An easy, no-bake Napoleon Cake with the same great flavors of a classic napoleon cake. The layers soften overnight under the custard cream making it irresistibly soft!
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Servings: 9-inch cake
Prep Time: 1 hourhr20 minutesmins
Cook Time: 10 minutesmins
Total Time: 1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Ingredients
For the Napoleon Cake:
800-900gramsPalmier or "elephant ear" cookies, we buy the 2 lb box from Costco
In a medium saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 2 whole eggs and 3 yolks and thoroughly whisk together 1 minute. Add 1/3 cup corn starch and whisk until smooth. Whisk in 1/2 cup condensed milk. Add 3 cups milk while whisking. Once milk is incorporate, place over medium heat and continue whisking frequently until thickened and just starts to boil (8 to 10 min)*. Remove from heat right away.
Whisk in 1 Tbsp vanilla then add butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Cover custard surface with plastic wrap so a film does not form and let stand at room temperature for one hour until just barely warm.
While custard cools, prep cookies and cut in half if large to fit more in the pan. To slice, stack cookies and saw carefully with serrated knife. For the crumb coat, place 3-4 cookies in a large ziploc bag, seal and crush with rolling pin.
Remove the base of a 9" springform pan and place the tightened ring over the center of a cake platter. Spread 4 heaping Tablespoons of custard into the center, holding the ring steady. Arrange as many cookies as you can fit in a single layer into the bottom of pan**. Cover with 5 heaping Tablespoons custard and spread evenly with spatula. Repeat with remaining cookies and custard until you have 4 layers of cookies. Spread remaining frosting over the top, sealing any gaps. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Once you take the cake out of the refrigerator, run a thin spatula around the edge to loosen it from the pan. Sprinkle crushed cookies over top and sides, gently patting to adhere crumbs. Arrange berries over the top and serve.
Notes
*Tips for success: Stir custard often on the stove, and whisk constantly towards the end so it doesn't get lumpy. As soon as you feel it starting to thicken, watch it closely since the boil can be hidden by the milk foam at the top. **Add broken pieces of cookie to fill any large gaps.