Strawberry mousse cake
The strawberry mousse cake is easier to prepare if the sponge and sauce are made a day in advance. The sponge is simple, made with butter, lemon, and vanilla, and the strawberry cream remains light and airy after cooling. For assembly, the sponge is surrounded with parchment paper and slices of strawberries, then filled with the fruit mousse and left to chill until the gelatin sets. It is a cake suitable for serving cold, especially when you have fresh strawberries. Quick Info Preparation time: approximately 1 hour, excluding cooling and setting time in the fridge Baking time: approximately 30 minutes Total time: preparation takes about 1 hour, but the cake needs to chill until the mousse sets Servings: number not specified; the cake is prepared in a 20 cm round pan Difficulty: easy to medium Recipe type: cold strawberry cake, suitable for birthdays or festive meals Ingredients For the sponge 200 g flour 4 eggs, at room temperature 135 g fine sugar vanilla essence zest of one lemon 30 g melted butter a pinch of salt For the strawberry sauce 500 g fresh strawberries, washed and hulled 100 g fine sugar For the strawberry mousse 200 ml Hulala whipped cream 150 ml strawberry sauce 1 packet of gelatin 4 tablespoons of strawberry sauce, for hydrating the gelatin 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, optional and to taste 1 teaspoon lemon juice For assembly and decoration 8 large strawberries, sliced, for the edge of the cake 10 large strawberries for decoration parchment paper For whipped cream, it is helpful to use a metal or glass bowl pre-chilled in the fridge. Preparation Method 1. Prepare the sponge Before starting, take the eggs out of the fridge and let them reach room temperature. Place them in a bowl with the fine sugar and mix for about 10 minutes. The mixture should become light in color, creamy, and well-aerated. Add the pinch of salt, lemon zest, and vanilla essence. Mix for another 2-3 minutes to distribute the flavors. Sift the flour and gradually incorporate it using gentle movements. Do not mix vigorously, as this will lose the air trapped in the eggs. Put the melted butter in a small bowl and mix it with a little of the sponge mixture. Once combined, pour the mixture back into the main batter and fold it in with a spatula. This step must be done carefully to prevent the batter from breaking and collapsing. Pour the mixture into a 20 cm round pan lined with butter and flour. You can also use parchment paper at the bottom. Gently tap the pan on the counter 4-5 times to release some of the larger air bubbles. Bake the sponge at medium heat for about 30 minutes, until it is lightly golden on top. Check it with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the sponge is done. Allow it to cool completely before assembling. The sponge and strawberry sauce can be prepared a day in advance. It’s actually easier to work with the sponge when it is completely cold. 2. Make the strawberry sauce Place the washed and hulled strawberries in a blender. Add the fine sugar and blend until you achieve a thick syrup-like sauce. Keep the sauce in the fridge until needed. You will use part of it to soak the sponge, part for the gelatin, and the rest for the strawberry cream or for decoration. 3. Prepare the sponge for assembly Once the sponge has cooled, soak it with 4-5 tablespoons of strawberry sauce. There is no need to use all the sauce at this stage. Surround the sponge with a strip of folded parchment paper, high enough to exceed the sponge and support the mousse. Secure the paper around the cake. Slice the strawberries and arrange them around the edge of the sponge, between it and the parchment paper. For a 20 cm cake, about 8 large strawberries can be used, depending on how thick the slices are. 4. Prepare the gelatin Place the gelatin in a bowl and mix it with 4 tablespoons of strawberry sauce. Let the mixture hydrate as per the recipe steps, then heat it very gently in a bain-marie or microwave, just enough to dissolve the granules. It is important that the sauce does not get hot. The gelatin should only dissolve, not boil or become hot. After dissolving, mix the gelatin with 150 ml of strawberry sauce. Blend the mixture well and set it aside, without letting it set. 5. Whip the cream and prepare the strawberry mousse Use a metal or glass bowl chilled in the fridge. Pour the cold whipped cream into the bowl and beat it with a mixer until it thickens. The powdered sugar is optional and can be added to taste. Pour the gelatin and strawberry sauce mixture over the whipped cream. Add the lemon juice, then mix with the mixer until the mixture becomes uniform. The mousse obtained should be poured immediately over the soaked sponge lined with strawberry slices. Smooth the surface gently, then decorate the cake as desired with the remaining strawberries and strawberry sauce. 6. Chill the cake Place the cake in the fridge until the gelatin sets and the mousse gains enough stability. The exact time is not specified, so check the texture before serving. The cake should be firm, but the cream should remain light. If you plan to transport the cake, it is safer to decorate it just before serving. When transporting, especially if taken out of the fridge and placed directly in a car, condensation may occur. In this case, the decoration with strawberries and sauce mixed with powdered sugar may run. Why I make this recipe often It’s a practical recipe when I want to prepare dessert in stages. The sponge and sauce can be made a day in advance, and on the day of serving, only the mousse and assembly remain. The taste is fresh due to the strawberries, and the cream is lighter than many butter or cream cheese-based fillings. The cake stays cold and is served directly from the fridge. Tips and Variations Tips Eggs at room temperature whip better and help achieve a light sponge. Whip them sufficiently with the sugar, about 10 minutes, before adding the flour. The flour should be sifted and incorporated gradually. Use a spatula and slow movements, without overmixing. The melted butter should not be poured directly over the entire mixture. Mix it first with a little batter, then incorporate it into the bowl. This way, it does not suddenly weigh down the mixture. Do not heat the gelatin mixture too much. In the recipe, the gelatin is heated only until dissolved, and the sauce should not be hot. Whipped cream is easier to whip in a cold bowl. Chill the bowl in the fridge before use. The sauce is used in multiple stages, so do not pour all of it over the sponge. Reserve the necessary amount for the gelatin and mousse. Substitutions For the powdered sugar in the whipped cream, you can use less or omit it, as the strawberry sauce already contains sugar. Adjust the amount to taste. The whipped cream mentioned in the recipe is Hulala vegetable whipped cream. If you use another type of whipped cream, the texture and sweetness may vary, so the powdered sugar should be added accordingly. Variations You can keep the cake simple, just with strawberry mousse on top, or decorate it with slices of strawberries and a few spoonfuls of sauce. For a neater presentation, arrange the strawberry slices vertically, side by side, before pouring the mousse. It is important that the parchment paper around the cake is high enough to support the cream. Serving Ideas Serve the cake cold, after the mousse has set. Cut slices with a clean knife and wipe the blade between cuts if you want neater edges. The remaining strawberry sauce can be placed over each slice, instead of being used entirely for decorating the cake. If you mix it with powdered sugar for ornamenting, use it close to serving time, as condensation may cause it to run. Frequently Asked Questions Can I prepare the sponge a day in advance? Yes. The sponge can be baked a day in advance, allowed to cool, and stored until assembly. The strawberry sauce can also be made ahead and kept in the fridge. How much sauce do I put on the sponge? The sponge is soaked with 4-5 tablespoons of strawberry sauce. The rest is used for preparing the gelatin and mousse or for decoration. Why is the butter mixed first with a little batter? Melted butter is heavier than the aerated egg mixture. If added directly, it can weigh down the batter. Mixing it with a little batter before final incorporation helps maintain the sponge's texture. Can the cake be transported after decoration? Yes, but it is recommended to decorate it just before serving. If the cold cake is taken directly into a warmer environment, condensation may cause the strawberry and powdered sugar decoration to run. How do I know if the mousse has set? The surface should be firm to the touch, and the cream should not flow when the pan is gently moved. The cake should be kept in the fridge until serving. Nutritional Values The values are estimates and depend on the type of whipped cream used, the amount of sauce actually consumed, and the number of slices. For the entire cake, the estimate is approximately 2,900-3,200 kcal, 350-390 g carbohydrates, 105-125 g fats, and 45-55 g proteins. If the cake is divided into 10 slices, one slice may have approximately 290-320 kcal, 35-39 g carbohydrates, 10-13 g fats, and 4-6 g proteins. These values include the sponge, sugar, strawberries, butter, whipped cream, and gelatin and are not calculated based on an exact nutritional label of the product used. Storage and Reheating The cake should be stored in the fridge, covered, until serving. Since it contains whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and gelatin, it should not be kept at room temperature longer than necessary. It is recommended to be consumed as fresh as possible, so the strawberry slices and mousse retain their texture. The cake is not reheated. It is served cold, directly from the fridge, and the decoration can be completed before bringing it to the table.
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