Valentines Day Strawberry Mousse Cake (Print Version)

Airy cake featuring sponge layers, strawberry mousse, and a glossy glaze, ideal for a romantic celebration.

# What You'll 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 Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, beat room temperature eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and tripled in volume, approximately 5 minutes. Add vanilla extract. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, then gently fold into egg mixture 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 fresh strawberries with sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Set aside for mousse preparation.
05 - Sprinkle powdered gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water and allow to bloom for 5 minutes. Gently warm one-third of the strawberry purée in a saucepan without boiling. Remove from heat and stir in bloomed gelatin until completely dissolved. Pour this mixture back into the remaining purée and stir thoroughly. Cool to room temperature.
06 - In a clean bowl, whip cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled strawberry mixture until fully combined with no visible streaks.
07 - Remove cooled sponge cake from pan. Clean the springform ring and place the cake base back inside. Pour mousse mixture evenly over the sponge layer. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until mousse is completely set.
08 - Purée fresh strawberries with sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Bloom powdered gelatin in 1 tablespoon cold water for 5 minutes. Heat a small portion of the purée, dissolve bloomed gelatin in it, then stir back into remaining purée. Cool slightly before use.
09 - Pour cooled glaze gently and evenly over the set mousse layer. Refrigerate for an additional hour until glaze is completely firm.
10 - Decorate with fresh strawberry halves, chocolate shavings, or edible rose petals as desired. Carefully release the springform pan sides and transfer the cake to a serving plate. Slice and serve chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks impossibly elegant but comes together without fancy techniques or secret ingredients you can't pronounce.
  • The layers surprise you with how different each bite feels—tender cake, clouds of strawberry cream, then that glossy finish that catches the light.
  • You can make it the day before, which means you're actually relaxed when guests arrive instead of frantically whipping cream at the last second.
02 -
  • Gelatin is forgiving if you respect the blooming step and never let it boil, but skip either of those and you'll spend the next two hours wondering why your mousse is grainy.
  • The sponge absolutely must cool completely before you add the mousse layer, or warmth will start melting the gelatin and your layers will blur together instead of staying distinct.
03 -
  • A thin offset spatula or cake server makes removing the cake from the springform look effortless instead of terrifying—buy one if you haven't already.
  • If your strawberry purée is very watery, strain it through fine mesh before using it for the mousse; excess liquid can prevent proper setting even with the gelatin.
Go Back