Strawberry Mousse Cake

This Strawberry Mousse Cake is a showstopper. The fluffy sponge cake layers are brushed with a strawberry liqueur syrup and laced with a creamy and luscious strawberry mousse frosting in between the cake layers. 

Every bite of this cake is like a mouthful of summer. It is so light, tender and fluffy and the strawberry flavor really shines through. I’ve been wanting to make this cake for a while, so I was thrilled to find some strawberries at a local farmer’s marker. As soon as I saw them from the corner of my eye, I pounced on them and they were in my cart lickety split.

Strawberries and cream are a popular treat for a good reason – they taste awesome together. I’ve shared the recipe to this Strawberry Mousse on my blog before, and it work’s perfectly as a frosting to a simple but delightfully ideal sponge cake. This multilevel cake is stunning but most importantly, tastes divine.

The Cake Layers:

Bake 4 layers of sponge cake. I’ve posted the recipe for the sponge cake before, so check out the recipe. You will need to make 2 portions of the recipe, so you’ll end up with 4 cake layers in total.

Cool the cakes completely. If your cake levels aren’t perfectly straight, use a serrated knife to even them out a bit. Even when mine are even, I still cut a thin layer off the top and use it to make crumbs to use on the side of the cake.

The Strawberry Syrup:

Combine the water, sugar and strawberry liquer in a small saucepan.

Heat it on on medium heat just until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.

The Strawberry Mousse:

Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and set aside to bloom for about 5-10 minutes. Hull the strawberries and cut them in half or thirds. Pulse them in the food processor along with the sugar. The amount of sugar will depend on how sweet the berries are and how sweet you prefer the cake to be.

Heat the bloomed gelatin in the microwave for about 20 seconds or in a small saucepan on the stove, just until melted. Do NOT boil.


Why Use Gelatin In the Mousse?

Gelatin is a thickening agent. For this recipe, if you would just use whipped cream and strawberries, the frosting would be very watery and thin. The gelatin thickens the frosting and gives it a “mousse” like texture. It will also help the frosting stay fluffy and thick without deflating over time.

In a chilled bowl, whisk the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.

Add the pureed strawberries and the melted gelatin.
Gently fold it all together with a rubber spatula until evenly combined.


Set the mousse aside in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes or so until the mousse starts to thicken.

Assembling the cake:

Line your cake platter with aluminum foil all around. This is a trick I use to keep the sides of the cake plate clean. Place a dollop of the strawberry mousse in the center of the plate.

Brush each cake layer with the strawberry syrup.


Top each cake layer with the strawberry mousse.

Frost the top of the cake and the sides of the cake.


Decorate the cake with more strawberries and coat the sides of the cake with the reserved cake crumbs. Gently remove the aluminum foil from underneath the cake.

 

 

Keep the cake refrigerated. 

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Strawberry Mousse Cake

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4.5 from 4 reviews

This Strawberry Mousse Cake is a showstopper. The fluffy sponge cake layers are brushed with a strawberry liqueur syrup and laced with a creamy and luscious strawberry mousse frosting in between the cake layers.

  • Author: Olga's Flavor Factory
  • Prep Time: 90 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cake 1x
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 sponge cake layers

Strawberry Syrup:

  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup strawberry liqueur

Strawberry Souffle:

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons gelatin
  • 2 pints strawberries (plus more to garnish the cake)
  • 1/41/3 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (chilled)
  • 5 Tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

The Cake:

  1. Bake 4 layers of sponge cake. Cool the cakes and cut each cake layer in half horizontally.
  2. Cool the cakes completely. If your cake levels aren’t perfectly straight, use a serrated knife to even them out a bit. Even when mine are even, I still cut a thin layer off the top and use it to make crumbs to use on the side of the cake.

The Strawberry Syrup:

  1. Combine the water, sugar and strawberry liqueur in a small saucepan.
  2. Heat it on on medium heat just until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.

The Strawberry Mousse:

  1. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and set aside to bloom for about 5-10 minutes.
  2. Hull the strawberries and cut them in half or thirds.
  3. Pulse them in the food processor along with the sugar. The amount of sugar will depend on how sweet the berries are and how sweet you prefer the cake to be.
  4. Heat the bloomed gelatin in the microwave for about 20 seconds or in a small saucepan on the stovetop, just until melted. Do NOT boil.
  5. In a chilled bowl, whisk the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
  6. Add the pureed strawberries and the melted gelatin. Gently fold it all together with a rubber spatula until evenly combined.
  7. Set the mousse aside in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes or so until the mousse starts to thicken.

Assembling the Cake:

  1. Line your cake platter with aluminum foil all around. Brush each cake layer with the strawberry syrup.
  2. Top each cake layer with the strawberry mousse. Frost the top of the cake and the sides of the cake.
  3. Decorate the cake with more strawberries and coat the sides of the cake with the reserved cake crumbs. Gently remove the aluminum foil from underneath the cake.
  4. Store the cake in the refrigerator.

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This is an updated version of the Strawberry Mousse Cake recipe that was published originally on September 13, 2013. The recipe is the same with updated pictures. 

42 Comments

    • olgak7

      If you’re not going to use the liqueur, just omit the syrup completely. It gives the cake so much more flavor! The cake should be moist enough without I. I add it for flavor only.

  • Oksana

    I have made this version of cake for my daughter’s bday, and it was super delicious! This was waaay before this post. I used your recipe for the strawberry mousse and your sponge cake recipe. I didn’t use a syrup and it still was super moist and yummy! I was hoping for leftovers, but no such luck. That’s a good sign, I guess 🙂 Olga, thanks for all your wonderful recipes. I have never been disappointed!!

  • Nadia

    Hi Olga, great recipe! Looks wonderful and yummy, as do all your cakes :)Can someone please explain to me where I can get some strawberry liqueur, though? And also, the Godiva chocolate liqueur. I cant seem to find it anywhere. Do you know what stores might sell it? Safeway, Albertsons, Fred Meyer, Haggen, Trader Joes? Anyone have any ideas…? Thank you in advance!

  • Valentin Goncharenko

    This cake is so delicious:) I had the honor to taste Olga’s cake and its so moist and fulfilling. The amount of sweet and subtle tanginess of the strawberries is perfect:) velvety smooth with every bite. A must try for sure!

  • Tatyana

    This cake is truly so delicious. I made it for my son’s birthday, and everyone loved it! On the other hand, it is time consuming and comes out pretty expensive (ingredients-wise) (my opinion).

  • Priyanka

    Could you please explain why are you using gelatin here ? As far as I know gelatin is used in ice creams so to prevent formation of ice crystals. Does it serve the same purpose here?

  • veta

    Hi, Olya! I made this cake and really liked it. Next, time I’m going to use syrup cause to me the cake for not moist enough. But it was veeeery delicious. Thank you thank you. God bless!

    • olgak7

      I agree, Veta. The syrup really makes the cake so moist and tender. Plus, since I used the strawberry liqueur in the syrup, it complement the strawberry mousse very well too:).

    • olgak7

      I’ve never made them with frozen strawberries, so I can’t guarantee that it will work. The strawberries will be watery when you thaw them, so I would probably drain them and possibly add a bit more gelatin. Let me know how it works out, Lena:).

  • Lena

    Would this cake work if I use bluberries? I’m trying to decide on a cake for son’s first birthday and would like it to be blue.

  • Sarah

    Hi Olga, I am planning on making this cake today. I’m kind of confused on the sponge cake layers. Do I make one batch which will be two layers and cut in between which would make it 4 or do I need to make double recipe which will be 4 solid rounds not cut in half? The picture shows 2 cakes cut in half which would be one batch?

    • olgak7

      Hi Sarah. You need to make the sponge cake layer recipe twice. You will have 4 cake layers total. The picture actually shows the top 1/4 of an inch cut off, not cut in half. The sponge cake layers aren’t too tall. You don’t even need to cut them at all. I only did it so I could use the crumbs for the sides of the cake.

  • Katerina

    Amazing cake! I omitted the strawberry liqueur and it was still moist. I also added white cream ( cheese cream/whipped cream/sugar) in between a few layers and it was perfect!

    One question though for you Olga, my strawberry cream seemed a bit on the runny side- any ideas as to why? Should I have beaten the heavy cream more or less blending of strawberries?

    Thank you for posting such inspiring and delicious recipes!






    • olgak7

      Hi Katerina.
      If the strawberry cream is too watery, it’s possible that you cooked the gelatin on too high of a heat and in that case it won’t set properly. I don’t think the heavy cream should have made any difference.

  • Irina

    Dear olga I’m planning to make this cake for my daughter’s bday. We live in uk. Any chance you can show me the photo of the strawberry liquor or the name of the brand(perhaps I can buy it on Amazon?) thank you
    Irina

    • olgak7

      Sorry, I didn’t buy it on Amazon. I would recommend going to a liquor store and buying any strawberry or wild strawberry liquor that is available in your area.

  • Robert

    Hi Olga! This recipe looks perfect for the birthday of a dear friend of mine next month. I have to make it gluten-free, though. I have gluten-free flour that generally works great, cup-for-cup, instead of all-purpose flour, but I don’t think I can get/find gluten-free cake flour. Do you think your sponge cake recipe would come out ok with just gluten free flour instead of the mix of cake flour and regular flour?

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