Indulge in this delightful and super easy French strawberry Charlotte cake recipe made with just 1 preparation and which will make the ideal dessert for any occasion, or just to enjoy the strawberry season.
As delicious as a slice of my French strawberry Fraisier cake, but in an accessible dessert that's just as light and creamy as my strawberry whipped cream cake.
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What is a Charlotte Cake?
Charlotte cake is a classic French dessert generally made with sponge fingers known as ladyfingers (biscuits à la cuillère or boudoirs in French) which enclose a creamy filling and fresh fruits.
This no-bake dessert, inspired by the pudding, is usually assembled in a Charlotte pan or a simple cake pan, which gives it its distinctive and elegant shape, a French-style cake perfect for your summer dessert occasions, from a birthday to Mother's Day.
Why you'll love this "Charlotte aux fraises"
My version of French strawberry Charlotte cake is quite similar to Charlotte russe cake because it's made with a whipped cream filling, but much easier because it's made without gelatine.
Unlike Bavarian cream, which is a bit like a strawberry mousse and requires some time in the fridge to ensure the filling doesn't fall out, I wanted to make a super-easy recipe with a simple mascarpone whipped cream that goes perfectly with fresh strawberries.
More Strawberry Cake Recipes
Ingredients you need for this recipe
- Ladyfinger cookies: For a quicker recipe, go straight for store-bought ladyfingers and for a recipe from scratch you can follow this homemade ladyfingers recipe.
- Strawberries: Use seasonal fresh strawberries, or replace them with fresh raspberries, fresh blueberries, exotic fruits, etc.
- Mascarpone: Essential for making mascarpone whipped cream, use cold, full-fat mascarpone cheese.
- Heavy Cream: Only full-fat heavy cream cold with at least 30% or 35% fat content.
- Powdered sugar: No granulated sugar or flavored sugar, just powdered sugar so you don't feel any grains in the filling.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean seeds, or simply add a bag of vanilla sugar.
- Milk: To soak the ladyfingers, you can also replace it with strawberry syrup or orange juice.
⚠️ You'll find quantities and instructions in the recipe card at the end of the page.
How to make this Easy Strawberry Charlotte Cake
Place ladyfingers
- Prepare a pastry ring 7-8 inches/ 18-20 cm in diameter, or a cake pan with a removable bottom, or a springform pan, placed on a cake board or large plate.
- Cut the edges of sponge cake fingers so that they are all the same height.
- Lightly dip the backs of the ladyfinger's biscuits into a bowl containing a little milk to soak them a bit.
- Place the ladyfingers on the edge of the pan to form a crown.(Note that it's not the flat part that sticks to the pan)
- Place the ladyfingers on the bottom of the pan to fill it completely.
Make the Mascarpone Frosting
- Place all ingredients, cold mascarpone cheese, cold heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
- Mix with an electric mixer for about 3-4 minutes until thick and firm.
- Fill the bottom of the pan with a layer of mascarpone whipped cream just enough to cover the fingers sponge.
- Add sliced strawberries in 2 or chopped strawberries and cover them completely with mascarpone whipped cream.
- Repeat with another layer of cookies, frosting, strawberries and more frosting until you reach the top of the pan.
- Smooth with an angled spatula and place in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
Decorate the cake
- Carefully unmold the charlotte cake by pulling it out from the bottom or gently removing the pastry ring.
- Add whole or sliced in half fresh strawberries to decorate the top of the strawberry Charlotte.
- Serve immediately with a strawberry sauce and enjoy.
Storage and Tips
Store in the fridge: For 3-4 days under plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
Can I freeze it? I don't recommend freezing, as this dessert contains fresh fruit and very fragile sponge fingers, and may thaw badly and collapse.
Tip 1: Place the bowl containing the filling ingredients in the freezer for 10 minutes, then whisk on low speed for 3 minutes until the frosting is smooth and firm (no more, otherwise it will be grainy).
Tip 2: Be careful not to soak the ladyfingers cookies too much, or they will soften too much and lose their texture when cut.
Tip 3: Spread the filling evenly with a spoon or angled spatula to avoid air holes inside, which could destabilize the cake.
*Replace the fillings with a strawberry-mascarpone frosting made with strawberry puree, or a raspberry frosting for a different taste.
*Add a strawberry compote to the inside of the charlotte for even more strawberry flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
If possible, use an adjustable pastry ring, a removable-bottom pan or a springform pan to easily unmold your charlotte cake.
If the filling remains soft, you may not have whipped the mascarpone whipped cream to a thick consistency, or it may not have rested in the refrigerator long enough.
You will also love
- Strawberry macarons
- Rustic strawberry galette
- Mini strawberry pavlova
- Fresh Strawberry coffee cake
- Strawberry buttercream cake
- Vanilla cake with strawberry filling
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Strawberry Charlotte Cake
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 slices
Description
Delicious, easy strawberry charlotte cake with mascarpone whipped cream frosting and fresh strawberries (for an 7-8 inches/ 18-20 cm cake pan, 8 slices)
Ingredients
- 500 g (4 cups) Fresh strawberries
- 1 packet of ladyfingers biscuits
- Milk for soaking - orange juice or strawberry syrup
- 250 g (1 cup) Mascarpone cheese - cold
- 200 ml (¾ cup) Heavy cream - full-fat and cold
- 3 tbsp. Powdered sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
Mascarpone whipped cream frosting
- Place all the ingredients in a large bowl: cold mascarpone cheese, cold heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Mix with an electric mixer at low speed for about 3-4 minutes, until the frosting becomes thick and firm.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until ready to assemble the cake.
Assemble the cake
- Prepare a pastry ring (or a springform pan) 7-8 inches/ 18-20 cm in diameter.
- Cut the ladyfingers biscuits to the height of the cake pan and soak them lightly on the flat side before placing them on the edge of your pastry ring, pressing them tightly together to form a crown. (Note that it's not the flat part that sticks to the pan)
- Fill the bottom of the pastry ring with a layer of ladyfingers too, filling as many holes as possible with small pieces.
- Apply a layer of mascarpone frosting to completely cover the cookies, then place the strawberries cut in 2 and cover them with a layer of mascarpone frosting.
- Repeat this step, again placing a layer of soaked ladyfingers, a layer of mascarpone frosting, sliced strawberries, and a final layer of mascarpone frosting.
- Place the strawberry Charlotte cake in the fridge for around 3 hours, then carefully unmold, decorate the top with fresh strawberries and serve.
Notes
Storage: 3-4 days in the fridge under plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Category: cake, dessert
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: strawberry charlotte, strawberry charlotte cake, french strawberry charlotte cake, easy strawberry charlotte cake, ladyfingers cake
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