Strawberry Bavarian cream cake also known as strawberry Bavarois cake is a perfect entertaining dessert that's very impressive & luxurious. This simple, easy and effortless recipe uses a custard-based strawberry pastry cream with a velvety texture topped with a strawberry mirror glaze that sets like jello. Fresh strawberries for garnish gives this bavarian dessert a refreshing finish.
You know how passionate I am about my desserts. I love both making as well as eating them. Back in the days when I could afford a few calories, I'd happily substitute my meal for a dessert.
Recently the kids have been asking for Bavarian cream desserts. My kids will have strawberry in anything and everything!! So while my vanilla Bavarian cream is super popular with family and friends during the year, we have to make my strawberry Bavarian cream dessert when strawberries are in season.
However, last week I had to take dessert with me for dinner. We were a total of six people. We all were bringing something to the table so as always savory quiches, salads, and dessert is left for me. Why because my friend thinks I make the best pie crust or shortcrust pastry when it comes to pies, quiches, and tarts, and they love my salad dressing that is usually creamy but low in fat like tahini yogurt or creamy mustard. Well, desserts? you know?? I make the best desserts, right? (you already know that!)
Usually, I would make these strawberry Bavarian cream dessert cups but today I decided to make it a bit more impressive and make it a strawberry Bavarian Cream Cake.
Can we make this an eggless strawberry Bavarian cream?
Yes, you can make this an eggless version of the strawberry Bavarian Cream too! just replace the egg-based vanilla pastry cream for my eggless vanilla pastry cream. You can use agar-agar instead of gelatin. I have detailed the full recipe here -Strawberry Bavarian Cream
Ingredients and substitutes
- Digestive Biscuits / Graham Crackers - I'm all for substitution but this is what helps support the Bavarian Cream, so make sure you use not just something delicious but also something sturdy. For example, those light wafer may not work well but graham crackers, even Oreo would work for this.
- Milk - You definitely want to use whole milk, not low fat. The dessert needs to have somebody to set, low-fat milk will be very delicate and not as flavorful as regular full-fat milk.
- Sugar - I usually prefer to use castor sugar because it dissolves quickly in desserts like these. But regular granulated sugar works just as well.
- Cream - Again you wanna use a full fat 35 to 38% whipping cream - which will add taste and body to your Bavarian cream.
- Gelatin - this helps set the Bavarian Cream and gives it the right texture. As I said above you can use agar-agar as well. Just follow the package instructions and prepare the agar-agar. Add it at the same stage mentioned below.
- Strawberries - you can use frozen or fresh strawberries for this Bavaria dessert. However, do not use dried strawberries as they do not blend well.
Step by step instructions (pin)
Prepare the biscuit base
- Crush the biscuits in a ziplock bag.
- Melt the butter in a microwave.
- Pour melted butter in the biscuits - mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan.
- Use the back of a spoon to press firmly making a nice tight base.
- Place in the fridge while you continue with the rest of the recipe.
Prepare strawberries for Bavarian cream
- Place two cups of blended strawberry in a saucepan with 2 tbsp sugar.
- Cook on low until it is reduced to half the quantity.
- Once done - add the gelatin and keep warm.
Prepare pastry cream
- Bring milk to almost boiling.
- In a bowl add the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. Whisk well until nice and foamy.
- Add hot milk to the whipped eggs a few tablespoons at a time to avoid the eggs scrambling.
- Once all the milk is incorporated into the eggs - pour the mixture back into the milk pot and cook on low heat.
- Stir continuously until the mixture thickens to a thick custard. This will happen quickly since the number of yolks to milk is high.
Note: Do not leave custard unattended to avoid curdling. - One custard is ready - add the prepared strawberry gelatin mixture.
- Add 2 drops of pink food color if you want.
- Strain this mixture while still warm into a clean bowl.
- Cover with cling wrap and set aside in a warm place.
Prepare strawberry mirror glaze
- Place blended strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a saucepan over low heat.
- In a separate bowl combine cornstarch and water.
- Add cornstarch mixture to the strawberries.
- Cook on low for a minute until thick.
- Strain and set aside - keep warm until ready to use.
- If necessary you can warm it up to bring to consistency.
Assemble
- Whip the cream to a stiff peak.
- Fold the whipped cream to the strawberry pastry cream mixture - this is Bavarian Cream.
- Pour over the biscuit base we prepared earlier.
- Let chill in the fridge for an hour.
- Pour prepared warm strawberry mirror glaze over the Bavarian Cream Cake.
- Let chill for at least another 3 to 4 hours before you.
- Garnish with strawberries and serve.
Frequently asked questions
This strawberry creme Bavarois will keep in the fridge for about 4 to 5 days.
Yes, you can freeze bavarian cream for up to 2 months if wrapped well. Thaw it in the fridge overnight for best results.
Yes. Creme Bavarois contains strawberry, eggs, milk, and creams which are all perishable ingredients. Any dessert with perishable ingredients must always be kept in the fridge and usually consumed within 4 to 5 days unless otherwise mentioned.
I use heavy whipping cream no less than 38% fat. If you use low-fat it dessert can have water separation which does not look pretty.
This is a strawberry vanilla bavarian cream that uses my vanilla bavarian cream as a base. If you want to create more bavarian creme flavors I suggest you use that recipe and suggestion mentioned in the F&Q
Yes, in fact, I do have a strawberry Bavarian cream recipe which can be used as a strawberry bavarian cream cake filling
Of course, you can and I have a recipe with step by step for you Strawberry Bavarian cream.
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Description
Video
Ingredients
For the Biscuit Base
- 100 grams (3.53 oz) Digestive biscuits / Graham crackers about 8 to 10 crackers
- 60 grams (2.12 oz) Unsalted butter melted
For the Pastry Cream
- 375 ml (1.54 cups) Whole milk
- 100 grams (3.53 oz) White sugar
- 4 (4 ) Egg yolks
- 2 tbsp (1.04 oz) Cornstarch
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Vanilla
For the Strawberry Bavarian Cream
- 250 ml (1.05 cups) Whipping cream
- 2 cups (10.16 oz) Strawberries blended
- 2 tbsp (1.04 oz) White sugar
- 2 tbsp (1.04 oz) Gelatin see notes above for substitutes
For the Strawberry Mirror Glaze
- ½ cup (2.54 oz) Strawberries blended about 2 cups whole strawberries
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp (1.04 oz) White sugar
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) Cornstarch
- ¼ cup (2.11 floz) Water
- ¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) Strawberry extract optional or strawberry liquor - 1 tbsp
Instructions
Prepare the Biscuit Base
- Crush the biscuits in a ziplock bag.
- Melt the butter in a microwave.
- Pour melted butter in the biscuits - mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan.
- Use the back of a spoon to press firmly making a nice tight base.
- Place in the fridge while you continue with the rest of the recipe.
Prepare Strawberries for Bavarian Cream
- Place two cups blended strawberry in a saucepan with 2 tbsp sugar.
- Cook on low until it is reduced to half the quantity.
- Once done - add the gelatin and keep warm.
Prepare Pastry Cream
- Bring milk to almost boiling.
- In a bowl add the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. Whisk well until nice and foamy.
- Add hot milk to the whipped eggs a few tablespoons at a time to avoid the eggs scrambling.
- Once all the milk is incorporated into the eggs - pour the mixture back into the milk pot and cook on low heat.
- Stir continuously until the mixture thickens to a thick custard. This will happen quickly since the number of yolks to milk is high. Note: Do not leave custard unattended to avoid curdling.
- One custard is ready - add the prepared strawberry gelatin mixture.
- Add 2 drops of pink food color if you want.
- Strain this mixture while still warm into a clean bowl.
- Cover with cling wrap and set aside in a warm place.
Prepare Strawberry Mirror Glaze
- Place blended strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a saucepan over low heat.
- In a separate bowl combine cornstarch and water.
- Add cornstarch mixture to the strawberries.
- Cook on low for a minute until thick.
- Strain and set aside - keep warm until ready to use.
- If necessary you can warm it up to bring to consistency.
Assemble
- Whip the Cream to stiff peak.
- Fold the whipped cream to the strawberry pastry cream mixture - this is Bavarian Cream.
- Pour over the biscuit base we prepared earlier.
- Let chill in the fridge for an hour.
- Pour prepared warm strawberry mirror glaze over the Bavarian Cream Cake.
- Let chill for at least another 3 to 4 hours before you.
- Garnish with strawberries and serve.
Recipe Notes
Featured Recipe Video below -How to make Vanilla Pastry Cream- which is part of this recipe
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Rad
Hey Veena,
Made your bavarian cream cake and came out soo delicious and it tasted soo good. Thank you for sharing amazing recipe. It was a total hit.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much, Rad. Happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback.
Julia
My mom used to make similar cake when we were kids and it was always a hit. Delicious!
Veena Azmanov
I'm sure it was. This is always a hit here too.
kim
What a fabulous recipe! So tasty and easy! Will definitely be making again!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much Kim. So happy you enjoyed this recipe so much. Appreciate you coming back to write this feedback.
Alexandra
This is such a showstopper of a dessert!
It not only looks beautiful, but the taste is truly scrumptious!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much, Alexandra. So happy you enjoyed this dessert. Appreicate you coming back to write this feedback.
David
Bavarian cream was one of my favorite desserts as a kid. This looks like a perfect grownup version! Thanks for the eggless option tips, helpful for those of us with an allergy.
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, David. Yes, the eggless is a great way to make this for loved ones with allergies.
Danielle
This cake looks simple yet so unbelievably nice - really love the way it looks and would definitely be amazed to have it for a special occasion. Yummy!
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely, Danielle. Thanks
Pierinin
Made this last week.. Wow..!! Everybody enjoyed it. Turned out perfect. Thanks for the recipe
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Pierinin. So happy you have success with this recipe. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Have a wonderful day.