This Napoleon Cake recipe with cherries is an all-year-round cake filled with cherries and delicate milk custard cream that will be a real treat for your friends and family!

Another name for this cake is Napoleon Tort. One of its many special features is the amount of layers – there are so many!

This particular Napoleon Cake recipe belongs to my Mama – the Queen in making Napoleon cakes (and yes, there are many varieties). She made the whole process look so easy… Yet it takes time to bake each layer, assemble each, etc.

Traditionally, I like to make at least seven puff pastry layers, while my Mama’s favorite – nine. Together, always went the extra mile for that big Napoleon Tort look!

Torts are known for the amount of layers, and because I love them so much, I have quite a few tort recipes up my sleeve – with nuts, cheese, jams, creams, chocolate fillings and flavors. So make sure to subscribe to my Newsletter to stay tuned for the next tort recipe when I publish it. In the meantime, back to our tort recipe of Napoleon with cherries…

This cake is perfect for a Birthday party – you will have a line of people wanting a piece (or two, or more).

It is also worth noting that this trot’s layers are prepared differently than those for the French Mille Feuilles or Portuguese Bolo Folhado, so the taste is absolutely divine! 

The hardest part in making it is just to wait until all layers soak up in cream with cherries – for around 10 hours. Although my advice is to forget about it for a night and serve the next day. This way you want battle the urge to try it, and will have the layers perfectly soak overnight.

The traditional Napoleon Cake doesn’t include cherries, while the custard is made from egg yolks combined with milk. The internet is full of this kind of recipes. But I really enjoy elevated cakes and desserts, so I added pitted cherries (from a can) and also reduced calories on egg yolks. Who needs so many calories, right?

The milk custard cream becomes very nice, silk, and light, – you have to try it! Here is a quick short video of the cream:

What is the Best Season to Make Napoleon Recipe?

This Napoleon tort is a real sweet treat that you can enjoy year-round. No limitations!

What Are Health Benefits of This Cake?

The Napoleon Cake is undeniably a treat, with this particular recipe boasting of one star ingredient – cherries – offering some great health benefits. Cherries are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that are great contributors to your better health.

So you can enjoy a dessert that’s both satisfying and nourishing!

Where Can I Buy the Required Ingredients?

You can find all the necessary ingredients at your local farmers’ market and/or grocery store, including (canned) cherries.

I make my own flaky pastry dough in this recipe, but there is a shortcut if you would rather not – you can buy it pre-made at the store. 😉 However, I don’t recommend doing it because store-bought puff pastry sheets tend to be denser, so you will not get the same texture (and taste) compared to the cake made from the homemade pastry dough.

I have been trying many different kinds of the store-bought puff pastry in the past, and I can guarantee that the homemade puff pastry is the best!

Here is a short video on how I make it:

By the way, subscribe to my YouTube channel for more short videos like this!

Can I Substitute Any of the Napoleon Cake Recipe Ingredients?

While staying true to my family’s authentic recipe is recommended – for the optimal experience – there is some room for creativity.

If you have any dietary preferences or restrictions, you can try different substitutions like dairy-free milk and gluten free pastry dough.

But keep in mind that such substitutions may slightly alter the taste and texture of the Napoleon.

Can I Make This Napoleon Cake Part of a Menu?

Absolutely! This delicious Napoleon Cake is a crown jewel of any culinary menu!

For an appetizer, serve a light dip, for example, Purple Beetroot Dip

For a vegetarian main, prepare Beetroot Carrot Potato Salad.

Then serve the Napoleon Tort for a dessert.

Which Drinks Pair Well with Napoleon?

I recommend having a glass of sparkling rosé or a chilled glass of white wine. Both can provide a great and refreshing contrast to the cake.

For a non-alcoholic option, try a cup of fragrant black tea (Earl Grey). So good!

How Long Can I Store the Napoleon Leftovers?

You won’t have any! But if by some miracle you will – place the rest of your Napoleon (whatever is left from him it) in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. Guard the cake as someone may help it disappear. 🙂

Napoleon Recipe Tips & Tricks

The most important things to pay attention to are pastry and cream.

• Don’t use frozen puff pastry for baking. If you have the dough in your freezer, place it in the fridge first until it is completely unfrozen.
• Here is how to make puff pastry from scratch. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before baking.
• Precision in Pastry. Roll out the pastry dough uniformly using a plate of the size that you want your Napoleon cake to be. It will also help you form consistent layers when baking.
• Cream. Use only fresh butter to make the cream. You can add vanilla sugar or vanilla essence to the cream.
• Bake every puff pastry layer separately in order to bake them correctly, and keep them separately on the board.

Now grab a fork and dig into this Napoleon Cake – soft creamy cake with mildly sweet cherries that melt in your mouth…  This Napoleon tort is truly a piece of culinary art that captures the essence of the perfect dessert. Enjoy!

Made this recipe?

Please share your thoughts about this recipe in the comments below. What did you like the most? Did you make any modifications?

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Want another recipe?

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And check out these other delicious recipes that you will love:

• Beef Carrot Potato Stew
• Olivye Potato Sausage Salad
• Garlic Tomato Salad

Video

Check out my Cherry Napoleon Cake recipe video. And subscribe to my YouTube channel to stay tuned and enjoy other recipe ideas!