Valentines Strawberry Mousse Cake (Printable version)

Airy sponge layered with fresh strawberry mousse and a glossy glaze for a delicate dessert experience.

# What you need:

→ Sponge Cake

01 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
02 - 1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
04 - 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
06 - Pinch of salt

→ Strawberry Mousse

07 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled
08 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
10 - 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
11 - 2 tablespoons cold water
12 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold

→ Strawberry Glaze

13 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled
14 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
16 - 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
17 - 1 tablespoon cold water

→ Decoration

18 - Fresh strawberries, halved
19 - White or dark chocolate shavings
20 - Edible rose petals

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and tripled in volume, approximately 5 minutes. Add vanilla extract. Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt; gently fold in until just combined.
03 - Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
04 - Purée 2 cups fresh strawberries, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until smooth. Bloom 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin in 2 tablespoons cold water for 5 minutes.
05 - Warm one-third of the strawberry purée in a saucepan over low heat without boiling. Remove from heat and dissolve gelatin in the warm purée. Stir this mixture back into the remaining purée. Allow to cool to room temperature.
06 - In a clean bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled strawberry mixture until fully combined.
07 - Remove the cooled sponge from the pan. Clean the springform ring and place the cake base back inside. Pour the mousse evenly over the sponge layer and smooth the top surface.
08 - Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 2 hours, until the mousse layer is completely set.
09 - Purée 1 cup fresh strawberries, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice until smooth. Bloom 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin in 1 tablespoon cold water for 5 minutes. Heat a few tablespoons of purée, dissolve gelatin in it, then stir back into the remaining purée. Allow to cool slightly.
10 - Pour the cooled glaze gently over the set mousse layer. Refrigerate for another hour, until the glaze is completely firm.
11 - Arrange fresh strawberries, chocolate shavings, and edible rose petals on the surface. Carefully release the cake from the springform pan using the release mechanism and transfer to a serving plate.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours at a French bakery, but the actual hands-on time is surprisingly reasonable.
  • The airy mousse melts on your tongue while the tender cake keeps everything grounded and real.
  • You get to show off without stress because most of the work is just waiting for things to chill.
02 -
  • Blooming gelatin properly is non-negotiable—if you skip this step or rush it, you'll end up with grainy, unpleasant texture that ruins the whole cake.
  • Never let gelatin mixtures boil or overheat, or the gelatin will break down and lose its setting power entirely.
  • The mousse and glaze need to cool to room temperature before layering or combining with cream, or the heat will deflate everything you've whipped.
03 -
  • If you're worried about the glaze, you can make it the day before and store it in the fridge, then gently warm it for 10 seconds in the microwave before pouring—it will still set beautifully.
  • Dip your offset spatula in warm water and wipe it dry between strokes when smoothing the mousse or glaze for a polished, seamless finish.
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