White Chocolate Berry Balsamic Mousse Cake

Though somewhat common these days, for a while I have been meaning to make up a recipe that utilizes the complementing flavors of strawberries and balsamic vinegar.

As a kid my mum splashed balsamic vinegar in fruit salads, that would somehow sweeten berries (in particular strawberries) and make them even tastier.

I have experimented with balsamic vinegar in recipes in the past (check out my Beetroot Raspberry and Balsamic Cake or my Low Fat Dark Chocolate Balsamic and Almond Cupcakes) but never paired with white chocolate or as a mousse.

The outcome – super tasty, extremely moreish and so easy to make.

Ingredients:

Cake:

220g strawberries, hulled and diced
310g vanilla cake mix
Eggs, butter and milk as per cake mix
20ml balsamic vinegar
4 tsn strawberry essence

Mousse:

320g white chocolate
360ml thickened cream
2 + ½ tsn gelatine
65g icing sugar
70ml balsamic vinegar
1 tsn strawberry essence

Extra to decorate:

Buttercream icing (optional)
strawberries

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180c degrees and line a 25cm cake tin with baking paper.
Place the strawberries into a food processor and blitz until they resemble a smooth puree.
Pour the cake mix into a bowl, add the balsamic vinegar, 60ml strawberry puree and the strawberry essence.
Add the eggs and butter per cake mix directions.
Measure out the milk according to mix directions minus 80ml of milk and add to the bowl (as you have added strawberry puree and balsamic vinegar in replacement).
Using electric beaters whisk the mix for 5 minutes until thick and well combine.
Pour the mix into the cake tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then invert onto a cooling rack until cold.
Wash and dry the cake tin, spray with oil spray and place 2 layers of plastic wrap into the tin, allowing for overlap.
Cut the top off the cooled cake to even the top and place into the tin, cut side up, on top of the plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for later.
Place 180ml thickened cream into a bowl and heat on high in the microwave until almost bubbling.
Add the chocolate to the cream and leave for 1 minute before stirring to a silky-smooth combined consistency.
Leave the chocolate mix aside to cool completely.
Place 4 tsn of boiling water into a small bowl along with the gelatine, whisk with a fork until the gelatine is completely melted.
Place the remaining 180ml cream, icing sugar, balsamic vinegar, essence, remaining strawberry puree and gelatine mix into a large bowl.
Using electric beaters whisk cream mix until smooth and the cream has thickened the mix slightly.
Add the cooled chocolate mix and whisk with electric beaters until combined.
Pour the mousse mix over the cake base, tap tin on bench for even distribution of mousse.
Place the tin in the fridge for 4 hours to set completely.
To remove the cake from the tin, pull the overlapping plastic wrap and place the cake on the bench.
Peel the plastic wrap away from cake sides and using a spatula transfer the cake to a serving plate.
Top with icing or grated white chocolate and extra strawberries for decoration.