This cake may seem like a lot of work, but it is sure to be a show stopper! Your friends and family will love you FOREVER for your efforts! Make sure to make your mouse up the day before so that it has time to set up!
Cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
Zest of one lemon
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
¾ cup milk
The juice of ½ a lemon
4 cups strawberries, roughly chopped + 1 cup sugar + 2 tbsp butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease cake pans with pam or simular.
In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the strawberries and coat with melted butter. Stir in sugar and cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes until strawberries begin to reduce and a thick strawberry sauce is made. Divide in half and then set aside to cool.
Prepare the sugar by working the lemon zest into sugar by pressing the back of a spatula down into sugar, thus releasing the oils from the zest into the sugar. This process should take about five minutes, and the sugar will become very fragrant.
Cream the butter for 2-3 minutes using electric mixer and the paddle attachment. Add the sugar to the butter mixture and continue creaming until fluffy.
While butter/sugar are creaming, in another bowl sift together flour, salt and baking powder and set aside. Sift at least twice to ensure all ingredients are combined. Add eggs one at a time to butter and sugar, mixing thoroughly after each egg.
In a measuring cup that pours, mix together the milk, lemon juice and vanilla.
SLOWLY alternate adding the flour and milk mixture to the butter/sugar. Begin and end with the flour and make sure to mix very well after each addition. Scrape sides of the bowl and fold in ½ the strawberries. Do not over mix. Pour mix into 3- 9" round pans.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake pick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to completely cool.
Mouse:
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
12 oz good quality white chocolate
3 egg whites
Reserved stawberries strained, keep juice for later use.
Directions:
Stir white chocolate and 3/4 cup cream in heavy medium saucepan over low heat just until white chocolate is melted. Cool completely.
Beat remaining 3/4 cup cream in another large bowl until peaks form. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Gently fold whites, then whipped cream, into white chocolate mixture. Gently stir in strawberries. Refrigerate over night. Make ahead 1 day!
Buttercream:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 lbs (approx 8 cups) powdered sugar
1/4 -1/2 cup milk
Zest of ½ a lemon
Juice of ½ a lemon
1 tbsp light corn syrup
Directions:
In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter.
One cup at a time, add the powdered sugar. Between each cup, add a splash of milk. Mix until smooth & scrape down the sides after each addition
Before the last cup of sugar, add the zest and juice of the lemon. Mix until smooth. Add the corn syrup. Add any remaining milk until you get the texture and consistency you want. Mix on high for 4-5 minutes. Remove ½ the buttercream and set aside. Add 5-7 drops of yellow food coloring to the remaining frosting and mix until it’s the color you want.
To Assemble:
Spoon 1/2 of the mouse over bottom layer, smooth. Place 2nd layer and repeat, top with 3rd layer. Ice entire cake with buttercream, make large rosettes on outside edge of cake and one in center.
Drizzle cupcakes with reserved strawberry juice. Top with a fresh, clean strawberry in center of each rosette.