Spinach and Ham Savory Crepe Cake with Gluten Free Crepes

A savory gluten free crepe cake made with tender gluten free crepes layered with loads of spinach, sweet caramelized onions, salty ham, and a cheesy béchamel sauce stacked high and baked till golden and bubbling.   Its indulgent, but on Mothers Day, your moms and grandmas (and you) deserve a little treat.

This post has been a long time coming… We actually made this gluten free crepe cake a couple years ago for Mothers Day when Debbie hosted a Mothers Day brunch at her place and had all the mothers and grandmothers in our family over.

The crepe cake was a hit but our photoshoot didn’t have as much luck.  But it was just too good not to share it with you, and since Mothers Day is coming up again we thought it was the perfect time.

We use gluten free crepes in this recipe.  This crepe recipe is tried and true and took a whole bunch of tries to get it right.  These gluten free crepes are just as good as the regular version, and quite possibly better.  They are paper thin, tender, and they function exactly the same as regular crepes.

We love to eat them in other savory recipes, like our chicken and cheese crepes, but they also taste amazing rolled up with fruit compote and whipped cream on top!

For some reason, this time we had a little trouble making the gluten free crepes.  They kept falling apart and not cooking nicely and basically driving me crazy!  So after I dumped the 3^rd crepe in the garbage, we tried adding another egg and they started cooperating right away.  So if you are having problems…  Try another egg.  I think my batter was just a little bit too runny.

We love this crepe cake for when you have a bunch of people coming over for brunch because  you can make it ahead of time and throw it in the oven 30 mins or so before you want to eat it.  There are always so many things to do when you have company over, its nice to be able to prepare some of the food the night before or early in the morning so that its one less thing to do.  Its also a great option for guests with a food allergy or intolerance to gluten with the gluten free crepes.

Plus, this baby is gorgeous!  And freeking tasty!  Don’t you just want to dig your fork in there and eat the whole damn thing?

Side Note about Meat for this Savory Crepe Cake:

Debbie and I are firm believers in quality ingredients.  Choosing quality meat is especially important for the health of our families and for the health of our planet.  We always choose grass fed or free range meat and local whenever possible.  We’re so thankful for companies like Butcher Box who sell quality grass fed and pasture raised meats and who truly care about the welfare of the animals.  As an animal lover and a carnivore, that makes a BIG difference to me.  What’s even better is that Butcher Box also has a fabulous price point and your order gets delivered directly to your door!

If you click the link below, you will get 10$ off your first order and free bacon!

Spinach and Ham Savory Crepe Cake

A savory crepe cake made with tender gluten free crepes layered with loads of spinach, sweet caramelized onions, salty ham, and a cheesy béchamel sauce stacked high and baked till golden and bubbling. 

4.25 from 12 votes

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Course: Appetizer or Main, Brunch

Cuisine: Canadian

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 12 slices

Calories: 370kcal

Author: Julie & Debbie

Ingredients

SPINACH AND ONIONS

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 onions , chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 280g box baby spinach

BECHAMEL SAUCE

• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp cornstarch or 4 tsp flour
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 160 g Gruyere cheese
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tbsp salt

FOR THE CREPES - You will need 9 or 10

• oil spray or olive oil
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup quinoa flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1/4 cup potato flour
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 1/4 cup water

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups cooked ham chopped into cubes
• 2 cups Gruyere cheese , grated

FOR EACH LAYER

• 1 crepe
• 3 tbsp spinach mix
• 1/4 cup ham
• 3 tbsp béchamel sauce

Instructions

MAKE THE CREPES

• Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and the wet ingredients to another large measuring cup or bowl. Beat the eggs into the liquid ingredients. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry while whisking. Whisk until they are fully combined and there are no lumps. You can also use a blender for this, which works great!
• Heat a crepe pan, or a medium sized round skillet on medium heat. When the pan is hot, spray it with a little cooking oil and pour in ½ cup of crepe batter. Swirl the batter around to cover the whole bottom of the pan. Let it sit until the edges start to look cooked. Slide a spatula around the edge of the crepe and if it comes up easily, slide the spatula or flipper under and flip the crepe over. Cook for another 30 seconds to a min, take the crepe out and place on a plate. Repeat this process for the rest of the crepes.

MAKE THE SPINACH AND ONION MIXTURE

• Next make the spinach and onion mixture. Chop up your onions and throw them in a large skillet on medium-low heat with the butter and salt. Cook for 10 - 15 mins or until they get nicely browned and caramelized. Add the spinach bit by bit and cook till it is all wilted down. Remove from heat and set aside.

MAKE THE BECHAMEL SAUCE

• Then get the béchamel cheese sauce going. In a medium pot melt the butter on medium heat. Then add the cornstarch or flour and cook till combined and thick. Slowly add the milk, whisking as you add it. Cook until the milk starts to thicken. Add the cheese, nutmeg and salt. Stir until the cheese is fully melted. Turn the heat off and set aside.
• Get the ham and grated cheese ready.

ASSEMBLE AND COOK THE CREPE CAKE

• Cut your crepes to the same size by using the bottom part of a springform pan as a guide. Reassemble the springform pan and start building layers inside the springform pan.
• Start with a crepe, spread 3 tbsp of béchamel sauce on top of the crepe, then spread 3 tbsp spinach and onion mixture over the crepe, then sprinkle 1/4 cup of the chopped ham on top, followed by a light sprinkling of grated cheese. Repeat until all the crepes are used and you run out of filling. The last crepe will have a little béchamel sauce spread on top, ham and grated cheese.
• Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 mins or until the top layer is all melted and starting to brown.  Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 – 10 mins before you slice into it.

  Serve in wedges.
  

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 1041mg | Potassium: 233mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1145IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 444mg | Iron: 1.5mg