This cake uses the technique of the Russian Napoleon cake (many thin puff pastry layers + moderate amount of pastry cream in between), but I recommend not waiting for 24 to 48 hours until the layers are completely softened.
This will give you the absolute pleasure of experiencing different textures in each bite – crispy, flaky puff pastry and super creamy pastry cream. You can wait until the cake becomes soft and tender, but you don’t have to. Try this recipe and decide for yourself which one you prefer.
Can this Napoleon Cake be made ahead of time?
If you prefer the crispy version, you can bake the layers and make the pastry cream the night before and assemble it within 3 hours of eating for the best results.
If you prefer the soft and tender version, you can make the fully assembled cake as much as 48 hours in advance. Just keep the cake covered so it doesn’t dry out and absorb the fridge odors.
