Strawberry Mousse Cake Recipe (video)
Calling all strawberry lovers! If you love strawberries as much as I do, you’ll love this show-stopping, stunning strawberry mousse cake! It’s the ultimate strawberry dessert! This strawberry cake starts with a fluffy sponge cake and has a fluffy strawberry cream filling. And check out that intricate strawberry topping with layered strawberries and jello! It looks so fancy and I’ll show you how to make it in my video recipe tutorial. Every slice of this delicate mousse cake is packed with strawberry flavor! If you’re looking for a light and airy cake to enjoy, give this one a try!
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How to Make Strawberry Mousse Cake
This cake is loaded with TONS strawberries, starting from the sponge cake base, a double dose in the strawberry mousse and more berries to finish off the top. I make this cake with a simple, vanilla sponge cake base that’s dotted with diced fresh strawberries.
You can also soak the sponge cake with crushed strawberries. Then, it’s the mousse layer. This strawberry mousse is simply heavenly! It melts in your mouth with so much fruity flavor! It’s made with whipped cream, a bit of cream cheese and fresh strawberries. If you don’t like cream cheese, mascarpone is the perfect substitute.
The Strawberry Jello Topping
To take this strawberry mousse cake to extraordinary, I added the strawberry jello topping. The design is made with sliced strawberries, which not only look gorgeous but also add even more strawberry flavor! This is a great cake to make ahead of time, too. Just keep the cake in the spring form pan until you’re ready to serve. This way, the jello and mousse keep their shape well. You can also line the cake pan with an acetate cake collar – I buy the bulk roll and then cut it down to size for each recipe.
More Recipes!
Enjoyed this strawberry mousse cake? Check out my other mousse cake ideas you’re sure to enjoy!
- ‘Mango Mousse Cake’ – light and fluffy mango mousse over sponge cake with jello topping!
- And this stunning ‘Blackberry Lavender Mousse Cake’ is what dreams are made of!
- Triple Lemon Mousse Cake – decadent lemon mousse with lemon curd and lemon cake!
- Chocolate Cherry Mousse Cake – with the fluffiest chocolate mousse and fresh cherries!
- Ultimate Strawberry Cheesecake – stunning berry cheesecake with diced strawberries and strawberry jam, topped with chocolate strawberries!
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Supplies/Tools
Need some supplies to make this recipe? You can get them here (Amazon affiliate links):
- I love this tall spring form pan for cakes and cheesecakes.
- These handy off-set spatulas are great for spreading cake batter and frosting.
- Try using an acetate cake collar for a smooth finish – just cut the bulk roll down to size.
- My classic CuisinArt food processor is the best – simple and powerful.
- And my classic KitchenAid stand mixer is a must for every kitchen.
Strawberry Mousse Cake Recipe (video)
Ingredients
For Sponge Cake:
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 to 1 cup diced strawberries
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
For Strawberry Mousse:
- 2 to 3 cups strawberries
- 1 teaspoon strawberry extract or emolsion
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 12 ounces whipped cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup diced strawberries
- 1/2 ounces unflavored gelatin, 6 gelatin sheets
- 1/4 cup water
For Garnish:
- 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
- 6 ounce package strawberry Jello
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup ice water
Instructions
- Prepare the sponge cake base first. Line a 9 or 10-inch spring form pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350F.
- Place the eggs and sugar into mixer bowl and whisk on high speed for 7 to 8 minutes until eggs are very voluminous and almost white in color. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Sift small amounts of flour into the eggs and fold gently but thoroughly after each addition. Fold in the diced strawberries and vanilla extract at the end. Pour the cake batter into the prepared spring form pan and bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove the cake and allow it cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the mousse. Place the strawberries, strawberry extract and sweetened condensed milk into a food processor and pulse into a puree; set aside. Pour the heavy cream into a mixer bowl and add the sugar. Whisk until a light and fluffy whipped cream forms. Add the softened whipped cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Fold in the strawberry puree and add the diced strawberries.
- Combine the water and gelatin in a small saucepan or microwave safe cup. Heat or microwave the gelatin until it's completely dissolved. Add the dissolved gelatin into the mousse and fold until combined. Pour the prepared mousse over the cooled sponge cake.
- For the garnish, slice about 15 strawberries and arrange them overlapping each other, starting from the outside edge and working in. Refrigerate the cake for about 1 hour.
- Prepare the strawberry jello with half of the water required per instructions. This will ensure the jello layer is firm. Pour the jello over the top of the sliced strawberries. Place cake bake into the refrigerator until set completely. To remove cake from pan, run a flat spatula along the edge, then release pan.
- Keep cake refrigerated until ready to serve.
Can I substitute the strawberry extract with anything else and where can I get it?
Thanks
You can actually leave it out and the cake will still taste great! You can add a few tablespoons of strawberry syrup, too 🙂
Hi Tatyana. The cake looks amazing and I’m a strawberry lover. I’m gonna try this cake. I won’t be able to get heavy cream here at my place. Would you mind suggesting a substitute for it ? Thank you
Hmm, the only thing that you can use in place of heavy cream is pre-made whipped cream, like Cool Whip. Thaw it out beforehand and fold it in to the mousse
Would this work with raspberries instead of strawberries?
Yes, raspberries will taste great, too! 🙂
What can I use as an alternative to the strawberry extract? Also in your tiramisu cheesecake you had liquor…what alternative can be used for liquor in your recipes?
Thank you
You can omit the strawberry extract if you can’t find it. The strawberries add lots of flavor. For the Amaretto liqueur, you can omit that and replace it with an Amaretto-flavored coffee syrup, or amaretto extract
This cake is fantastic! I was thinking of trying it with peaches. I noticed the recipe wasn’t the same as your peach mousse cake, can I use this recipe with peaches?
Thanks!
Yes, this will work great with peaches. Both recipes are great 🙂
Hi Tatyana! Where do you buy your extracts and liqueurs? Is there a one stop shop? Thanks.
I typically get my liqueurs from Bevmo or other liquor shops. The extracts I purchase at a bakery supply store but you can also find them online at Amazon 🙂
Hi Tatyana .. Where can I find the same pan you used to bake the cake n put it together ? Tks
You can get the spring form pan at most stores at carry bakeware like Williams Sonoma, Bed Bath and Beyond or even Target 🙂
Hey I accidentally messed up with the gelatin for the moose I forgot to put it in so then I took the cake out and accident read the recipe wrong and put one cup of water with it but I only pour about a 4 th into the moose for the cake because 1 cup just didn’t seem right do you think it’ll be fine??
Hi! Hope the cake still set. Since you diluted the gelatin in 1 cup water, I’m not sure if that is enough for the recipe…
Hiya,
This recipe looks amazing, i’m going to try it for a dinner party. Can you tell me how much gelatine i will need in grams?
Thanks
about 15 grams. I used an online converted for the recipe; it was 2 packets of unflavored gelatin
Hi tatyanas
Strawberry mousse cake looks delish. My daughter is pregnant but there is cream cheese in the recipe. Can I use mascapone instead. Many thanks
Mascarpone cheese should work here, too! 🙂
Hi Tatyana
I’m considering this desert for Thanksgiving. How many days in advance can I make this cake prior to serving?
Hi! It will stand in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days with no problems! 🙂
Made this last night per request from my daughter for her Birthday. The instructions for the unflavored gelatin seem to be vague. I’m now realizing that they should have said 1/4 cup water PER envelope of gelatin??
Hi! sorry for the confusion! I have the instructions in my video recipe, too. It’s just 1/4 cup water + gelatin. You will need to heat it to dissolve the gelatin completely
Hello,
I made this cake as per the instructions . It looked beautiful and tasted great but my mousse was too soft and did not hold very strongly. What could have gone wrong ?
Thank you
I’m glad you still enjoyed it! 🙂 I think it may have something to do with the gelatin. Make sure to dissolve it completely, otherwise it won’t set properly
You and your cake are stunning:-) Could you please tell me how deep of your bake tin for this cake?
Thank you! 🙂 The pan is 3 1/2 inches tall
Tatyana, I have made this recipe about 5 times already and it’s abosutely delicious. However, every single time I am running into the same issue with the mousse being too liquidy. Even comparing the texture before adding the gelatin, mine is always much more watery than yours. Every thing looks great until I put the cream cheese into the mixture with heavy cream and sugar. Maybe I beating it for too long? I guess after whipping the whole cream…how long do I whip the cream cheese into it? It just looks so flat when I’m don’t with it.
Hi! 🙂 I’m glad you still enjoyed it even with the texture issues! Make sure to whisk the heavy cream first to soft peaks, then add the cream cheese. It really shouldn’t take too long, maybe a minute for the cream to form stiff peaks.
Hi !last night I made this delish cake and everyone liked it. thanks for this fantastic recipe?
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Hello Dear,
Can I substitute the base with biscuit crumbles or with a store bought sponge cake?
My oven doesn’t support baking?
Hi! Yes, either biscuit crumbs or store bought cake would both work very well 🙂
Okay, thank you so much for being very responsive ❤️
Again the same doubt to be raised, would you suggest this cake or your recent raspberry mousse cake to be the most festive one for occasions?
Your choice can never go wrong?
Hi
I just made this cake tonight for the first time. It looked great before cutting. As soon as I cut into it, the mouse was too soft and kind of collapsed. It tasted good though. I followed everything exactly. Not sure what went wrong. But im guessing it has to be due to the gelatin. Maybe not enough? I weighed 1/2 ounce of gelatin powder on my scale and and it didn’t look like much.
Thanks for the recipe though.
Hi Lena – I’m so sorry that the cake collapsed on you! It must have been the gelatin. I used 2 packets of Knox unflavored gelatin, it’s 1/2 oz, or 4 teaspoons. Hope you enjoy the cake if you make it again 🙂
Could gelatin be substituted with agar agar? If so then how much agar agar would I need for this recipe?
Hi! Yes, agar gelatin would work beautifully in this recipe, too. I would recommend about 3 teaspoons to 1/4 cup water. Heat the agar gelatin and water over medium heat and simmer until thickened, then add 🙂
I made this cake as per your instructions, and although it has a wonderful taste, my mousse was too soft and did not hold at all. I’ve noticed that several others have had this exact same problem, and I can not figure out why it looks so different from yours. I used 2 packets of Knox unflavored gelatin and dissolved it in 1/4 cup of water over the stove. The second time I made this I double the gelatin/water ratio and still had the same outcome. I am totally lost as to why this recipe won’t hold.
I’m so sorry that the recipe didn’t work well for you! I can only think of one reason for why the gelatin didn’t set and that would be acidity. Maybe the strawberries you used weren’t very ripe and had too much acidity, which prevents gelatin from setting. Maybe try this with low-sugar strawberry preserves?
IS IT OKEI TO FREEZE THE CAKE?
IF IT IS HOW LONG IS GOOD FOR FROZEN?
IF NOT HOW LONG IS IT GOOD FOR REFRIGERATED?
Hi! I do not recommend freezing this cake, jello and heavy cream do not freeze well. It will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator. I would keep it in the pan, then take it out onto a stand when you’re ready to serve.
Hey I tried the recipe and it turned out to be Awesome!!
So glad you enjoyed it! :))
can this mousse be frozen ? i want to make mirror glaze cake with this mousse.
thanks!!
Hi! Don’t freeze it with the jello topping – you can place it into the freezer for an hour without the top layer though 🙂
I just made this cake and everything tastes amazing but my sponge rose to high. I could only put in half the mousse to leave room for the strawberry garnish. Do you know what I did wrong?
Oh, no! I’m sorry to hear that! 🙁 Sometimes the sponge will rise more than other times. Next time, you can down the sponge cake, then add the mousse. Hope you still enjoy the recipe! 🙂
The directions don’t say you have to cool the dissolved gelatin before adding it to the mousse? Wouldn’t adding hot/warm gelatin to the mousse alter the consistency and make it watery?
Hi! That’s correct – it needs to be added while it’s hot. If you wait for the gelatin to cool for even a minute, it will set into clumps, ruining the mousse. There’s not a lot of the hot gelatin so it doesn’t affect the consistency.
for the strawberry mousse can I use thawed out frozen strawberries instead of fresh strawberries?
Hi! Yes, you can absolutely use thawed out strawberries for this recipe, too. Enjoy! 🙂
Hi Tatyana, I made the strawberry mousse dessert and it was super delicious. The mousse was a little on the soft side and I wondered what might have happened. I used mascarpone instead of cream cheese and used 6 sheets of gelatin. Everything else was exactly according to the recipe. I refrigerated for 24 hrs. Is your mousse on the softer side or firm?
Hi Jeanine! I’m glad you were still able to enjoy it! It sounds like a gelatin issue. Gelatin sheets come in different strengths and may be different from the powdered gelatin that I used in my recipe. Next time, I would recommend using 1 1/2 or even 2 times the gelatin to get the cake to set firmly.