Lemon Strawberry Mousse Cake - A baJillian Recipes (2024)

Deliciously moist vanilla cake, creamy strawberry mousse filling, sumptuously tangy lemon curd and fresh strawberries come together to create this impressive dessert!

After what seemed like a never-ending winter, I’m BEYOND ready to embrace all of the wonderfully fresh flavors of spring and summer. I’m all about the natural sweetness of raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries. And there’s nothing that perks up those tastebuds quite like lemon and lime!

So with that being said, what better way to welcome the spring sunshine than with this jaw-dropping Lemon Strawberry Mousse Cake!

With a soft and deliciously moist vanilla cake, fresh strawberry mousse, tart and tangy lemon curd, and ruby red strawberries, this cake is definitely the perfect spring AND summer dessert.

Although there are three different components to tackle in this dessert, it really isn’t all that difficult to throw together. The first item of business is the cake. Start by combining the dry ingredients–all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then move onto the wet ingredients by creaming the butter and sugar together until lightened and creamy. Add the egg, followed by some sour cream and vanilla. Dump in the dry ingredients, mixing until almost combined. Then stir in the buttermilk.

The batter is poured into a greased 9-inch springform pan. You’ll need to use a pan with tall removable sides, since the cake is going to be topped with a mousse filling. More on that part later…

While the cake is baking in the oven, make the lemon curd. I’ve used this lemon curd recipe in several other recipes and it has NEVER let me down. It’s incredibly creamy and packed with the perfect balance of sweet and sour. Not to mention, the recipe is rather foolproof. Just combine your egg yolks, egg, and sugar. Stir in some lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Add some butter, and cook the mixture until it thickens into a beautiful satiny lemon curd.

Once the cake AND lemon curd have cooled down completely, it’s time to get started on the strawberry mousse. First, place some chopped fresh strawberries into a food processor and pulse until completely smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any seeds or solids. You want it to be a SMOOTH liquid.

The next step is to dissolve some gelatin powder in water. The gelatin is going to help stabilize the mousse filling, so that when you remove the sides of the pan, everything stays in place.

As the gelatin sits and absorbs the water, beat together some cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt in a stand mixer until smooth. Add some heavy cream, and whip the mixture on high until it’s thick and fluffy.

By now, your gelatin should be rather firm after it’s absorbed all of the water. Add about 1/4 cup of the strawberry puree to the gelatin, and heat it in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds, or until melted and liquified. Stir the mixture together before combining it with the remaining strawberry puree.

Now add half of the strawberry puree into the cream cheese mixture, beating until completely combined. To ensure that the mousse remains nice and fluffy, hand stir the rest of the strawberry puree into the mixture.

Ingredients

Cake:

¾ cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
⅓ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup buttermilk

Lemon Curd:

7 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup lemon juice
3 Tablespoons lemon zest
⅛ teaspoon salt
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into half-inch pieces

Strawberry Mousse:

15 ounces chopped fresh strawberries
4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder
3 tablespoons cold water
4 ounces cream cheese
1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ⅔ cup heavy cream

For Assembly:

1 pint fresh strawberries, cut in half (plus more for topping)
Freshly-whipped cream (for piping on top)

Instructions

Make the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until lightened and creamy. Beat in the egg until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla on medium speed.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing out evenly. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan completely.
Once completely cool, wrap parchment paper (about 6 inches wide) around the edges of the cake to create a "wall".

Make the Lemon Curd:

In a medium saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, whole egg, and sugar together until just combined. Whisk in the lemon juice, zest, and salt. Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened, about 4-8 minutes minutes.
Immediately strain the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium-size bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Make the Mousse:

Place the strawberries into a food processor, and pulse until completely smooth. Pour the strawberry puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove any seeds or solids; set aside.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the gelatin and water; set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt together until combined. Add the heavy cream, and continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Start on the low setting, then as mixture thickens, turn mixer up to high.
Once gelatin has absorbed all of the water, pour 4 Tablespoons of the strawberry puree into the gelatin mixture. Heat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, then stir until smooth and completely liquified. Pour mixture into the remaining puree, stirring to combine.
Pour half of the strawberry mixture into the whipped cream cheese mixture, and beat until combined. Add the remaining strawberry mixture, and use a silicone spatula to fold everything together.

To Assemble:

Pour about 1/2 cup of the strawberry mousse on top of the cake to create a flat surface for the sliced strawberries to sit on. Place a layer of strawberry halves on top. Make sure that the strawberries along the border have the cut-side facing out to create a nicer appearance.
Pour the remaining mousse on top, using an offset spatula or butter knife to smooth the top. Allow cake to chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Pour the lemon curd on top of the chilled mousse cake, smoothing out the top. Chill the cake for another 2 hours.
Garnish mousse cake with whipped cream and more strawberries. Serve and enjoy!

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