After listening to the discussion yesterday about favorite cake flavors and fillings, I went home and made a lemon cake with the raspberry mousse filling (recipe on this site). It is sooooo good! However, I don't feel it has set up enough even after being in the fridge all night. I went to fill my cake this morning and texture is more of a soft pudding rather than a mousse. My dilemma: how to thicken the mousse without changing the taste. My ideas which I shot down were:
1. add more cream cheese (too cheesy of a taste?)
2. add powdered sugar (too sweet? the taste is perfect right now)
3. add cornstarch? but wouldn't I have to dilute with water first (as in a gravy or soup and wouldn't that defeat the purpose of thickening my mousse?).

So as you can see I have been struggling with this all night in my sleep and would like to frost my cake when I get home from work today. My other thoughts: Pipe a dam with my buttercream, fill with mousse, freeze 15 minutes, add top layer, freeze 15 mintues then finish the frosting. My concern? Once the cake reaches room temp will the filling start to ooze? Sorry for the long post but would appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks,
Theresa

Yes, the filling might ooze and your top layer might slide. That is what happened to my cake when I used too thin of a filling!

You could thicken the mousse by adding melted white chocolate and then letting it chill. Don't know if it would work or not.

Notice the left side of the cake, you will see a big bulge and the top half is actually sliding off.

I would add 2 tbsp of Meriague powder...then beat...

should help set it up.

Hi Euphoriabakery,
OMgosh! that's the exact same cake I am doing! Thanks for the picture and the advice.

Hey Lindsey,
I will try the meringue tonight when I get home. So let me make sure I am clear. Add 2 TBS of the powder, whip, pipe my dam and fill, put the top layer on and frost the rest of the cake. Right? No freezer? Please advise.

Best,
Theresa

Theresa,

Yep sounds good. I've used mousse before in this way, and it has never slipped.

Whip it good though. It should be fairly stiff for mousse. For example, if you scoop some with a spoon, it will "glob" off not slide.

Hope that helps!

Can't wait to hear how it worked.

Hi Lindsey,
Thank you for your kind note. I will try it tonight and will send you a note tomorrow. Thanks!

Theresa