This site uses only a few technical cookies necessary for its operation. By continuing to browse, you accept their use.
To find out more...
To find out more...
Fraisier (French strawberry cake)
This classic French patisserie is a delicious assembly of 2 layers of genoa sponge filled with strawberries and crème mousseline (confectioner's custard with butter). The sponge is soaked in strawberry syrup and the cake is topped with a thin layer of marzipan.
181 K 4.2/5 (22 reviews)
2 hours 45 min.
Average
2 Fraisiers (French strawberry cake)
8 IngredientsLast modified on: September 18th 2011
For 2 Fraisiers (French strawberry cake), you will need:
- 1
3 ¾ cups strawberries - 2
1 cup caster sugar - 3
3 cups confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream) - 4
1 1⁄3 cup butter - 5
2 génoises (genoa sponge) - 6 6 cups + 3 tablespoons strawberries
- 7
1 1⁄3 cup marzipan (almond paste) - 8
1⁄3 cup apricot glaze (optional)
Change these quantities to make:
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 1 hour 45 min.
Cooking: 1 hour
All in all: 2 hours 45 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 1 hour
Begin by preparing the strawberry syrup:
Put 3 ¾ cups strawberries, cut into pieces, in a bowl which can be used in a bain-marie. Add 1 cup caster sugar.
Cover with stretch cooking film to seal the container well and place in a bain-marie over very low heat for one hour.
Put 3 ¾ cups strawberries, cut into pieces, in a bowl which can be used in a bain-marie. Add 1 cup caster sugar.
Cover with stretch cooking film to seal the container well and place in a bain-marie over very low heat for one hour.
Stage 2 - 3 min.
Stage 3 - 30 min.
Prepare 3 cups confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream). When it is made and has cooled a little (wait 15 minutes), incorporate 1 1⁄3 cup butter very cold and cut into small pieces, beating thoroughly until the butter is well mixed in.
This cream is a "crème mousseline".
This cream is a "crème mousseline".
Stage 4 - 5 min.
Prepare 2 génoises (genoa sponge). When cooked and cooled, cut this to the shape of your cake, round or square.
You can see that here I have cut it round using a dessert ring. If you do not have one, you can cut round a small plate laid on the sponge.
You can see that here I have cut it round using a dessert ring. If you do not have one, you can cut round a small plate laid on the sponge.
Stage 5 - 5 min.
Split the genoa sponge in two through the middle.
Stage 6 - 2 min.
Place one circle of sponge on the serving plate and place a dessert ring over it.
Stage 7 - 5 min.
Soak the the top of this sponge circle with half the strawberry syrup.
Stage 8 - 5 min.
Spread a thin layer of crème mousseline over the sponge.
Stage 9 - 5 min.
Arrange straberries cut in half around the circle with the cut side towards the outside.
Stage 10 - 10 min.
Then fill the circle with whole strawberries, placed upright.
Stage 11 - 5 min.
Spread the remaining crème mousseline over the strawberries; ideally, they should be completely covered.
Tap the plate gently on the worktop to settle the cream.
Tap the plate gently on the worktop to settle the cream.
Stage 12 - 5 min.
Lay the other circle of genoa sponge on a wire rack and soak with the remaining strawberry syrup, using a brush.
Stage 13 - 5 min.
Then turn this over onto the dessert inside the ring.
This is a tricky operation, so I advise you to turn it over smartly onto a baking sheet to (along with the rack), then slide it onto the top of the cake.
Press gently on the top to make sure it is flat and even.
This is a tricky operation, so I advise you to turn it over smartly onto a baking sheet to (along with the rack), then slide it onto the top of the cake.
Press gently on the top to make sure it is flat and even.
Stage 14 - 10 min.
Roll out 1 1⁄3 cup marzipan (almond paste) thinly (see this page on the subject), then use it to cover the top of the strawberry cake and trim off any excess.
Stage 15 - 5 min.
Decorate with a half strawberry and brush with an apricot glaze. This is not essential, but adds an attractive finish and prevents the marzipan from drying out.
Stage 16 - 3 min.
At the last minute, gently remove the cake from the dessert ring. Your "fraisier" is ready to be served and enjoyed.
Remarks
If you do not have a dessert ring, use a circle of strong card, lined with a piece of stretch plastic film, held in place with a paper clip.
For a quicker finish, you can simply sprinkle the top of the cake with icing sugar in place of the marzipan.
For Gaston Lenôtre, a strawberry cake should be made with butter cream rather than mousseline, and he called it a "Bagatelle".
For a quicker finish, you can simply sprinkle the top of the cake with icing sugar in place of the marzipan.
For Gaston Lenôtre, a strawberry cake should be made with butter cream rather than mousseline, and he called it a "Bagatelle".
Keeping: A day or two in the fridge.
Source: Home made, with Catherine as tester. Her portion is shown in the photo.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 930 RDI=360 % | 4,750 RDI=450 % | 1,940 RDI=290 % | 28,690 RDI=1,440 % | 120,120 RDI: 1,440 % |
| Per 100 g | 20 RDI=9 % | 120 RDI=10 % | 50 RDI=7 % | 700 RDI=40 % | 2,930 RDI: 40 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 2 Fraisiers (French strawberry cake) : 20.75 €
- Per Fraisier (French strawberry cake) : 10.40 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream)
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Raisin breads (pains aux raisins), Pear verbena tarts, Pistachio cream, Peach and green tea tart, Strawberry Verveine Tart , ... See them all 19
Strawberries
Like these other recipes: Strawberries in a thyme and lemon-flavoured red wine reduction, Chouquettes, Strawberry tart, Clear strawberry juice, Strawberry feuilleté, ... See them all 19
Marzipan (almond paste)
You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Little Christmas biscuits, Agen prune cake, Provençal colombier for Pentecost, Arizona cupcakes, Piped petits-fours, ... See them all 6
Butter
Like these other recipes: Sautéed Green Vegetables in pan, Baked apples from St Aubin le Vertueux, Traditional nutty choc-chip cookies, Clafoutis "Marie-Antoinette", Thin spinach and potato tart, ... See them all 472
Other recipes you may also like
Bread with Tomato
This tomato-flavoured bread, the famous "pan con tomate" of our Spanish friends, is ridiculously simple, but such a treat! It only takes a few minutes to prepare and makes a delicious aperitif snack.November 8th 201560 K4 6 min.
Potimarron and Parmesan tart
This moist tart has a shortcrust pastry case, filled with a mixture of potimarron purée and Parmesan, bound with egg.December 12th 201845 K 2 hours 15 min.
Diplomat cream
Diplomat cream or "crème Madame" (a much prettier name) is one of many creams in French pâtisserie based on confectioner's custard. The classic confectioner's custard (crème pâtissière, or french pastry cream) has gelatin added while hot, then whipped cream is folded in when cold. This gives a...October 30th 201974 K 1 hour 50 min.
Flambéd bananas
The trick of this recipe is to end up with bananas caramelised on the outside, still firm on the inside, coated with a tasty syrup which is not 95% butter.February 21th 2011333 K 14 40 min.
Passion fruit jellies
Usually to make fruit jellies or (fruit "paste"), it's like jam but you need to cook fruit pulp and sugar much longer. Unfortunately, this long cooking is bad for both vitamins and flavour. In this recipe we use a special jam gelling agent, to reduce cooking time as much as possible .July 4th 2018338 K4 2 hours 30 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-07-13)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe (as 2 people already do)
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.