This Strawberry Charlotte Cake is a French dessert that will wow your guests. Spongy ladyfingers pairs so well with the creamy strawberry filling to make a light and airy dessert that is perfect for fresh berry season.
Next time you are hosting a party and want something that is not heavy but still delicious give this strawberry fraise cake a try. It’s fluffy, fruity, and even the picky eaters will love it.
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Why I Love This Recipe
This delectable French dessert is sure to captivate your guests, with its light and airy combination of spongy ladyfingers and a richly creamy strawberry filling. Perfect for the summertime berry season, this dessert will tantalize the taste buds of your whole family.
- A great way to use fresh picked strawberries.
- It’s a light and airy dessert that your friends and family will love.
- You only need a handful of ingredients to make this tasty dessert.
If you love strawberries you may also enjoy this Strawberry Trifle recipe. It’s great for Easter!
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients that you will need for this strawberry fraise. You can find the full list and the amounts needed in the recipe card below.
- Ladyfinger cookies – Ladyfingers are a light and airy Italian cookie that are a great base for the outside of this cake.
- Strawberries – You will need some fresh and ripe strawberries for this delicious cake.
- Sugar – Granulated or pure cane sugar works best for this recipe.
- Unflavored gelatin powder – This helps to thicken the filling and give it a great texture.
- Heavy cream – Heavy cream will help make the delicious and creamy filling for this cake, so be sure to grab the heavy whipping cream the next time you are at the store.
How to Make This Strawberry Charlotte Cake
Step 1: Make the outer ladyfinger crust
Using a serrated knife, gently saw one rounded tip off the enough ladyfingers to fit around the inside of the 9-inch springform pan. Slide the ladyfingers between the two springform pans, creating a circle around the inside of the 9-inch springform pan.
Step 2: Remove the inner springform pan slowly
Lifting the 7-inch springform pan slightly, slide ladyfingers across the bottom of the 9-inch springform pan in an even layer. Carefully lift the 7-inch springform pan out. Fill in any empty areas with pieces of ladyfingers.
Step 3: Dissolve the gelatin
In a small saucepan, pour the water. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and allow it to rest for 3 minutes. Transfer the saucepan to the stovetop and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 1 minutes or until the gelatin has dissolved.
Step 4: Add sugar to the gelatin
Add 1/2 cup of sugar and cook while stirring until the sugar has dissolved completely. Remove the saucepan from the heat and bring to room temperature.
Step 5: Make a strawberry puree
In a food processor or blender, place the 1 pound of strawberries and ⅓ cup sugar. Pulse or blend until the strawberries are pureed. Set aside.
Step 6: Whip the cream
In a cold mixing bowl, pour the heavy cream. Whip on medium-high speed to form soft peaks. Remove about 1 ½ cup of the whipped cream, cover, and refrigerate.
Step 7: Add the gelatin to the whipped cream
To the remaining whipped cream with the mixer running, add the room temperature gelatin in a steady stream. Continue beating the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
Step 8: Fold in the strawberry puree
To the whipped cream, fold in the strawberry puree and remaining sliced strawberries. Spoon the strawberry mousse into the 9-inch springform pan being careful not to disturb the ladyfingers. Smooth evenly.
Step 9: Chill the cake
Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Or for at least 8 hours.
Step 10: Garnish the cake before serving
Prior to serving, spread the refrigerated whipped topping over the top of the strawberry mousse and garnish with halved strawberries.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve this delicious no bake strawberry cake with other spring desserts such as this Instant Pot Carrot Cake Cheesecake or this Instant Pot Pineapple Upside Down Cake Cheesecake.
Tips
Here are some tips to help you make this strawberry fraise a success:
- Be sure to whip the heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks.
- If you don’t have a food processor or blender you could use a potato masher instead to crush the strawberries.
- It’s important that you make sure that the gelatin is completely cool before you add it to the whipped cream.
- Press down on the ladyfingers to so that they stay in place while you are making the outer crust.
Storage
Store this cake in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. I like to cover the cake with plastic wrap and then put it in a cake plate to keep it fresh in the fridge.
FAQs
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this recipe.
The Charlotte cake is named after Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz who was the wife of King George III.
You can experiment with any type of fresh or frozen berries that you like. Raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries are all great options for this recipe.
Yes, this cake does need to be kept in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. The gelatin needs to remain cold in order for the mousse layer to set properly.
More Strawberry Recipes
If you like strawberries, give these recipes a try:
Want to make this delicious strawberry charlotte cake recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin it so that you can come back to it later.
Strawberry Charlotte Cake
Equipment
- 7 inch springform pan
- 9 inch springform pan
- small saucepan
- blender or food processor
- stand mixer with mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 10.5 ounces ladyfinger cookies
- 2 pounds fresh strawberries hulled and sliced, divided
- ⅔ cup sugar divided
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 6 strawberries halved
Instructions
- Nest a 7-inch springform pan inside a 9-inch springform pan.
- Using a serrated knife, gently saw one rounded tip off the enough ladyfingers to fit around the inside of the 9-inch springform pan. Slide the ladyfingers between the two springform pans, creating a circle around the inside of the 9-inch springform pan.
- Lifting the 7-inch springform pan slightly, slide ladyfingers across the bottom of the 9-inch springform pan in an even layer. Carefully lift the 7-inch springform pan out. Fill in any empty areas with pieces of ladyfingers.
- In a small saucepan, pour the water. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and allow it to rest for 3 minutes. Transfer the saucepan to the stovetop and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute or until the gelatin has dissolved. Add the remaining sugar and cook while stirring until the sugar has dissolved completely. Remove the saucepan from the heat and bring to room temperature.
- In a food processor or blender, place the 1 pound of strawberries and ⅓ cup sugar. Pulse or blend until the strawberries are pureed. Set aside.
- In a cold mixing bowl, pour the heavy cream. Whip on medium-high speed to form soft peaks. Remove about 1 ½ cup of the whipped cream, cover, and refrigerate.
- To the remaining whipped cream with the mixer running, add the room temperature gelatin in a steady stream. Continue beating the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- To the whipped cream, fold in the strawberry puree and remaining sliced strawberries.
- Spoon the strawberry mousse into the 9-inch springform pan being careful not to disturb the ladyfingers. Smooth evenly. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Prior to serving, spread the refrigerated whipped topping over the top of the strawberry mousse and garnish with halved strawberries.
Notes
- Be sure to whip the heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks.
- If you don’t have a food processor or blender you could use a potato masher instead to crush the strawberries.
- It’s important that you make sure that the gelatin is completely cool before you add it to the whipped cream.
- Press down on the ladyfingers to so that they stay in place while you are making the outer crust.