Strawberry-Chocolate Layer Cake with Old-Fashioned Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

• 4 pcs Eggs (large, at room temperature)
• 120 g Granulated sugar (fine)
• 100 g All‑purpose flour (sift before use)
• 30 g Unsweetened cocoa powder (high quality)
• 1 cuillère à café Baking powder (about 5 g)
• 1 pincée Salt (fine salt)
• 200 ml Very cold whole milk cream (minimum 30 % fat)
• 1 bombe Cooking spray (or butter + parchment paper) (to grease the pan)
• 300 g Fresh strawberries (washed, hulled, cut into small pieces)
• 300 g Marie Maïna Old‑Fashioned Chocolate Mousse (300 g jar, at room temperature before use)
• 100 ml Water (for the syrup)
• 50 g Sugar (for the syrup) (simple syrup 1:2)

Instructions

1. Prepare equipment and ingredients

   Gather all utensils, measure the ingredients and preheat the oven to 180°C.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: 180°C

2. Whisk eggs and sugar

   In the bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar on high speed until the mixture triples in volume and becomes pale.

   Time: PT8M

3. Incorporate dry ingredients

   Sift the flour, unsweetened cocoa, baking powder and salt directly onto the egg‑sugar mixture. Gently fold with the spatula, lifting the batter from the bottom of the bowl.

   Time: PT5M

4. Whisk the cold cream

   Pour the very cold whole milk cream into a clean bowl and whisk on low speed until a thick consistency (soft peaks) is reached.

   Time: PT5M

5. Fold in the whipped cream

   Add the whipped cream to the batter in three additions, folding gently with the spatula so as not to deflate the volume.

   Time: PT4M

6. Pour batter into the pan

   Grease the 18 cm pan with the spray or butter and line it with parchment paper. Pour the batter and smooth the surface.

   Time: PT2M

7. Bake the cake

   Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 180°C. Check doneness with a knife tip that should come out dry.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: 180°C

8. Unmold and cool upside‑down

   When the cake is out of the oven, turn the pan onto a rack, unmold the cake which releases thanks to the spray, then let it cool upside‑down to flatten the dome.

   Time: PT8M

9. Remove the dome and cut the layers

   Once the cake is completely cool, cut off the domed top with a knife. Use a cake leveler to obtain three discs of equal thickness.

   Time: PT5M

10. Prepare the syrup

    Bring 100 ml water to a boil with 50 g sugar for 2 minutes, then let it cool.

    Time: PT4M

    Temperature: 100°C

11. Cut the strawberries

    Wash, hull and dice the strawberries into small cubes. Reserve some for decoration.

    Time: PT4M

12. Soak the cake layers

    Brush each disc with the syrup using a pastry brush, ensuring they are well moistened but not soggy.

    Time: PT3M

13. First assembly – mousse and strawberries

    Spread about 1 cm of chocolate mousse on the first disc, then arrange a layer of diced strawberries.

    Time: PT4M

14. Second assembly – mousse and strawberries

    Place the second disc, soak it, then spread a new layer of mousse and add strawberries.

    Time: PT4M

15. Third disc and final coating

    Place the last disc, soak it generously, then completely cover the cake with a thick layer of chocolate mousse.

    Time: PT5M

16. Chill and decorate

    Put the cake in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Then, using a piping bag fitted with a star tip, pipe mousse around the cake and decorate with the remaining strawberries.

    Time: PT6M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

40 g

Fat

18 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Eggs: egg puree
• Instead of Granulated sugar: cane sugar
• Instead of All‑purpose flour: gluten‑free flour
• Instead of Unsweetened cocoa powder: sweetened cocoa (reduce sugar)
• Instead of Baking powder: baking soda + vinegar
• Instead of Very cold whole milk cream: diluted mascarpone
• Instead of Cooking spray (or butter + parchment paper): melted butter
• Instead of Fresh strawberries: mixed berries
• Instead of Marie Maïna Old‑Fashioned Chocolate Mousse: homemade chocolate ganache
• Instead of Sugar (for the syrup): agave syrup

Equipment Needed

• Medium mixing bowl
• Electric whisk
• Sieve or fine strainer
• Silicone spatula (marise)
• 18 cm cake pan
• Parchment paper (optional)
• Cooking spray (optional)
• Small saucepan
• Kitchen scale
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Cake leveler or cake cutter
• Piping bag with star tip
• Offset spatula
• Refrigerator

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Whisk the eggs and sugar until the volume triples
• Sift and fold in the dry ingredients without weighing down the batter
• Whip the very cold whole milk cream to soft peaks
• Fold the whipped cream delicately
• Bake at 180°C for 30 min without opening the oven
• Unmold upside‑down to flatten the dome
• Soak the layers evenly with the syrup
• Spread the mousse in an even layer at each level

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use high‑quality cocoa powder for an intense chocolate flavor.
• Lightly dust powdered sugar between layers to absorb excess syrup moisture.
• For a mirror effect, smooth the final mousse layer with a hot knife (dipped in hot water).

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the cake covered 3‑4 days in the refrigerator.

Freezer: Can freeze the whole cake for 1 month, but the mousse may lose creaminess.

Room temperature: Leave at room temperature 30 min before serving.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The cake can be baked and the layers stored separately, wrapped in cling film, up to 2 days ahead.
• The chocolate mousse can be prepared the day before and kept chilled.
• The syrup can be made in advance and gently reheated before use.