Mother’s Day cake: our foolproof recipe for the best fraisier

Treat your mum this Mother’s Day with a homemade fraisier that tastes like a patisserie creation. Ripe strawberries, silky mousseline cream and tender sponge come together to make a show-stopping cake. Follow this clear recipe to bake an 8-portion fraisier at home, step by step.

Ingredients for an 8-portion fraisier (what you need)

Sponge (biscuit cuillère)

• 100 g all-purpose flour
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla pod, split and scraped
• 4 egg whites
• 100 g granulated sugar

Pastry cream (crème pâtissière)

• 350 g milk
• 1 vanilla pod, split and scraped
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 60 g egg yolks
• 35 g corn starch

Mousseline cream

• 150 g softened butter (pommade)

Strawberry syrup

• 50 g water
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 100 g strawberry purée

Decoration and filling

• 500 g Gariguette strawberries
• red food coloring (optional)
• 100 g neutral glaze (nappage)
• 30 g redcurrants (groseilles) or similar
• icing sugar for dusting

How to bake the sponge base (light and airy)

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
2. Separate whites and yolks. Put whites in the mixer bowl and yolks in a separate bowl.
3. Whip the whites gradually adding sugar until they hold a soft peak.
4. Add the vanilla seeds to the yolks and whisk to combine.
5. Fold yolks into the whites gently with a spatula, then sift in the flour and fold until uniform.
6. Place an entremet ring on half a baking tray lined with parchment and pour half the batter.
7. Remove the ring and repeat on the other half of the tray with the remaining batter.
8. Bake 8–12 minutes. The sponge must remain soft and springy.

Making the vanilla pastry cream (cook until thick)

1. Put milk, the vanilla pod and seeds, a pinch of salt, and 3/4 of the sugar into a saucepan. Heat until steaming.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale. Add the corn starch and whisk again.
3. When the milk simmers, pour about three-quarters onto the yolk mixture while whisking constantly.
4. Return the mix to the pan and cook, whisking vigorously, until it boils for 2–3 minutes and thickens.
5. Transfer to a shallow dish, cover with cling film touching the surface, and chill until cold.

Turn pastry cream into mousseline (buttery and smooth)

1. Beat the chilled pastry cream in a mixer until smooth and lump-free.
2. Gradually add the softened butter while whisking. The cream should become light and homogeneous.
3. Work quickly but gently to avoid overheating the cream.

Prepare the strawberry syrup (simple glaze)

1. Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan.
2. Pour the hot syrup over the strawberry purée and stir to combine.
3. Let cool before using to soak the sponge.

Assemble the fraisier: fruit placement and layering

Prepare the strawberries

1. Line an entremet ring with rhodoid (acetate) and place it on a serving board.
2. Hull the berries. Cut 100 g into halves and the rest into small cubes.
3. Arrange the halved strawberries upright around the inside of the ring, cut side facing the rhodoid.

Layer the cake

1. Trim the first sponge disk to fit the ring base and brush with strawberry syrup.
2. Pipe or spread mousseline along the ring walls to cover the halved strawberries and fill gaps.
3. Spoon mousse onto the base, then add the diced strawberries for the center filling.
4. Place the second sponge disk on top and soak it with syrup.
5. Cover the top with the remaining mousseline and smooth with a spatula. For a perfect finish, dip the spatula in hot water, wipe, then smooth again.
6. Chill the assembled cake for at least two hours to set the layers.

Finishing touches for a glossy, professional look

1. Tint the neutral glaze with a touch of red food coloring if desired.
2. Pour glaze over the cake top and smooth to coat evenly.
3. Remove the ring and the rhodoid carefully.
4. Decorate with whole strawberries and a few redcurrants. Lightly dust with icing sugar.

Pro baker tips: choose the best strawberries for your fraisier

Fruit selection makes or breaks this cake. Prefer firm, fragrant strawberries in season. French varieties often give the best texture.

• Gariguette is the classic choice for balance. It brings a slight acidity that cuts the richness of the cream.
• For a sweeter, intensely aromatic note, try Charlotte or Mara des bois.
• Pick berries of similar size to create a neat, even edge on the cake.

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Sienna Blake

Sienna curates soulful lifestyle content with a focus on intentional living, slow habits, and modern creativity. Her voice blends beauty, function, and joy.