I shared with you last year the recipe for the strawberry cake revisited by Eddie Benghanem which was absolutely delicious. Today, I propose you discover the classic version of the CAP pastry strawberry cake, as it is taught in professional training courses.

You will see that it is not a particularly complex dessert (it is even one of the simplest in my opinion). However, to obtain a perfect strawberry cake with precise dimensions, there are a whole set of tips and technical details to respect.

Pro tip: To succeed with your strawberry cake, always keep in mind that the standard height is 4.5 cm. It's smaller than you might think! You must therefore properly dose all the ingredients to obtain a cake with harmonious proportions.

The elements that make up a traditional strawberry cake

Composition of a CAP pastry strawberry cake

A classic strawberry cake is composed of:

A slice of sponge cake soaked in Brix syrup
A layer of vanilla mousseline cream
Fresh strawberries (lots of them!)
A second slice of soaked sponge cake
A finish with almond paste or glaze

To succeed with a CAP-standard strawberry cake, the challenge is to respect the standard height of 4.5 cm while incorporating all the elements in balanced proportions.

How to make an airy and soft sponge cake

The success of your strawberry cake first depends on quality sponge cake. For all the technical details, you can consult my complete article on sponge cake or download my free ebook "11 CAP techniques to succeed with ALL your pastries".

The essential points for succeeding with your strawberry cake sponge cake:

Beat whole eggs and sugar for approximately 15 minutes until the mixture doubles in volume
Gently incorporate the flour with a spatula using a folding motion
Be careful not to deflate the mixture during incorporation
Bake at the right temperature to obtain a lightly golden, elastic sponge cake

Vanilla mousseline cream: smoothness and refinement

Secrets for a perfectly smooth mousseline cream

Mousseline is one of the key elements that brings all the smoothness to your homemade strawberry cake. It is a mixture of pastry cream and butter, as I detailed in the Paris-Brest recipe.

Crucial steps to succeed with your mousseline cream:

Make a smooth vanilla pastry cream
Let the pastry cream cool completely
Add the softened butter (at room temperature)
Ensure both elements are approximately the same temperature to prevent the cream from breaking
Whisk at high speed for at least 10 minutes to incorporate air and make the cream fluffy

If there's a problem: If your mousseline cream breaks, consult my article 7 tips to fix (almost) any recipe!

Brix syrup: hydration and flavor

What is Brix syrup and how to prepare it?

Brix syrup (pronounced "30 degree Brix syrup" or "60 degree") is a versatile element in pastry making. It is used to:

Hydrate and soften biscuits
Thin out fondant
Glaze pastries

A little technical explanation: The Brix degree measures the weight in grams of dry matter contained in 100 g of product. It is measured using a refractometer. The higher the Brix degree, the sweeter the syrup.

For your strawberry cake, you will need a 60° Brix syrup:

Exact recipe: 150 g of sugar and 115 g of water brought to a boil
Simplified version: 50 g of sugar for 50 g of water (actually a 50° Brix)

Practical tip: This recipe is in my opinion one of the first to note in your recipe notebook. You can prepare a larger quantity and keep it in the refrigerator in airtight bottles for several weeks

Assembling the strawberry cake step by step

Professional technique for a strawberry cake with perfect proportions

Once all the elements are prepared, here is how to assemble your traditional strawberry cake:

Preparing the ring

Place the entremet ring (20 cm diameter) on a gold card
Important: Line the inside of the ring with rhodoid film 4.5 cm high to facilitate unmolding

Arrangement of strawberries

Select the most beautiful strawberries, regular in size
Cut them in half lengthwise
Place the strawberry halves all around the ring, cut side facing the rhodoid

Exam advice: During a CAP exam, remember to choose your fruit at the beginning to get the most beautiful and regular ones!

Assembling the layers

Place the first sponge cake disk at the bottom of the ring
Generously soak the sponge cake with Brix syrup using a brush
Place a thin layer of mousseline cream
Technical tip: Place a small amount of cream between each strawberry half to ensure cohesion
Spread the remaining strawberries cut into small pieces on the cream
Cover with another layer of mousseline cream
Place the second sponge cake disk on top
Soak with Brix syrup
Finish with a final layer of mousseline cream smoothed well

Crucial point: Make sure to fill the spaces between the strawberries with cream. We often think the mousseline will spread when pressed down, but it won't. Run a small spatula between each strawberry to ensure the perimeter is perfectly filled.

Finishing and decorating the strawberry cake

Professional techniques for perfect presentation

To finalize your CAP pastry strawberry cake, you have several decoration options:

Finishing with almond paste (classic version)

Roll out the almond paste very thinly between two sheets of parchment paper
Place gently on top of the strawberry cake
Using a rolling pin, remove the excess almond paste
Decorate as desired (chocolate with a piping cone, fresh strawberries, etc.)

Alternative to glazing

If you prefer not to use almond paste, you can opt for a neutral glaze or a strawberry mirror glaze.

Pro tip: Let your strawberry cake rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before unmolding. This step is essential for the mousseline cream to firm up and for the cake to maintain its perfect shape.

CAP pastry Strawberry cake

Camille

The traditional strawberry cake recipe CAP style

Instructions

1
In the mixer bowl, beat the sugar and eggs at high speed until the mixture triples in volume (about 15 minutes).
2
Gently fold in the flour and mix slowly with a spatula. The mixture should not deflate.
3
Transfer the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a nozzle and pipe onto an 18 cm template (on the back of parchment paper) or into an entremet ring.
4
Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180°C. The sponge cake should be lightly golden, slightly shrunken, and firm to the touch.
5
For the pastry cream, bring the milk to a boil with the vanilla pod split and scraped.
6
Meanwhile, mix the sugar with the cream powder in the robot bowl, then add the egg yolks.
7
When the milk boils, strain it through a sieve to remove the skins and vanilla pods. Then add it to the mixture while whisking.
8
Transfer the mixture to the saucepan and return to heat. When the cream begins to boil, continue cooking for another 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool.
9
Once the pastry cream has cooled completely, place it in the robot bowl and whisk at medium speed. Add the pieces of butter at room temperature one by one.
10
Once all the butter is incorporated, continue whisking for 10 minutes at high speed to incorporate air and make the preparation fluffy.
11
Mix the sugar with the water and bring to a boil. Add the alcohol and let cool.
12
Place the first sponge cake disc in a 20 cm diameter ring lined with rhodoïd film.
13
Choose the most regular strawberries and cut them in half. Place them between the ring and the sponge cake (strawberry interior facing the rhodoïd).
14
Using a brush, soak the sponge cake with the syrup to make it moister.
15
Transfer the mousseline cream to a piping bag. Place a dollop of cream between each strawberry slice and cover the sponge cake with a first thin layer of cream.
16
Place the remaining strawberries cut into small pieces on the cream and cover again with a thin layer of cream.
17
Place the second sponge cake disc on top, soak it with syrup and cover with the remaining cream. Smooth it out (you should reach almost to the height of the mold).
18
Roll out the almond paste very thinly between two sheets of parchment paper and place it on top of the fraisier. Using a pastry roller, remove the excess almond paste.
19
Decorate (here some chocolate in a cornet and a few strawberries)