Roasted Strawberry Mousse Cake

Celebrate strawberry season with a roasted strawberry mousse cake. With layers of sponge cake sandwiched with creamy roasted strawberry mousse and topped with fresh berries, this cake will wow all of your guests.

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Recipe

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Roasted Strawberry Mousse Cake

Total Time7 hours hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake

Servings: 12

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Sponge cake

• 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon softened butter (240 grams)
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (240 grams)
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk

Roasted strawberry mousse

• 24 ounces strawberries, stems removed
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ¼ cup water (62 ml)
• 1 ½ tablespoons powdered gelatin (15 grams)
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream (375 ml)
• ½ cup powdered sugar (65 grams)

Strawberry syrup

• 4 ounces sliced strawberries
• ¼ cup water (62 ml)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)

Remaining ingredients

• 1 pound fresh strawberries about 8-10 berries halved
• 1 cup whipped cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
• Prepare the cake. Sift together flour with baking powder and salt two times.
• Beat together butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. While the mixer is on, add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating the egg before adding the next. Scrape down sides of the bowl and add lemon zest, vanilla, and buttermilk. Stir until well combined.
• Add flour mixture to batter, stirring until combined. Do not overmix. Divide cake batter into prepared cake pans and smooth tops to create even layers.
• Bake cake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool cakes completely on a wire rack. Invert cakes once cooled and remove parchment paper.
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread 24 ounces whole strawberries on sheet pan and roast for 35-40 minutes or until softened. Remove from oven and blend strawberries with 2 tablespoons honey and any juices on the pan until smooth. Let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make strawberry syrup. Combine sliced strawberries with water and sugar in a medium saucepot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes or until berries are softened. Do not press down on the strawberries while they cook. Remove from heat and strain berries, reserving them for another time. Cool strawberry syrup.
• Sprinkle gelatin on ¼ cup water and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Whip heavy cream until medium peaks form. Add powdered sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.
• Microwave gelatin mixture for 20 seconds or until powder has dissolved but the water is not boiling. While the mixer is running, slowly add gelatin to whipped cream, mixing until combined. Add pureed roasted strawberries, mixing just until combined.
• Assemble the cake. Place bottom cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Brush the top with strawberry syrup. Arrange halved strawberries around the edge, gently pressing down on the berries to keep them in place. Wrap the outside of the cake with a strip of parchment paper or acetate foil for cakes. Carefully pour strawberry mousse into center of cake, spreading it with a spatula so that it fills the cake. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes or until set.
• Remove cake from the fridge and place remaining cake layer on top, gently it pressing down. Brush strawberry syrup on top and return cake to the fridge. Let chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Remove cake from fridge and spread whipped cream on top. Garnish with fresh berries and serve.

Notes

All the components including the roasted strawberries, strawberry syrup, strawberry mousse, and sponge cake can be prepared the day before. Assemble the cake and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make sponge cake

When I was trying to decide what kind of cake to make, I knew I wanted to make an epic strawberry version. With a decadent mousse filling and plenty of fresh berries, I needed a cake that could hold its weight. It only seemed fitting to make a Victoria sponge cake for this recipe.

Victoria sponge cake is essentially a vanilla cake that is sandwiched with jam and buttercream. Traditionally, people used an equal amount of sugar, flour, and butter to make the batter. I stuck with that method but added a few extra ingredients to add extra flavor and moisture.

Cream together the softened butter with sugar until fluffy in the bowl of your stand mixer. Spend time properly creaming the ingredients, and you'll end up with a light cake.

Add room-temperature eggs one at a time, fully incorporating them before adding another. If you forgot to leave your eggs out before starting the cake, let them sit in warm water for 10 minutes.

Add the remaining wet ingredients, then add the dry mixture, mixing until combined. Divide the cake batter into two lined cake pans and bake until golden brown. There's enough butter in the cake that you won't need to grease the pans.

To tell if the cakes are done, insert a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, it's finished baking. The top of the cake should also spring back when gently poked.

Leave the cakes in the pan and let them cool completely on a wire rack. Then, invert them and remove the parchment paper. If your cakes rose slightly, you can slice off the bump to have perfectly even layers.

Step 2: Roast strawberries

Meanwhile, roast fresh strawberries until juicy and softened. After about 40 minutes, remove the berries from the oven and blend them with a touch of honey. You can prepare the pureed roasted strawberries the night before if desired.

Next, make the strawberry syrup. Simmer together equal parts water, sugar, and strawberries until the berries are soft. Strain the liquid, reserving the berries for another use. Feel free to make the syrup the day before, too.

Step 3: Assemble cake

Once all of the components are cool, it's time to assemble the roasted strawberry mousse cake.

First, bloom the powdered gelatin by sprinkling it in water. Meanwhile, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Heat the gelatin in the microwave just until it melts. Then, add the gelatin and strawberry puree to the whipped cream, mixing until combined.

Brush your bottom cake layer with strawberry syrup, then arrange halved strawberries around the edge. Wrap the cake with a strip of parchment paper or acetate foil if you have it.

Carefully pour the mousse into the center, spreading it with a spatula to fill the cake. Let the mousse set for about 15 minutes in the refrigerator before stacking the top layer.

Place the top cake layer on the mousse, gently pressing it down. Finally, brush more strawberry syrup on top and return the cake to the fridge to set.

Step 4: Decorate

After about 4 hours, take the strawberry cake out of the fridge and finish decorating. Spread whipped cream on top and garnish with fresh berries to finish. If you're feeling extra fancy, sprinkle edible flowers on top too.

The sponge cake will firm up a bit in the refrigerator, but not to worry, it'll still be a lovely texture.

This roasted strawberry mousse cake was everything I wanted and more. Strawberry flavor is oozing out in every bite of the syrup, fresh fruit, and creamy mousse. The perfect way to celebrate!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: All the components, including the roasted strawberries, strawberry syrup, strawberry mousse, and sponge cake, can be prepared the day before.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 3 days.

More strawberry dessert recipes

Looking for more strawberry dessert ideas? Try these: