From the Runway to the Dessert Tray: Make This Ombré Cake Inspired by a Marc Jacobs Gown

Armed with not much more than a stack of store-bought crêpes and a pint of fresh blackberries, N.Y.C. confectioner (and InStyle assistant editor) Anne Kim re-created the lavender layers and gradient effects of Marc Jacobs’s whimsical organza gown with this charming dessert. Kim, whose adorable cake toppers are sold at sugarhightops.com, fashions mini-crêpe cakes—a lovely treat that hardly needs an occasion. “I would just call my girlfriends over for a ’90s rom-com party!” she says.

The Ombré Crêpe Stack

Inspired by: Marc Jacobs violet ombré gownBaker: Anne KimMakes: 2 4-inch cakes

1. Start with nine 9" crêpes ($6/10; worldmarket.com). Using a 4" scalloped-circle cookie cutter ($16; coppergifts.com), cut out three circles per crêpe to yield 26 circles. You need 13 circles per cake.

2. Filling: Whip ½ cup heavy cream with ¹/₈ tsp vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Fold in 1 cup pastry cream ($11/16 oz.; kingarthurflour.com). Divide into three bowls.

3. Purée ½ cup fresh blackberries in a blender.

4. Create three shades of filling: Mix 3 tbsp blackberry purée into one bowl, 1 tbsp into another, and leave the last one plain.

5. Assemble cakes directly on top of two mini cake stands or dessert plates: On each stand, start with a crêpe circle and spread a thin layer of the darkest filling using a small offset spatula ($8; amazon.com). Repeat until you have four layers with dark purple filling. Then build four more layers with lighter-purple filling, and four layers with plain filling. Finish with a crêpe circle. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour. Garnish with a dollop of plain pastry cream, a few fresh blackberries, and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Want more concoctions that are both scrumptious and oh-so-chic? See more of our runway-inspired desserts here.