A cake topped with strawberry mousse is a fabulous way to showcase fresh strawberries. The creamy and airy texture of the mousse perfectly complements the moist vanilla cake. It’s not quite as sweet as frosting but still bursting with flavor.
Fresh berries, fluffy mousse, no frosting fuss
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 cake, 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.
Instead of frosting, this cake is topped with a light, creamy mousse that doesn’t just sit there looking pretty, it 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.
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.
Why You’ll Want to Make This
- The cake is soft and full of vanilla flavor, thanks to sour cream and egg whites.
- The mousse is ridiculously good—sweet, tart, airy, and that color? It’s pink in the best possible way.
- It looks fancy but comes together with zero stress. Like, way easier than frosting a layer cake.
- You can make it ahead. And you should, because the mousse needs time to set anyway.
If you’ve tried my strawberry mousse or that super moist strawberry cake, this one’s a mashup of both, in the best way possible.
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.
- Cake flour and egg whites – they give the cake its soft, airy texture. Save the egg yolks and make banana pudding with vanilla wafers.
- Sour cream – makes the cake extra moist and gives it just a little tang.
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.
Little Things That Make a Big Difference
- Room temp ingredients help everything blend better. No cold butter or icy eggs, please.
- Be gentle with the mousse. Folding means slow and careful. Pretend you’re wrapping up clouds.
- If you don’t have a food processor, toss the freeze-dried strawberries in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Therapeutic and effective.
How to Store Your Masterpiece
Keep this one in the fridge. Just cover it loosely with plastic wrap. It’ll stay good for a couple of days, though I doubt it’ll last that long.
If you want to get ahead, you can bake the vanilla cake layer and freeze it. Just wrap it well. Then, when you’re ready, defrost, whip up the mousse, and finish the job.
Don’t Forget!
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Equipment
- Mixer
- Cake pan
- Saucepan
- Food processor or blender
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 2 minutes until well combined. 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 emersion blender and puree the strawberries in a bowl. 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.
Nutrition
I first published this Strawberry Mousse Cake on my Southern food blog Butter and Baggage.
