Our light and creamy strawberry mousse cake is bursting with fresh flavor! Featuring an easy graham cracker crust and 5-ingredient mousse, this easy no-bake cake is the perfect spring dessert!
Incredibly soft and impossibly creamy, this simple Strawberry Mousse Cake is full of natural sweetness. It’s also unexpectedly easy to make and requires only 15 minutes to prep. But make sure to plan ahead! It’ll need at least four hours in the fridge to set.
And if you’re looking for more flavor options, make sure to try our easy mango mousse cake!
Recipe ingredients
This strawberry mousse cake recipe consists of a 3-ingredient graham cracker crust and 5-ingredient mousse filling!
Graham cracker crust ingredients
- Graham cracker crumbs
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter
Mousse filling ingredients
- Strawberry puree
- Lime juice
- Granulated sugar
- Powdered gelatin
- Cold water
- Heavy cream
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Make the crust. Melt the butter and combine it with the graham cracker crumbs and sugar until evenly coated. Pour the mixture into a 7-inch (18 cm) springform pan.
Use your hands to press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. The crust should be several inches (5 cm) high on the sides of the pan.
Bake for 10 minutes and then allow to cool before adding the strawberry mousse.
Step 2: Make the strawberry puree. Combine the strawberry puree with lime juice and sugar.
Step 3: Prep the gelatin. Sprinkle one envelope (7g) of gelatin over ¼ cup (60 ml) of cool water. Let it sit for about five minutes. Then microwave for a few seconds and stir to completely dissolve. Stir into the puree.
Step 4: Make the whipped cream. Beat cold heavy cream in a bowl until stiff peaks form.
Step 5: Combine. Fold the puree into the whipped cream until fully incorporated.
Step 6: Pour and set. Pour the mousse into your cooled graham cracker crust and allow to set in the refrigerator for at least four hours.
Storage
Strawberry mousse cake is best when enjoyed the first several days after setting, but will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Expert tips and tricks
Here are our expert tips for a strawberry mousse cake that’s perfectly light and creamy every single time:
- Choosing the strawberries: I generally use a bag of frozen strawberries (16 oz / 450 g) to make the puree. If using fresh strawberries, make sure to pick strawberries that are entirely red and fully ripe.
- Whipping the cream: Start with cold heavy cream to make whipping the cream easier.
- Folding the strawberry puree into the whipped cream: Fold half of the strawberry puree into the whipped cream using a spatula. Scrape the bottom of the bowl towards you and gently scoop the mixture over the top. Continue until the puree is fully incorporated. Add the second half and repeat.
- Dissolving the gelatin: Microwave the gelatin with water for several minutes to ensure it fully dissolves. If you have any small clumps that just won’t dissolve, you can remove them by pouring the gelatin mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
- Setting the cake: The cake will need about four hours to set, but we generally leave it overnight. The very earliest I would check the cake is three hours.
Recipe variations
And if you want to get creative with your strawberry mousse cake, here are a few of our favorite ideas and substitutions:
- Switch up the crust. If you don’t have graham crackers, you can substitute Biscoff cookies or even Oreos for a chocolatey twist!
- Use a different fruit. I’ve also made this mousse cake with mango puree and it always comes out beautifully with bright, tropical flavors!
- Add toppings. I often go with whipped cream for the topping, but a layer of chocolate ganache would be perfect for a chocolate covered strawberry twist!
FAQs
To make strawberry puree, simply pulse strawberries in a blender until smooth and then pour through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. You can use fresh or frozen strawberries. If using frozen, I recommend thawing in the fridge overnight. If using fresh, make sure to choose bright red, ripe strawberries.
Line the bottom of your springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides of the pan for easy removal. For an extra layer of protection against sticking, you can also line the sides of the pan with an acetate collar or even just a strip of greased parchment paper.
This strawberry mousse cake is best served within a day or two, but will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Freezing mousse cake isn’t recommended, as it will alter the consistency. The cake will lose much of its light and airy texture.
Loving this strawberry mousse cake recipe? For more fruit-filled desserts, make sure to check out these recipes!
Strawberry Mousse Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 8
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chill Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: Global
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1.5 cups (180 grams) graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter
Strawberry Mousse
- 1.5 cups (350 ml) strawberry puree (see notes for instructions)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ ounce (7 grams) powdered gelatin (1 envelope)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) cold water
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold
Assembly
- whipped cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C). Line the bottom of a 7-inch (18 cm) springform pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the pan. For an extra layer of protection against sticking, you can also line the sides of the pan with a strip of greased parchment paper.
- Make the graham cracker crust. In a small bowl, melt the butter. combine the melted butter with the finely crushed graham crackers and sugar. Mix until completely coated. Pour the mixture into the pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool.
- Prepare the strawberry puree. Combine the strawberry puree, lime juice and sugar. Set aside for at least 15 minutes, stirring several times to dissolve the sugar.
- Bloom the gelatin: Pour the water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Microwave the gelatin for 10 seconds, then stir. Repeat until the gelatin has completely dissolved*. Let cool slightly and then stir into the strawberry puree.
- Make the whipped cream. Use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Start on low speed and gradually increase to high as the cream begins to thicken.
- Add half of the strawberry puree to the whipped cream. Use a spatula to gently fold the strawberry puree into the whipped cream until combined. Repeat with the second half of the puree.
- Pour the mousse into the cooled graham cracker crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until the mousse is set. Release the springform clasp and remove the outer ring of the pan.
- Serve with whipped cream if desired.
Notes
Strawberry puree: Pulse strawberries in a blender until smooth. Pour through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. If using fresh strawberries, make sure to choose ripe, bright red strawberries. If using frozen (my preferred method), I recommend thawing in the fridge overnight. A 16 oz (450 g) bag should be the perfect amount.
Gelatin: Having no lumps in the gelatin is very important. If you have a few little lumps that just won’t dissolve, simply pour the gelatin mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
Storing: Mousse cake is best eaten in the first several days, but will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 436.91
- Sugar: 22.16g
- Sodium: 178.26mg
- Fat: 20.23g
- Saturated Fat: 11.27g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.49g
- Trans Fat: 0.37g
- Carbohydrates: 35.34g
- Fiber: 0.91g
- Protein: 3.06g
- Cholesterol: 52.44mg
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