This berry mousse cake will be your new favorite summer dessert! Made with a graham cracker crust and a smooth mixed berry ricotta mousse, it doesn't require any baking, which is always an added bonus.
Why you should make it
- You can make it ahead of time - This cake requires 4-6 hours to set, so making it 1-2 days in advance is completely fine (not to mention, convenient!)
- It's a showstopper - not only is this berry mousse cake delicious, it's also very pretty to look at. The final product is topped with fresh berries, and you can even add little flowers if you'd like to give it that extra something special
- It's no bake - This is an ideal summer dessert (although it's great any time of the year), and if you can avoid turning the oven on in the summer, then why not?
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Ingredients
This cake consists of two major components, the mousse itself and the crust.
The mousse:
- Fresh mixed berries - gives the cake its distinct berry flavor. This recipe uses a mix of raspberries, blueberries and blackberries
- Sugar - to give the cake some sweetness
- Lemon juice - to help create the berry sauce that will be the base of the mousse
- Gelatin powder - need to set the mousse
- Ricotta cheese - Adds extra creaminess and depth to the mousse
- Whipping cream - a key component to the mousse
The crust:
- Graham cracker sheets - form the base of the crust
- Melted butter - helps the crust come together
- Lemon zest - adds a beautiful lemony hint to the cake
How to make it - step by step
Make the berry sauce
Add berries to a saucepan along with sugar and lemon juice (photo 1). Bring to the boil and simmer until slightly thick (photo 2)
Remove from heat and use a sieve to remove berry seeds (photo 3)
Dissolve gelatin packets in a small bowl in water, and let it swell for 5-10 mins. Dissolve gelatin in warm berry sauce (photo 4) Set the sauce aside.
Make the crust
Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper.
Put the graham crackers in a food processor and process until crumbs form. Add the graham cracker crumbs to a bowl and add melted butter and lemon zest (photo 1) Mix until crumbs are moistened (photo 2)
Press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan with the back of a spoon (photo 3) Refrigerate until the filling is ready.
Make the Berry Ricotta Mousse
Add ricotta to the berry sauce (photo 1) and mix with a spoon to combine.
In another bowl, beat whipping cream with a hand mixer or electric mixer until soft peaks form (photo 2) Add the berry sauce and continue to mix until soft peaks form again (photos 3 & 4)
Pour the berry mousse over the cookie crust (photo 5) Refrigerate the cake for 4-6 hours to set.
Decorate with fresh berries (photo 6) Enjoy!
Top tips
You can use any combination of berries you'd like in this recipe, as long as it equals 5.5 cups of berries - prefer raspberries over blueberries and blackberries? Making a straight raspberry mousse cake is possible with this recipe!
Storage
Fridge: This cake will keep in the fridge, covered for 4-5 days.
Freezer: It also freezes well. It will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. Wrap in plastic wrap followed by aluminium foil. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and do not try to reheat the cake in any way.
More dessert recipes
- Crostata (Italian Jam Tart): Just Like Nonna’s!
- Fresh Peach Tart With Lemon Cream Filling
- No-Bake Pistachio Mascarpone Tart
If you tried making this Berry Mousse Cake, or any other recipe on the blog, please let me know what you thought of it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST and TIKTOK to see more delicious food and what I’ve been up to.
Recipe
Berry Mousse Cake {No-Bake Dessert!}
Ingredients
- 5.5 cups (800g) fresh mixed berries mix of blackberries, blueberries and raspberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tbsp (2 packets) unflavored gelatin powder
- ½ cup cold water
- 1.5 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 cups whipping cream
For the Crust
- 11 graham cracker sheets
- 7 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
Make the Berry Sauce
- Add berries to a saucepan along with sugar and lemon juice. Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Simmer for about 25 minutes until slightly thick.
- Remove from heat and use a sieve to remove berry seeds. The yield should be about 1 ¾ cups of berry sauce.
- Dissolve gelatin packets in a small bowl in water, and let it swell for 5-10 mins. Dissolve gelatin in warm berry sauce. Set the sauce aside.
Make the Crust
- Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- Put the graham crackers in a food processor and process until crumbs form. Add the graham cracker crumbs to a bowl and add melted butter and lemon zest. Mix until crumbs are moistened.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate until the filling is ready.
Make the Berry Ricotta Mousse
- Add ricotta to the berry sauce and mix with a spoon to combine.
- In another bowl, beat whipping cream with a hand mixer or electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the berry sauce and continue to mix until soft peaks form again.
- Pour the berry mousse over the cookie crust. Refrigerate the cake for 4-6 hours to set.
- Decorate with fresh berries. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- This recipe make one 9-inch cake
- You can use any combination of berries you'd like in this recipe, as long as it equals 5.5 cups of berries
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