These Frumple Cakes are perfectly cooked crêpes twisted into a bun then served warm with jam, whipped cream, and maple syrup. Add a sprinkle of confectioner’s sugar to add a “snowy” effect!
If you’re looking for a new Christmas breakfast idea, might I suggest frumple cakes? Made with a touch of brandy and served with a dollop of jam, each of these “twisted crêpes” look like little flowers. Just add your favorite pancake toppings and dig in! I recommend a generous dollop of whipped cream and maple syrup, or a sprinkle of confectioners sugar.
What Are Frumple Cakes?
Frumple cakes are traditional French crêpes that are twisted into a little bun and served with pancake toppings. I don’t know if anyone else makes these – I’ve been making them for over a decade and they’re our family’s favorite holiday breakfast. I originally shared the recipe on a friend’s food blog when she needed folks to write posts for her during her maternity leave. That blog is no longer online and since I now have this little site I figured I’d share my frumple cakes recipe here.
Why You’ll Love This Christmas Breakfast Idea
You don’t have to reserve frumple cakes for Christmas morning, you can make them anytime! But here are a few reasons we love them for holiday breakfasts in particular:
- Festive. The way these crêpes are served is just plain fun and festive, which in my opinion, makes them perfect for the holidays.
- Flexible. You can serve them with whatever fixings you like. Whatever you enjoy with your pancakes or french toast will pair nicely with frumple cakes.
- Can be made ahead. You can make the batter in advance and chill it overnight instead of for 1 hour. You can also make the crepes the day before, then reheat them and serve them on Christmas morning. I’ll provide info below on how to do that in the “how to store and reheat” section.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need to make this breakfast idea. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.
- Eggs – Preferably at room temperature.
- Milk – Any kind of milk works.
- Water
- All-purpose flour
- Butter – Melted
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation.
- Brandy – For flavor! If you don’t want to use it you can replace the brandy with an equal amount of water. I recommend using the brandy though. 🙂
- PAM baking spray
- Toppings – Pure maple syrup, any flavor jam, confectioners sugar, whipped cream.
How to Make Frumple Cakes
The batter for frumple cakes is made in a blender, similar to my popover recipe. This ensures that the batter is mixed well and also incorporates some air for a light batter. Here’s how to make frumple cakes, step-by-step:
- Make the batter. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and pulse for 10 seconds. Refrigerate the batter for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Note: You can actually chill the batter for up to 48 hours, but you may need to add a few tablespoons of water if the batter thickens after being refrigerated for so long.
- Cook. Spray a small non-stick pan with a bit of PAM and then warm over medium-high heat. Pour about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter into the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds, then flip either by tossing the crêpe up in the air or with a spatula. Cook for another 10 seconds and then place on a plate or cutting board, laying the crêpe flat to cool. Repeat for other crêpes.
- Assemble and serve. Twist each crêpe into a little bunch and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with maple syrup, whipped cream and dig in!
- To make the frumple cakes look like flowers. Add a dollop of jam in the middle, then a sprinkle of confectioners sugar. You can use any kind of jam so pick your favorite! I used strawberry jam in the photos shown here.
Tips for Success
- Use a blender. I don’t recommend mixing the batter by hand. You need a blender to really incorporate the ingredients and avoid any clumps. The blender also works some air into the batter, which makes your crêpes light and spongey.
- Grease well. When it’s time to cook your crêpes, make sure your pan is greased well so that the crêpes don’t stick.
What to Serve with Frumple Cakes
Serve your frumple cakes with maple syrup, whipped cream, and your favorite flavors of jam. A sprinkle of confectioners sugar also goes well and adds a holiday flare since it looks like snow. If you want to be extra, you can serve them with homemade maple vanilla whipped cream. 🙂
On the side, you can serve a plate of cheesy scrambled eggs if you want to add some protein to the mix.
I love serving frumple cakes with a fancy coffee drink on the side. I recommend this Gingerbread Latte or this Honey Vanilla Latte in particular.
How to Store and Reheat
You can make these crêpes in advance or keep extras for later. Here’s how:
- Fridge: Let the crepes cool completely, then stack them on top of each other and use a spatula to gently slide them into an airtight container. Lay them flat in the fridge and store them for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: When you’re ready to make some frumple cakes, you can reheat the crêpes in the microwave. Place 1-2 on a microwave-safe plate and zap them for about 15-30 seconds, until warmed through. Then assemble and serve.
More Cozy Breakfast Ideas to Try
- Bourbon Apple Crisp French Toast Casserole
- Blueberry Bread Pudding
- Challah French Toast
- Simple Buttermilk Pancakes
- Buttermilk Blueberry Waffles
- Old Fashioned Fluffy Pancakes
Frumple Cakes
These Frumple Cakes are perfectly cooked crêpes twisted into a bun then served warm with jam, whipped cream, and maple syrup. Add a sprinkle of confectioner’s sugar to add a “snowy” effect!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons melted butter*
- 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons of brandy
- PAM baking spray
- Toppings: Pure maple syrup, jam, maple syrup and whipped cream
Instructions
Make the batter. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and pulse for 10 seconds. Refrigerate the batter for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Cook. Spray a small non-stick pan with a bit of PAM and then warm over medium-high heat. Pour about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter into the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds, then flip either by tossing the crêpe up in the air or with a spatula. Cook for another 10 seconds and then place on a plate or cutting board, laying the crêpe flat to cool. Repeat for other crêpes.
Assemble. Twist each crêpe into a little bunch and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with maple syrup, whipped cream and dig in!
To make the frumple cakes look like flowers. Serve with a dollop of jam in the middle, then a sprinkle of confectioners sugar.
Notes
*Salted butter because we are not adding it separately, or you can use unsalted butter + a pinch of kosher salt.
Last Step:
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Hi, I wondered if the butter is salted or unsalted? Thanks 😁
Great question! This recipe uses salted butter because salt it not being added separately. Or you could use unsalted butter and add a pinch of kosher salt.