Date Night Dessert: Thumbtack Chef Niko Paranomous' Red Velvet Mille Crepe Cake

Looking for a spectacular way to end date night? Cap off the meal with Thumbtack Chef Niko Paranomous’ Red Velvet Mille Crepe Cake.

“One of my all-time favorite fool-proof dessert recipes, the Red Velvet Mille Crepe Cake, can impress even the most discerning diner. No need to worry about fudging up a crepe or two, you can easily hide that in the many layers and fill in any missing pieces with the tangy whipped cream cheese filling,” Chef Niko shared. “I love using a heart shaped cookie cutter to create individual heart-shaped cakes, making a luscious dessert that much more sweet!”

Red Velvet Mille Crepe Cake:

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

For Crepes:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs at room temperature or egg replacer equivalent

1 cup milk of your choice, at room temperature

1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature (Vegan tip: Add 1 tsp apple cider vinegar to 1/2 cup of soy milk to make your own buttermilk)

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon red gel food coloring (Vegan tip: Create your own natural red food coloring by juicing 1 medium beet, and using as much you need to get your desired color)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For cream cheese filling:

8oz dairy or non-dairy cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup unsalted dairy or non-dairy butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoons milk of your choice (Vegan tip: Full fat coconut milk is a great option)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Sprinkles for decoration, if desired

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt and sugar.
2. In a mixing bowl with whisk attachment, or using a handheld electric mixer, or by hand, beat the eggs for 1 minute. Add milk, buttermilk, vanilla extract, oil and gel coloring. Beat the mixture for 3 minutes.
3. Add the flour mixture and beat on medium low speed just until combined, 1-2 minutes.
4. Heat 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Place a little less than ¼ cup of batter into the hot pan, quickly swirl the pan so the batter is evenly covers the bottom of the pan. In about 1 minute, when the edges of the crepe start to pull away, flip it over using a spatula. Cook for about 30 seconds or so and stack the crepes on a plate. Cool the crepes completely.
5. To make the cream cheese filling, beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium mixing bowl with paddle attachment, or using handheld electric mixer. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk and mix until smooth, starting on low speed and slowly increasing the speed to medium high.
6. To assemble the cake, spread heaping one tablespoon of cream cheese filling on a crepe. Place another crepe on top and spread another heaping tablespoon of the filling. Repeat until all crepes are used. Top with sprinkles, if desired. Serve immediately, or store in airtight container in the fridge. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving.