If Spring was a cake…this would be it!

This Strawberry Coconut Fraisier is a light, layered French-style cake built around fresh strawberries, a soft coconut sponge, and a silky mousseline cream.

It is inspired by the traditional French fraisier (meaning strawberry in French), but adapted with coconut in both the sponge and cream for a slightly more delicate, spring-forward flavor.

While it looks complex, it’s so much fun to make! See below where I’ve broken it down into each of its steps with lots of helpful information. I’ve also made the recipe with homebakers in mind, like always!

So no crazy equipment, and no crazy ingredients. Let’s go!

What Is a Fraisier Cake?

A fraisier is a classic French strawberry layer cake traditionally made with sponge cake, pastry cream, and fresh strawberries arranged carefully around the edges so that each slice reveals a clean, defined ring of fruit.

In this version, we stay true to that traditional structure while using a light coconut sponge and a coconut mousseline cream for a slightly more modern, seasonal variation. The strawberries are not just decorative here, they play an important role in the cake helping to create that signature fraisier-style slice.

The result is light, fresh, and especially beautiful when strawberries are at their peak.

If you enjoy this style of French layer cake, you will also find a more traditional version of a fraisier in my cookbook – French Pastry Made Simple – along with other classic French pastry recipes in their original form.

It is a helpful resource if you want to go deeper into traditional French pastry techniques and understand how these classic desserts are built from their original foundations.

Coconut Sponge Cake (Light French-Style Base)

This cake starts with a light coconut sponge made using whipped up eggs for structure.

Egg yolks are mixed with sugar, oil, and coconut milk, then combined with flour, baking powder, salt, and shredded coconut. Separately, the egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks and folded in, which gives the cake its lift without feeling heavy.

One important note here: once the batter is mixed, it should be baked immediately. The whipped egg whites provide the structure, and delaying baking will cause the batter to deflate and lose volume.

The sponge bakes until golden, lightly springy, and set in the center. Once cooled, it is sliced into two even layers for assembly.

Coconut Mousseline Cream (French Pastry Cream + Butter)

This is the most technical part of the cake, but also what gives it its signature texture.

The base begins as a coconut pastry cream, made by cooking egg yolks, sugar, flour, cornstarch, and coconut milk until thickened. A small amount of butter is incorporated during cooking to enrich the base.

Once fully cooked, the pastry cream must be cooled completely before continuing. This step is essential – if the mixture is warm, the final cream will not emulsify properly.

Once chilled, softened butter is whipped into the pastry cream in two stages until the texture becomes light, smooth, and stable enough for layering. 

This is what transforms it into mousseline cream – a classic French pastry filling used in layer cakes and entremets.

Ingredients You Will Need

This cake is built from three main components:
a coconut sponge cake, a coconut mousseline cream, and fresh strawberries for layering and decoration.

Because several components need cooling or resting time, it is best to prepare everything before beginning assembly.

*A Quick French Pastry Tip!

Before you begin, I highly recommend practicing mise en place, a French culinary term that means “everything in its place.”

Simply put, measure out all of your ingredients and prepare your equipment before starting the recipe. This small step makes the baking process much smoother, helps prevent mistakes, and allows you to focus on the techniques rather than searching for ingredients halfway through.

It’s one of the best baking habits you can develop, and one I use every time I step into the kitchen!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Strawberry Coconut Fraisier Cake

Step One: Prepare your pan and ingredients

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the bottom of two 9-inch (23cm) cake pans and line with parchment paper. Measure all ingredients before starting.

Step Two: Make the coconut sponge

In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with half of the sugar until smooth. Add oil and coconut milk, then stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and shredded coconut.

In a separate bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.

Fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest until just combined.

Immediately divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 16–18 minutes, or until golden and springy to the touch. Let cool completely before unmolding.

Once cooled, level and slice each cake into layers as needed for assembly.

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Step Three: Make the coconut pastry cream

In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, flour, and cornstarch.

In a saucepan, heat coconut milk along with the smaller portion of butter and sugar until it just begins to simmer.

Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a gentle boil. Cook briefly to fully set.

Transfer to a bowl, cover directly with plastic wrap touching the surface, and chill completely.

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Step Four: Turn pastry cream into mousseline

Once fully chilled, whip the remaining softened butter until light and smooth. Gradually add the pastry cream and continue whipping until the mixture becomes silky and stable.

The texture should be light, creamy, and able to hold its shape for layering.

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Step Five: Assemble the cake

Line a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides.

Place one layer of coconut sponge at the base. Spread a thin layer of strawberry jam over the surface.

Cut strawberries in half and arrange them cut-side facing outward around the edge of the pan. This creates the signature fraisier structure.

Fill the center with half of the mousseline cream, spreading it carefully between the strawberries to secure them in place.

Add a layer of chopped strawberries, then smooth the remaining mousseline cream on top.

Finish with the second layer of sponge cake, pressing gently to set.

At this stage, the cake can be chilled or decorated immediately.

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Step Six: Decorate the fraisier

Spread a thin layer of strawberry jam over the top sponge.

Arrange thinly sliced strawberries across the surface in an even layer.

Warm a small amount of apricot jam with a splash of water and brush lightly over the strawberries to create a glossy finish.

Finish with a sprinkle of coconut flakes around the edges.

Make-Ahead Tips

This is a wonderful make-ahead cake, which is part of what makes it so practical for entertaining.

The coconut sponge can be baked a day in advance and stored tightly wrapped at room temperature once fully cooled. The pastry cream base can also be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3-5 days.

For best results, I recommend finishing the mousseline cream (by whipping in the butter) just before assembling the cake, as it holds its texture best when used immediately.

Once assembled, the cake actually benefits from chillingl in the refrigerator to set properly. However, I would always wait to finish the strawberry decoration on top until the day you plan to serve it. This keeps the fruit looking fresh and the glaze glossy, and gives the cake its most vibrant finish.

Troubleshooting Fraisier Cake

Why is my mousseline too soft?

The pastry cream may not have been fully chilled before adding butter, or the butter may have been too warm. It’s also possible that the pastry cream wasn’t initially cooked long enough. If it wasn’t thick after chilling and before adding the butter, then that was the case.

Why did my sponge deflate?

The batter may have sat too long before baking, or the egg whites were overmixed or under-folded.

Why are my layers uneven?

Use a serrated knife to level the sponge before slicing to ensure even assembly.

How to Serve Strawberry Coconut Fraisier

This cake is best served chilled, once it has fully set in the refrigerator. Cold slicing is important here, as it keeps the mousseline stable and ensures you get those clean, defined layers that make a fraisier so visually striking.

For the best experience, serve it when the strawberries are still bright and fresh and the cream is light and fully chilled. It is especially well suited to spring gatherings, Easter, Mother’s Day, or any occasion where you want a fresh, fruit-forward French dessert that feels elegant and looks absolutely stunning!

Final Thoughts

Some cakes simply feel like a celebration of the season, and this Strawberry Coconut Fraisier is one of them.

Between the fresh strawberries, light coconut sponge, and silky mousseline cream, this Strawberry Coconut Fraisier feels elegant enough for a special occasion while still celebrating the simple beauty of seasonal ingredients.

One of my favorite things about French pastry is how a few carefully chosen ingredients can come together to create something that looks incredibly impressive without being overly complicated. This cake is a perfect example of that. And when I’m serving it for a celebration, I love placing my petite Marie Antoinette statue right in the center of the cake. It always makes people smile and feels perfectly at home on a dessert inspired by life here in Versailles.

If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to hear how it turns out for you. Leave a comment below and let me know if you made it exactly as written or added your own twist.

Happy baking!