Strawberry Mousse Cake

Make the cake.

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F (177° C).
2. In a bowl, add all of the wet ingredients and mix really well, until the sugar is mixed in.
3. Mix together the dry ingredients in a small bowl, then add to the wet ingredients and mix well to make a batter. The batter should be just slightly stiffer than pancake batter. If it's a little too stiff, then you can add in 1 to 2 teaspoons of nondairy milk and mix in.
4. Transfer this batter to a parchment-lined 6” or 8” cake pan, even it out with a spatula, and bake for 20 to 28 minutes, depending on the size of the pan, the type of pan, and your oven.
5. Check at the 20-minute mark using a toothpick inserted into the center. When the toothpick comes out clean, remove the pan from the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes then remove the cake from the pan and let it continue cooling under a kitchen towel while you make the rest of the layers.

Make the strawberry compote.

1. Chop the strawberries into 1/2” or more equal-sized pieces and add to a saucepan along with rest of the compote ingredients, and cook over medium heat. If the strawberries aren't starting to release moisture, you can add in a tablespoon of water to help get things going.
2. Once the strawberries start leaking moisture, press them with a spatula and continue to cook until all of the strawberries have broken down and the mixture is starting to become jammy. This can take 6 to 10 minutes, depending on your saucepan and your stove.
3. Once all the strawberries have broken down, remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Make the mousse.

1. Drain the cashews and add to a blender with the coconut cream, sugar and half of the warm compote. Do not blend hot compote! Blend this mixture until it is smooth. The mixture might take a minute too blend along, but continue to blend it for a minute. Then, let it sit for five minutes for the cashews to soak up more moisture, and then blend again for 30 seconds . Check if the mixture is moving really well. If it is not, then you can add in a tablespoon or so of coconut milk to help it move along. Blend for 30 seconds, wait for a minute, and repeat another 2 to 3 times until the mixture is smooth.
2. Taste and adjust the flavor. If you want it sweeter, add another tablespoon or so of sugar or add some more vanilla. The cooked strawberries will turn slightly purple when you blend them, which is all okay. You can add in some food coloring, if you want it to be very pink.
3. Once the everything is nicely smooth, put the mousse in the freezer for at least 15 to 20 minutes to start to thicken a little bit.

Assemble the strawberry mousse cake.

1. Meanwhile, slice the top off of the cake, so that it is flat on top.
2. Take 2 tablespoons of the compote, mix a tablespoon of water in, and spread that all over the cake to give it a kind of a soak.
3. Slice your strawberries, if you haven't already, and remove the mousse from the freezer.
4. Place the cake on the cake stand. Then, if you're using a cake collar, put the cake collar around the cake. If you're using a tall 6” cake pan or a regular 8” cake pan, just line everything with parchment paper and put your cake in that cake pan. (See my Lemon mousse cake for reference)
5. Arrange the strawberry slices standing up around the edges of the cake, if you want them standing up on the sides. You can also place them on the top of the mousse later on for the 8” cake pan.
6. Pour the mousse over the cake, and even it out with a spatula. If you're using the 8” cake pan, then put the fresh strawberries on the edges all around on top of the mousse at this point. Either way, put the cake back in the freezer for 30 minutes or so, to give the mousse a chance to set up a little bit more, so you can easily spread the compote on top.
7. When the mousse is set, remove the cake from the freezer and spread all of the remaining strawberry compote on top. Then, put it back in the freezer for at least 3 hours or so, and then you can remove the cake and slice and store in the fridge. (Serve after letting it sit for 15 mins on the counter) Once the cake has set in the freezer the final time, the mousse will hold. Before that, the mousse might be a little too soft. After the freezer chill, it will stay in the fridge just fine without falling or becoming liquid, for at least 3 days. Serve directly from the fridge!