The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
If you’re searching for a show-stopping Christmas dessert that looks like it belongs in a pastry shop window — but that you can actually make at home — these Festive Santa Dome Cakes with Vanilla Mousse and Strawberry Filling are pure holiday magic. Light, creamy, fruity, and stunningly decorated, these little domes will absolutely steal the spotlight on your holiday dessert table.
Each dome features three beautiful layers:
✨ A cloud-like vanilla mousse
🍓 A bright, sweet strawberry center
🍰 A soft cake base
Then the whole dome is coated in a shiny red Santa-inspired glaze and decorated with piped white “fur trim,” transforming the mousse cakes into whimsical mini Santa hats. They’re adorable, elegant, and unbelievably delicious.
Whether you’re preparing for Christmas dinner, hosting a fancy holiday gathering, or surprising someone with festive treats, these Santa domes are guaranteed to impress.
Why These Santa Dome Cakes Are So Special
🎅 1. The Look is Pure Christmas Magic
With their vibrant red glaze and fluffy white trim, these mousse domes instantly bring holiday cheer.
🍓 2. The Flavor is Light, Creamy & Balanced
The vanilla mousse is soft and airy, pairing perfectly with the bright strawberry center.
⚖️ 3. Not Too Sweet
These domes feel indulgent but never heavy — ideal after big holiday meals.
🎄 4. Surprisingly Simple to Make
Silicone dome molds do all the work for you. The mousse takes 10 minutes, the glaze takes 5.
🧊 5. 100% Make-Ahead
You freeze the domes until ready to glaze, making them AMAZING for stress-free entertaining.
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Mousse
- Heavy cream
- White chocolate
- Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Gelatin
- Sugar
For the Strawberry Filling
- Fresh or frozen strawberries
- Sugar
- Lemon juice
- Gelatin
For the Base
- Vanilla sponge cake or pound cake rounds
For the Santa Glaze
- White chocolate
- Sugar
- Water
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Gelatin
- Red food coloring
For Decoration
- Whipped cream or buttercream
- Mini Santa hat toppers (optional)
- White sanding sugar (optional)
Instructions
1. Make the Strawberry Filling
- Heat strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan until they soften.
- Blend until smooth.
- Add bloomed gelatin and dissolve fully.
- Pour into small silicone molds or ice cube trays.
- Freeze until solid.
2. Make the Vanilla Mousse
- Melt white chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
- Warm part of the heavy cream with sugar and vanilla.
- Stir in bloomed gelatin until dissolved.
- Pour mixture over the melted white chocolate and mix until smooth.
- Let cool to room temperature.
- Whip the remaining cream to soft peaks.
- Fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture.
3. Assemble the Domes
- Pipe vanilla mousse halfway into dome molds.
- Insert a frozen strawberry center.
- Cover with more mousse.
- Press a cake round onto the bottom, lightly pressing to seal.
- Freeze for at least 6 hours (or overnight).
4. Prepare the Red Santa Glaze
- Heat sugar, water, and condensed milk until steaming.
- Add bloomed gelatin.
- Pour hot mixture over white chocolate and let sit 1 minute.
- Stir until smooth and shiny.
- Add red food coloring to desired Santa red shade.
- Cool glaze to 90–95°F (32–35°C) before pouring.
5. Glaze the Santa Domes
- Unmold frozen domes and place on a wire rack over a tray.
- Pour the red glaze over each dome in one smooth motion.
- Let excess drip off.
- Transfer domes carefully to a tray.
6. Decorate
- Pipe white “fur trim” around the bottom of the dome.
- Add a small piped “pom pom” on top or a mini Santa hat topper.
- Sprinkle white sanding sugar for a snowy effect.
Festive Santa Dome Cakes with Vanilla Mousse and Strawberry Filling
Adorable Santa-themed mousse domes filled with creamy vanilla mousse and a sweet strawberry center, finished with a glossy red glaze and white Santa trim.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cook strawberries with sugar and lemon juice, blend, and stir in gelatin.
- Freeze strawberry mixture in small molds.
- Warm cream with sugar and vanilla, add gelatin, then combine with melted white chocolate.
- Fold in whipped cream to create mousse.
- Fill dome molds with mousse, insert strawberry center, and top with cake round.
- Freeze domes for at least 6 hours.
- Prepare red glaze and cool to pouring temperature.
- Unmold frozen domes and pour glaze over them.
Notes
Decorate with piped white trim for a Santa hat look.
Serving Suggestions
These mousse domes pair beautifully with:
- Hot chocolate
- Peppermint mocha
- Eggnog lattes
- Christmas charcuterie dessert boards
- Holiday brunch spreads
Serve them chilled — the mousse should be soft, not frozen.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Freeze assembled domes up to 1 month before glazing.
- Glaze domes 24 hours before serving for best shine.
- Store in the fridge after glazing.
Flavor Variations
🎄 Peppermint Santa Domes
Add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract to the mousse.
🍫 Chocolate Santa Domes
Replace white chocolate with milk or dark chocolate in the mousse.
🍰 Santa Cheesecake Domes
Add cream cheese to the mousse for cheesecake texture.
🍓 Triple Berry Santa Domes
Use raspberry, blackberry, or mixed berry filling.
Why This Recipe Works So Well
The frozen center and mousse technique guarantees perfect layers and clean cuts. Freezing ensures the domes unmold flawlessly and glaze without melting. The white “fur” decoration transforms the domes from simple pastries into festive Santa hats.
They look professional but are surprisingly easy — a perfect balance for Christmas baking.
