This strawberry mousse cake skips the heavy frosting and goes straight for something lighter. A soft vanilla cake topped with a fluffy strawberry mousse made from real berries, it’s fresh, creamy, and just sweet enough. Baked in a simple 9×13 pan, it’s easy to make ahead and even easier to serve for spring and summer gatherings.
The No-Frosting Strawberry Cake That Still Steals the Show
Instead of frosting, this cake is topped with a light, creamy mousse that holds its shape, even at room temp. I’ve actually left a slice on the counter overnight (you know, in the name of testing) and that mousse didn’t budge. Still dreamy. Still perfect and just as creamy as my white chocolate mousse.
I had to try several different methods to find just the right consistency for the mousse so that it would maintain its shape and not slide off the cake. Adding gelatin to a strawberry puree is the trick that keeps it in place just like a thick frosting.
Simmering fresh strawberries with sugar and vanilla transforms them into a luxurious jam-like mixture, which is then combined with the gelatin and folded into whipped cream to achieve a heavenly lightness.
Strawberry season is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of thing where I live. Two months, if we’re lucky. So when the berries hit their peak, I go a little wild, strawberry layer cake, fresh berry cobblers, shortcakes, jam, you name it. And this strawberry mousse cake? It might be my favorite way to show off what fresh strawberries can really do.
Pro Tip: Learn a simple trick to keep your strawberries fresh for two weeks while you’re waiting to make strawberry desserts.
A Quick Look at What You’ll Need
You’ll find all the details in the recipe card at the bottom, but here are the essentials:
- Fresh or frozen strawberries – either one works, just make sure frozen berries are fully thawed and drained.
- Unflavored gelatin – this is what keeps the mousse from sliding off the cake.
- Freeze-dried strawberries – crushed into powder for an extra pop of flavor in the mousse.
Let’s Break It Down
Step 1: Bake the cake
Step 2: Make the strawberry “jam”
Puree the strawberries in a food processor or with an immersion blender or regular blender.
Combine the gelatin and 2 tablespoons of water and add to the strawberry mixture and stir until it’s dissolved. Pour it into a bowl and place it in the fridge to cool.
Step 3: Whip the mousse
Step 4: Assemble the cake.
This cake checks all the boxes without too much work. The vanilla cake is soft and tender from sour cream and egg whites, while the mousse brings that sweet-tart strawberry flavor with a light, airy texture (and a pretty pink color that doesn’t hurt). It looks like something you’d buy at a bakery, but it’s much easier than dealing with cakes with layers and frosting, and since the mousse needs time to set, it’s perfect for making ahead.
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Ingredients
CAKE
- 2 ½ cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 5 egg whites room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
MOUSSE
- 2 cups strawberries 16 ounces
- ¾ cup sugar more if desired
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 1/4 teaspoons gelatin 1 packet
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 ounce freeze-dried strawberries ground
Instructions
CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Place two pieces of parchment paper in a 9 x 13 baking pan, one in each direction. Spray with cooking spray.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and add the sugar, beating on high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add egg whites and beat on high for 2 minutes. Add sour cream and vanilla and beat until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just incorporated, then while it is still on low, slowly add the milk so that it doesn’t splash out. Mix only until combined trying not to over-mix. Pour it into the cake pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
MOUSSE
- Use a blender, food processor, or immersion blender and puree the strawberries. Add to a saucepan and add sugar and vanilla. Heat until it starts to boil, then turn down and simmer until it starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of water to the gelatin and stir to combine. Once the jam has thickened, add the gelatin and continue to cook until it has dissolved. Pour it into a bowl and place it in the fridge to cool.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Add finely ground freeze-dried strawberries and fold them into the whipped cream.
- Add half of the strawberry jam to the whipped cream, folding it in until combined, then add the remaining jam and fold in until it is combined, trying not to flatten the whipped cream.
- Spread the mousse on a completely cooled cake and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to allow it to set before cutting.
Notes
- Taste the strawberry puree and if it’s not sweet enough, add a little more sugar.
- Let all of your ingredients warm up to room temperature before making this cake. Room temperature ingredients combine together much easier than cold ingredients and give you the best texture.
- Be careful when folding together your mousse. Mix gently. The air pockets you’ve created will burst if you stir the mousse or are too rough with it, so move slowly and deliberately, and fold just until it’s combined.
