Hey Lykkers! If you're craving a delicious homemade treat, we've got the perfect recipe for you today – a classic French Strawberry Cake. It's so much easier to make than you think, and the result is absolutely stunning and delicious.

Whether you're celebrating a birthday or just want to spoil yourself with a sweet delight, this cake will definitely impress. Let's dive into the steps, and soon enough, you'll be enjoying a gorgeous, homemade French strawberry cake!

Before we start, let's gather everything we need for this delicious dessert. Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs

• 90g fine sugar

• 90g cake flour (low-gluten)

• 30g unsalted butter (melted)

Lemon syrup:

• 50ml hot water

• 20g fine sugar

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mousse Cream

• 2 egg yolks

• 60g fine sugar

• 250ml milk

• 30g cornstarch

• 125g unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)

Strawberry Gel

• 150g strawberries

• 2.5g gelatin (about 1 sheet)

For Filling and Decoration

• 25g fine sugar

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 200g–250g strawberries (fresh, for decoration and filling)

This will make a 6-inch French strawberry cake!

Let's Get Baking: Step by Step

First, we'll start by making the sponge cake, which is the base of our dessert. Make sure you melt the unsalted butter in advance!

1. Make the Sponge Cake. Place the eggs and sugar into a mixing bowl. We're going to gently heat this mixture over a double boiler while whisking to get the eggs frothy and doubled in size. A good trick is to place the bowl over simmering water and whisk constantly to ensure the eggs don't cook.

2. Whisk Until Smooth. Continue whisking until the egg mixture becomes thick and creamy, and when you lift the whisk, the batter should fall like a ribbon. Once you achieve this, remove from heat and whisk a little longer to cool the mixture down.

3. Add the Flour. Sift in the cake flour, and gently fold it in using a spatula. Don't rush this step—take your time to keep the batter light and airy.

4. Add the Butter. Now, add in the melted butter. Stir gently but quickly, as we don't want the butter to separate and sink.

5. Bake the Cake. Line your baking tray with parchment paper, and pour the batter into it. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. You can also use a 6-inch round cake pan if you prefer. If you do, bake it for 25–30 minutes.

6. Cool the Cake. Once the cake is out of the oven, peel off the parchment paper from the sides and cover it with a fresh sheet to prevent it from drying out. Let it cool completely.

Making the Mousse Cream (Custard Filling)

While the cake is cooling, let's move on to the mousse cream. We'll start with a custard filling, which is the heart of this decadent treat.

7. Whisk the Egg Yolks. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until smooth and creamy.

8. Add Cornstarch. Sift in the cornstarch and mix it well to remove any lumps.

9. Heat the Milk. Heat the milk in a saucepan until bubbles start to form around the edges. Then, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to avoid curdling.

10. Cook the Custard. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens. Don't forget to stir to prevent the custard from burning!

11. Cool the Custard. Once thickened, transfer the custard to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and place it over ice to cool it faster. Once it's cooled, chill it in the fridge.

Prepare the Strawberry Gel

While the custard is cooling, let's get our strawberry gel ready. This will add a lovely glossy layer on top of the cake.

12.Prepare the Strawberries. Rinse your strawberries, pat them dry, and cut them into small pieces. Set aside the nice-looking ones for decoration.

13. Make Strawberry Sauce. For the smaller strawberries, place them in a pan with sugar and lemon juice, and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes until they soften and release their juices.

14. Blend the Strawberries. Once softened, blend the strawberries into a puree using a blender or food processor. Set this aside for later.

15. Make the Gel. Soften the gelatin by soaking it in cold water. Then, heat 1/3 of the strawberry puree, add the gelatin, and stir until completely dissolved. Let it cool before combining it with the rest of the puree.

Assemble the Cake

Now that everything is ready, let's assemble the cake!

- Prepare the Cake Base:

Cut two layers from your sponge cake. You can brush each layer with lemon syrup to keep it moist.

- Layer the Cake:

Place one layer of cake into a mousse ring, and line the edges with halved strawberries. Fill in the gaps with the custard mousse, smoothing it out evenly.

- Add Fresh Strawberries:

Place whole strawberries over the custard filling.

- Top with Second Layer:

Add the second layer of cake on top, pressing it down gently.

- Add the Strawberry Gel:

Pour the cooled strawberry gel over the cake and smooth it out. Chill the cake in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours to set.

Final Touches

Once the cake is chilled and set, take it out of the fridge and decorate it with fresh strawberries for that perfect finishing touch.

And voilà! You've just created a gorgeous, delicious French strawberry cake that's sure to impress anyone who lays eyes on it—and even more so when they take that first bite!

So, Lykkers, what are you waiting for? Get in the kitchen and try out this recipe! Whether it's a special occasion or just because, this cake will make any day feel like a celebration. Enjoy your homemade French strawberry cake!