepes with a rich and creamy homemade egg custard. To finish it off it's smothered in a luscious strawberry compote that perfectly balances the sweetness with a hint of tang.
This dessert is best served chilled (from the refrigerator) as it firms up better when cold and is easier to slice.
I made a similar recipe years ago when I lived in South Africa, where I layered the pancakes with apple sauce and chopped walnuts. And while it tasted delicious, it turned out to be very lopsided, due to the lumpiness of the walnuts and the slipperiness of the apple sauce causing the pancakes to slide to the side. This time, I've taken no chances and used a smooth custard to layer the pancakes together!
If you are in a hurry, you can use both shop-bought pancakes and custard to make this dessert. However, do be aware that shop-bought custard might be quite runny; a thicker custard holds its shape better. If you'd prefer to make the pancakes and custard yourself (which don't take too long anyway) I've included links under Preparation Time below to my recipes for making both pancakes and vanilla custard.
Once you've got the pancakes and custard elements sorted, it only takes a few minutes to make the strawberry compote. Then it's just a matter of layering it all together and leaving it to chill until you are ready to serve it.
And of course, you don't only have to serve it on Shrove Tuesday! This delicious dessert can be served any night of the week!
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Pancakes - you will need about 12 pancakes, depending on how thickly you spread the custard. My recipe for how to make pancakes will make around 20 pancakes but you can always use the leftovers to make some savoury mince-stuffed pancakes for dinner! For this recipe, I used pancakes that were 8" (or 20 cm) in diameter. You can use larger pancakes, but then you will need more custard.
- Custard - I like making the custard myself as I can control how thick to make it. You need a quite thick custard that it doesn't run out of the pancakes and make a mess!
- Strawberries - these will be chopped up and used to make the compote.
- Sugar - for sweetness. How much you will need depends entirely on how sweet the strawberries are. Adjust the sugar accordingly.
- Lemon juice - the sourness of the lemon balances the sweetness of the strawberries. You can use fresh or bottled lemon juice.
- Vanilla essence - for extra flavour - leave it out if you don't have any to hand.
- Cornflour (US readers will know this as cornstarch). This is used to thicken the compote and should be combined with water to form a smooth paste.
- You will also need a small amount of cold water to boil with the strawberry compote to form a syrup.
**You can find the exact ingredient measurements for making this strawberry custard pancake cake on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Instructions
Before you can make this cake, you need to either buy some pancakes and custard at the supermarket or make them using your own recipes or the recipes I mentioned above.
Once you've got those ready, just follow these easy steps:
Step 1: Cut the strawberries into pieces and place them in a saucepan with the water, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla essence.
Step 2: Heat the strawberries gently until they start to simmer and stir them gently for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to soften and have released some of their juices into the water.
Step 3: Stir in as much of the cornflour and water mixture as needed to thicken the syrup slightly. It should be thick but still quite runny. You may not need all the cornflour mixture. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Step 4: Lay one of the pancakes on a serving plate.
Step 5: Spread 2 tablespoons of custard in a thin layer over the pancake.
Step 6: Cover the custard with another pancake.
Step 7: Repeat the layers until all the pancakes and custard have been used. Finish off with an uncovered pancake on top.
Step 8: Spoon the cooled strawberry compote on top. Use a spoon to distribute the strawberry pieces evenly.
Place the strawberry custard cake in the refrigerator to chill before serving.
Preparation time
If you are using shop-bought pancakes and custard, then the preparation time is only 15 minutes. That's how long it takes to make the strawberry compote and layer the ingredients together.
On the other hand, if you want to make the pancakes and custard yourself then it will take a bit longer:
Custard - the custard takes 15 minutes to make but you do need to allow a few minutes for it to cool before layering it onto the pancakes.
This is the recipe I used for the homemade custard - this recipe calls for 3 teaspoons of cornflour or cornstarch. To make the custard slightly thicker, I increased that to 4 teaspoons. And if you think the custard might be too sweet, you could cut down the sugar to 2 tablespoons.
Pancakes - the pancakes take 5 minutes to mix and a further 30 minutes to cook. For a lighter pancake, you should leave the batter to rest for 30 minutes, but this is optional - if I'm in a hurry I often skip this step. Use this recipe - how to make pancakes - if you would like to make them yourself.
If you are good at multi-tasking, you could even make the custard at the same time as you make the pancakes!
So, best case scenario, the entire strawberry custard pancake cake can be made in about an hour!
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your strawberry custard pancake cake always turns out perfectly.
- This recipe is intended to be made with English pancakes (or French crepes), not the thicker American pancakes.
- You will need about 1.5 pints (or 3 cups) of custard. I used one full quantity of my homemade custard recipe.
- Don't spread the custard too thickly. You are going to be making at least 12 layers so there will be plenty of custard in the cake.
- Don't cook the strawberries for too long or they will become mushy. They should just cook long enough to soften slightly and start to release their moisture.
- When thickening the strawberry syrup, you may not need all the cornflour and water mixture. It depends on how much liquid was released from the strawberries as to how much you will need. Use just enough to form a thick runny glaze.
- Do chill the custard cake in the refrigerator before serving - you will find it much easier to slice.
Variations
You don't have to stick with strawberries for the topping. You could use any soft fruit that you have available. Here are a few suggestions:
- Blueberries - replace the strawberries with blueberries, but allow the blueberries to simmer for 6 to 7 minutes or until they have softened.
- Passion fruit (or granadilla) - combine a small can of granadilla pulp with cornflour and sugar and stir over low heat until thickened. If you enjoy passion fruit you might like to try this passion fruit cheesecake.
- Frozen black cherries - you can also make this dessert with frozen fruit such as cherries. Defrost the cherries and cook them in the same way as the strawberries. For a more adult version, swap out the water with cherry brandy or Kirsch!
- Canned peaches or pears - cut the fruit into small pieces and place it in a saucepan with ¼ cup of juice. Stir in a teaspoon of cornflour and stir gently over a low heat until thickened.
For a more decadent dessert, why not spread the pancakes with chocolate spread (such as Nutella) and top with whipped cream and a sprinkling of grated chocolate?
Equipment
Apart from the equipment you will need for making the pancakes and custard (see the separate recipes for those under Preparation Time above), you will only need a saucepan and a spatula for making the strawberry compote, and a sharp knife to cut up the strawberries.
I used a glass serving platter to assemble the strawberry custard pancake cake, but you could simply use a large dinner plate.
Storage
Store the assembled pancake cake, covered with a layer of tin foil, in the refrigerator. It is at its best when eaten fresh, but it can be stored for 2 to 3 days. After that, the pancakes will be inclined to become soggy and not as appealing.
If you want to make this in advance, you can make the individual components (pancakes, custard and compote) up to 3 days ahead of time and store them separately. Assemble the cake on the day you intend to serve it.
FAQ
Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, which in the Christian calendar marks the beginning of the 40 days of Lent.
Shrove Tuesday was the day on which people would use up rich food like eggs, butter and sugar, before the start of the fasting period, and making pancakes was a good way to use these ingredients.
Over the years, especially in England and Ireland, Shrove Tuesday has become more commonly known as Pancake Day.
Yes, you can use frozen strawberries instead of fresh. Allow them to defrost then place them in a saucepan with the water and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar has dissolved then thicken immediately with the cornflour and remove from the heat.
Save for later
If you would like to try this strawberry custard pancake cake, why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.
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Related recipes
Visit my cake, biscuit and dessert recipes page for other tasty sweet recipes. Here are a few you might enjoy:
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📋The recipe
Strawberry custard pancake cake
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Spatula
- Sharp Knife
- Serving platter
Ingredients
- 12 8-inch diameter pancakes store-bought or make your own
- 3 cups / 720 ml custard store-bought or make your own
- 10 ounces / 300 grams fresh or frozen strawberries cut into pieces
- 2 tablespons / 25 grams sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup / 60 ml cold water
- 1 teaspoon cornflour mixed to a paste with 1 tablespoon of water.
Instructions
- Cut the strawberries into pieces and place them in a saucepan with the water, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla essence.10 ounces / 300 grams fresh or frozen strawberries, 2 tablespons / 25 grams sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, ¼ cup / 60 ml cold water
- Heat the strawberries gently until they come to a to simmer and stir them gently for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to soften and have released some of their juices into the water.
- Stir in as much of the cornflour and water mixture as needed to thicken the syrup slightly. It should be thick but still quite runny. You may not need all the cornflour mixture. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.1 teaspoon cornflour
- Lay one of the pancakes on a serving plate.12 8-inch diameter pancakes
- Spread 2 tablespoons of custard in a thin layer over the pancake.3 cups / 720 ml custard
- Cover the custard with another pancake.
- Repeat the layers until all the pancakes and custard have been used. Finish off with an uncovered pancake on top.
- Spoon the cooled strawberry compote on top. Use a spoon to distribute the strawberry pieces evenly.
- Place the strawberry custard cake in the refrigerator to chill before serving.
Notes
- This recipe is intended to be made with English pancakes (or French crepes), not the thicker American pancakes.
- You will need about 1.5 pints (or 3 cups) of custard. I used one full quantity of my homemade custard recipe.
- Don't spread the custard too thickly. You are going to be making at least 12 layers so there will be plenty of custard in the cake.
- Don't cook the strawberries for too long or they will become mushy. They should just cook long enough to soften slightly and start to release their moisture.
- When thickening the strawberry syrup, you may not need all the cornflour and water mixture. It depends on how much liquid was released from the strawberries as to how much you will need. Use just enough to form a thick runny glaze.
- Do chill the custard cake in the refrigerator before serving - you will find it much easier to slice.
- Store the assembled pancake cake, covered with a layer of tin foil, in the refrigerator. It is at its best when eaten fresh, but it can be stored for 2 to 3 days. After that, the pancakes will be inclined to become soggy and not as appealing.
- If you want to make this in advance, you can make the individual components (pancakes, custard and compote) up to 3 days ahead of time and store them separately. Assemble the cake on the day you intend to serve it.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!