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Delicious slice of French Strawberry Cake topped with fresh strawberries

French Strawberry Cake

A light, layered cake with airy genoise and silky crème mousseline, topped with fresh strawberries for an elegant dessert.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Genoise Sponge
  • 4 large large eggs, room temperature Ensure eggs are at room temperature for maximum volume.
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar For the sponge.
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted Sift to aerate and remove lumps.
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
For the Simple Syrup
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 tbsp light liqueur or lemon juice Optional.
For the Crème Pâtissière
  • 2 cups whole milk Full-fat gives richness.
  • ½ cup granulated sugar For crème pâtissière.
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter For crème pâtissière.
  • 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract For crème pâtissière.
For the Crème Mousseline
  • 1½ cups heavy cream, cold
  • 2–3 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract For whipped cream.
  • 1 tsp powdered gelatin or 1 tbsp cornstarch Optional, for stability.
For Assembly
  • 3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced Extra strawberries for decoration.
  • powdered sugar for dusting Optional.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Wash and hull the strawberries, then slice larger berries and leave some small whole berries for decoration. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Making the Genoise Sponge
  1. Whisk the eggs and ¾ cup granulated sugar together in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water until the mixture reaches about 110°F and feels warm to the touch.
  2. Remove from heat and whip until the mixture has tripled in volume and turned pale and ribbon-like.
  3. Gently fold in sifted flour, cooled melted butter, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
  4. Pour into the lined pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until springy and golden.
Making the Crème Pâtissière
  1. Heat the milk with half the sugar until it just reaches a simmer, then remove from heat.
  2. Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and cornstarch until smooth and pale.
  3. Temper the yolk mixture by whisking in a small stream of hot milk, then return the mixture to the pan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened.
  4. Stir in butter and vanilla, then chill.
Whipping and Folding the Cream
  1. Whip the cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.
  2. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled pastry cream until homogeneous to create the crème mousseline.
Slicing and Assembling the Cake
  1. Slice the cooled genoise horizontally into 2-3 layers using a serrated knife.
  2. Brush each layer with the prepared simple syrup, spread crème mousseline, layer strawberries, and repeat.
Chilling and Finishing
  1. Chill the cake in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set the filling.
  2. Dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

For best results, let the eggs reach room temperature before whisking. Adjust sugar and liqueur based on preference, and ensure whipped cream is not over-whipped before folding.