Chocolate Mousse Cake – Rich chocolate cake is topped with homemade chocolate mousse and chocolate ganache to make for a picture-perfect chocolate cake with all the textures.
I think it’s safe to say that we’ve taken a long enough break from sweets and it’s time to get them back into our lives, am I right? It’s even more appropriate as we head into the month of chocolates and candy (and also my birthday month!) – February. As such, today I am bringing you the top-tier in chocolate desserts – the Chocolate Mousse Cake.
This mousse cake is made of exactly those two items – mousse and cake. First, we make the chocolate cake, which is a basic chocolate cake recipe, with the only difference being that it’s made in a springform pan. This will help us with assembly later due to the high edges of the pan.
Next, the mousse is made with egg whites and whipped cream, along with melted premium chocolate. We stabilize the mousse with gelatin to ensure it stays firmly on top of the cake and doesn’t slide off.
Finally, the cake is finished off with a smooth pour of chocolate ganache. This just elevates the cake by giving it the professional finish. My husband even commented on how this cake looked like it was from a store or bakery. What a compliment!
Tips & Tricks:
- Dutch-processed cocoa. There is a chemical difference between the various cocoa powders. They will react differently in the recipe depending on the amount of baking powder, baking soda, and other acidic items. Therefore, its important that you use Dutch-processed cocoa in this particular recipe to ensure the cake rises and tastes exactly as we want it to.
- Good quality chocolate. This recipe is all about the chocolate. So you’ve got to use the good-quality stuff. I used a mixture of Ghirardelli and Lindt chocolates.
- Gelatin stabilizes the mousse. To ensure the mousse is stable and sits on top of the cake without sliding off, we must add the gelatin to the mixture.
- Sift the dry ingredients! Because this batter is very wet, it’s important to sift the dry ingredients to ensure the cake doesn’t retain lumps of flour or cocoa powder.
Chocolate Mousse Cake
Servings: 1 9-inch cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup hot coffee
For the mousse:
- 7 ounces 60% dark chocolate bar chopped
- 7 ounces milk chocolate bar chopped
- 3 large eggs separated
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1½ teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin
- 1¾ cup heavy cream divided
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
For the ganache:
- 6 ounces 60% dark chocolate bar chopped
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the inside of a 9-inch springform pan. You can use up to a 10.5-inch springform pan but don't use anything smaller than 9 inches. Remove the ring and place a piece of parchment paper over the bottom liner. Secure the ring again over the paper. There will be excess paper hanging out the sides. This will help the cake from leaking through the cracks in the ring.
- In a medium bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together to combine. If your mixture has lumps from the cocoa powder, sift through a sieve. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add sugars and canola oil. Mix on low with a paddle attachment to combine until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add eggs one at a time. Then add vanilla extract and sour cream. Mix together until combined.
- Add 1/3 of dry ingredients to the mixture while on low speed, followed by half of the coffee. Repeat with another 1/3 of the dry ingredients and rest of the coffee. Finish with the last third of the dry ingredients. The mixture will be very wet.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and into the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean after being inserted. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove the ring and clean the edges to remove the crumbs. Let the cake cool completely before making the mousse.
For the mousse:
- Once the cake has cooled, it's time to prepare it for the mousse topping. Place the springform ring around the cake but do not secure it yet. Place parchment paper inside the ring between the outer ring and the cake. Secure the ring to tightly wrap the parchment around the cake like a collar. Set aside.
- Create a double boiler by filling a medium sauce pan with 1 inch of water and setting over medium heat. Place a large heat-proof bowl on top of the saucepan, making sure it does not touch the water. Add chopped chocolate and stir continuously to help the chocolate melt slowly. Once melted, remove from the saucepan and on top of a towel. Turn off heat and pour out water. Wipe the inside of the saucepan clean.
- Add gelatin and water to a small bowl and mix together. Let sit for 3 minutes while the gelatin blooms. Meanwhile, place ¾ cup of heavy cream in the clean sauce pan and set over medium low heat. We want it to be hot but not boiling. Once the cream has reached this point, add bloomed gelatin and whisk to melt the gelatin into the cream. Remove from heat.
- Add 3 egg yolks to the melted chocolate and whisk together quickly. It will firm up fast. Add half of the hot cream to the chocolate and whisk together to loosen it up. Once combined, add the rest of the cream and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- In the clean bowl of a stand mixer. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, whisk on medium until the eggs start to foam. Add the ¼ cup of sugar and continue on medium speed until the whites have turned to fluffy meringue that looks like shaving cream. Pour meringue into a medium bowl and clean the whisk and bowl. Add 1 cup of the whipped cream to the bowl of the stand mixer and whisk on medium to turn to whipped cream.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until it's all one uniform color. Do the same with half of the whipped meringue. And then again with the other half, being careful to keep air in the mousse.
- Pour the mousse over the cooled cake to create a flat, even layer. Place in the fridge to set up for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
For the ganache:
- One the mousse is set, remove the cake from the fridge. Remove the collar and ring and place over a cooling rack atop a baking sheet. Set aside. Heat the ¾ cup of heavy cream in the microwave until hot and foaming around the edges, about 1-2 minutes. Place 6 ounces of the chopped chocolate into a measuring cup with a spout. Pour hot cream over the chocolate. Do not stir together yet.
- Let the cream and chocolate sit together untouched for 6 minutes. After that time has elapsed, whisk together to create the silky smooth ganache. Pour ganache into the center of the mousse layer, allowing it to slowly make it's way to the edge and eventually topple over the edge. Quickly before the chocolate sets, us an offset spatula to pour more over the edge, if needed.
- Give the cake about 30 minutes to set before slicing into it. Additionally, refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Butternut Bakery
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Okay, this looks dangerously good — like the kind of dessert you tell yourself you’ll have just one bite of, then suddenly the whole thing’s gone. Reminds me of how I feel when I get on a lucky streak at sweepstakes casino, where you just keep hitting that button thinking “maybe one more round”. Serious question though: is that glossy top layer a mirror glaze or just really well-set ganache? Been trying to nail that shine forever and mine always ends up dull. Drop the recipe secrets please
The cake is very nice in appearance and color, I really want to try it.
There is something so satisfying about a dessert that balances texture this well. The contrast between the soft cake and the smooth mousse makes it feel both indulgent and elegant at the same time. Using gelatin to stabilize the mousse is a smart touch, especially if you want clean layers and a professional finish.
Indulging in the Chocolate Mousse Cake sounds like a delightful way to welcome February! The layers of rich chocolate cake, mousse, and ganache are just tempting. Can’t wait to try this recipe and perhaps use my trusty calculator from でんたく for any baking math!
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Thank you very much for sharing the information with me. It was just what we needed, and it allows me to get back to work on my portion of the project.
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Your tips on Dutch-processed cocoa and quality chocolate are so helpful. This is clearly a dessert where ingredient quality makes all the difference. Can’t wait to bake this showstopper!
This chocolate mousse cake looks absolutely decadent! The combination of textures from cake to mousse to ganache must be heavenly. Perfect for February indulgences!
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The springform pan detail makes a lot of sense when assembling, especially for someone like me, a somewhat clumsy baker. Can’t wait to see how the rest of the recipe turns out! Are you planning on adding any fancy toppings or decorations? Whipped cream, Traffic Jam 3D and fresh berries sounds like a great classic combination.
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I have to disagree with your husband!! This looks much better than store bought cake. I am so looking forward to bake this over the weekend.
Sharon, this was just soooo good. Everybody loved it, especially the combination of the 2 layers. Thank you so much for the recipe!
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