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Fraisier Cake (French Strawberry Cake)

Sliced Fraisier cake on a serving plate.
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Fraisier cake, or gateau Fraisier, is a traditional French strawberry cake made with two layers of Genoise sponge, fresh strawberries, and light Diplomat cream. It is a showstopping dessert, perfect for birthdays and other special celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale

For Genoise sponge cake:

  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons (90 g) granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup + 2 1/2 teaspoons (90 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons (20 g) unsalted butter

For the sugar syrup:

  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of water
  • 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon kirsch (dark rum or cognac)

For the pastry cream:

  • 2 1/2 gelatin sheets, 200 bloom
  • 2 1/2 extra large egg yolks (47 g), room temperature
  • 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons (90 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (30 g) cornstarch
  • 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla paste)
  • 1 1/4 cups (295 ml) whole milk

For the Diplomat cream:

  • pastry cream (whole quantity)
  • 1 cup (235 g) cold heavy cream, 30% fat

For assembly:

  • 1 1/2 lb (600 g) fresh strawberries
  • 2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberries (or powdered sugar)

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Instructions

  1. To make a Genoise sponge, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan with softened butter, sprinkle with all-purpose flour, and remove excess.
  2. Melt the butter in the microwave at 30-second intervals, then set aside. Check its temperature: it should be 122-140°F (50-60°C).
  3. In the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, place the room-temperature eggs and sugar. Beat with a hand whisk several times.
  4. Place the bowl in a water bath and whisk constantly with a hand whisk until the egg mixture reaches 104°F (40°C).
  5. Remove it from the water bath and bring it to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk at medium-high speed for 10 minutes until the volume has tripled and the mixture reaches the ribbon stage.
  6. Sift the flour over the bowl and gently stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add two tablespoons of the cake batter to the melted butter and mix with a spatula. Add the butter mixture back, and mix.
  7. Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Check for doneness with a toothpick.
  8. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Flip it over on a wire rack and let it cool for 10 minutes, then flip it back and let it cool completely.
  9. Cut the cake into two layers (a bit over 1/2 inch, or 1.5 cm) thick with a cake leveler or a long serrated knife. Remove the cake's top crust to make it a white sponge cake, keeping the bottom intact. The bottom will become the top of your cake.
  10. To make simple syrup with Kirsch, bring the water and sugar to a boil. Remove from the heat, add Kirsch, and let it cool down.
  11. To make Diplomat cream, soak gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes.
  12. For the pastry cream, whisk the egg yolks with sugar and cornstarch until smooth. Pour the milk with the scraped vanilla seeds into a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Pour the hot milk over the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
  13. Transfer the mixture back into the pot and bring to a boil over low heat, whisking constantly, until the cream thickens. Check the cream's temperature: it mustn't exceed 179°F (82°C)! If lumps appear, pass the cream through a fine sieve.
  14. While the cream is still hot, add the gelatin sheets and whisk with a hand whisk until dissolved. Immediately transfer the pastry cream to a clean, shallow dish. Cover it with plastic film in contact and allow it to cool on the kitchen counter; there's no need to refrigerate.
  15. For the whipped cream, whip the cold heavy cream with a stand or electric mixer until soft peaks. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate.
  16. To finish the Diplomat cream, place the pastry cream in a large bowl and whisk it several times with a hand whisk to loosen it. Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to the pastry cream, then mix with a rubber spatula or a hand whisk.
  17. Add the remaining whipped cream and stir to combine, making a smooth Diplomat cream; don't whip it.
  18. To assemble the cake, place a mousse cake ring on the cake board or serving plate, adjust it to 8 inches (20 cm), and line it with an acetate strip.
  19. Wash and pat dry strawberries, peel them, and cut about 10-12 berries in half. Reserve a few whole strawberries for garnish, and cut the remaining ones into 1-inch or 2 cm-sized pieces.
  20. Place the first cake disc (leave the bottom of the cake: this will be the top of the cake). Generously soak it with Kirsch syrup using a pastry or silicone brush.
  21. Arrange the strawberry halves around the edges of the cake, cut sides out, well together, leaving no space.
  22. Transfer some of the Diplomat cream to a piping bag with a tip for simple assembling. Fill the gaps between the strawberries with cream, leaving the center hollow. Use a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth out the cream if needed.
  23. Add the diced strawberries to the remaining Diplomat cream and stir gently with a spatula without crushing the fresh fruit. Fill the inside of the cake with cream and freshly cut strawberries.
  24. Spread the plain Diplomat cream from the center of the cake to the edges with an offset spatula. Be sure to cover the cake surface without displacing the halved strawberries.
  25. Place the bottom layer of sponge cake upside down (don't soak it). Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
  26. To serve, unmold the cake and sprinkle the top with freeze-dried strawberry powder (pulsed in a food processor) or powdered sugar. Decorate with fresh strawberries.

Notes

  1. Respect the cooling and resting time while making Diplomat cream.
  2. Mix whipped cream with pastry cream at the last moment, just before assembling the cake.
  3. Be sure to choose strawberries of the same height (2.5 inches or 3-3.5 cm) for a neat presentation.
  4. Use a springform cake tin instead of a mousse cake ring.
  5. Pipe the Diplomat cream neatly between the edged strawberries.
  6. Keep the cake in the mold (pastry ring) until serving. Decorate the top of the cake at the last minute.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.bakinglikeachef.com/strawberry-cake-fraisier-yann-couvreur/