Chocolate Mousse Cake

Why You’ll Love This Cake

• The mousse cake is a perfect balance of chocolate. Not too sweet and not too bitter.
• The sponge cake is rich but light. It doesn’t need to come up to room temperature like regular chocolate cake.
• Layers upon layers of chocolate perfect for Valentine’s Day or just your favorite chocolate lover!
• The cake can be made ahead and actually gives the flavors time to develop.

Ingredients

See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all ingredients and quantities.

Eggs – Use large eggs for this cake recipe. They will be separated for the cake recipe and it’s incredibly important to make sure none of the egg yolks get in the egg whites.

Granulated sugar – This sweetens and stabilizes the cake.

Heavy whipping cream – Make sure to grab heavy whipping cream instead of just heavy cream for the mousse as it’s able to be whipped up. The ganache works great with both heavy cream and heavy whipping cream.

Baking Chocolate – You’ll need two different baking chocolate bars for this cake. Baking chocolate is used instead of chocolate chips because it doesn’t contain the waxes found in chocolate chips which can affect texture. You can use chocolate chips in a pinch, but the chocolate for the ganache will need refined coconut oil or shortening melted into it to thin it.

How to Make Chocolate Mousse Cake

Step 1: Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add in the 1/3 cup of sugar while continuing to whip until stiff peaks form.

Step 2: In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and remaining sugar until the yolks are fluffy and pale.

Step 3: Add in the vanilla and cocoa powder. If your cocoa powder is lumpy, sift it into the bowl. Mix until combined.

Step 4: Gently fold in the egg whites in 3 parts. The first part will deflate slightly because of the heavy chocolate batter, the next two parts will lighten the cake batter. Fold just until there are no streaks left in the batter. Don’t overmix.

Step 5: Divide the batter into the 3 prepared cake pans and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until done.

Step 6: Heat 2/3 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan until simmering.

Step 7: Pour 4 tablespoons over the milk chocolate and the remaining over the semi-sweet chocolate. Let sit for a couple of minutes and then stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Step 8: Add the remaining heavy cream in a large bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.

Step 9: Add half of the whipped cream to the milk chocolate ganache and mix until combined. Add the other remaining whipped cream to the semi-sweet ganache and mix until combined. Place them in the fridge to chill.

Step 10: Place the first layer of cake on a wire rack. Add all of the semi-sweet chocolate mousse on top of the cake and spread out evenly.

Step 11: Place the second layer of cake on top of the mousse making sure it’s centered. Give it a gentle press and add the milk chocolate mousse on top of the cake. Spread out evenly.

Step 12: Place the final layer of cake on top of the mousse giving it a gentle press to make sure it’s attached to the mousse. Place in the fridge and work on the ganache.

Step 13: Heat the cream to a simmer and pour over the semi-sweet chocolate. Let sit for a couple of minutes before stirring. Stir until smooth.

Step 14: Pull the cake back out and place it back on the rimmed baking sheet. Pour the ganache on top of the cake and around the edges. If needed, scrape the ganache off the baking sheet, reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals, and pour until the cake is fully coated.

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Chocolate Mousse Cake

Author: Miranda Couse

This Chocolate Mousse Cake is made with a chocolate sponge cake, semi-sweet and milk chocolate mousses, and finished with a rich, chocolate ganache poured over top to act as the frosting

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Chill Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 slices

Calories 824 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Sponge Cake

• ▢ 9 large eggs separated
• ▢ 1 ½ cups granulated sugar divided
• ▢ 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Mousse

• ▢ 1 2/3 cups heavy whipping cream divided
• ▢ 4 ounces milk chocolate baking chocolate chopped
• ▢ 4 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate chopped

Chocolate Ganache

• ▢ 8 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate chopped
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

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Instructions

 

Sponge Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3 8-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper rounds and lightly spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
• Separate the egg yolks from the whites and place the yolks into a mixing bowl and the egg whites in a stand mixer bowl.
• Place the bowl of egg whites on the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until they form soft peaks.
• Slowly add 1/3 cup of the sugar and continue beating until the whites hold stiff peaks. Transfer the egg whites to a bowl and set aside.
• Clean the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the egg yolks and the remaining granulated sugar. Beat the egg yolks until they’re light yellow in color and pale.
• Add the vanilla and sift in the cocoa powder. Mix on low speed until combined.
• Fold one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, making sure not to deflate the batter. Repeat the process with 2 more additions of egg whites to the batter until it is light and fluffy.
• Evenly divide the batter amongst the prepared cake pans and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack in their pans for 5 minutes before transferring them to the refrigerator while you make the mousse.

Chocolate Mousse

• Place the chopped milk chocolate and the semi-sweet chocolate into 2 separate medium-sized bowls.
• Bring 2/3 cup of heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Add 4 tablespoons of the hot cream to the milk chocolate and pour the remaining hot cream over the semi-sweet chocolate. Let the mixture sit for 1-2 minutes to soften the chocolate, then stir, so the chocolate has a smooth consistency. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form. You’ll have 2 cups of whipped cream at this point.
• Fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the milk chocolate mixture until no streaks of white are left. Place back into the fridge.
• Add the remaining 1 cup into the semi-sweet chocolate mixture until fully incorporated and no white streaks remain. Place back into the fridge until needed.

Assembling the Chocolate Mousse Cake

• Remove the cake layers from the pans and place one layer on a round wire rack with a large baking sheet under it.
• Dollop the semi-sweet chocolate mousse on top of the cake layer and smooth it out with an angled spatula.
• Place the second cake layer over the semi-sweet chocolate mousse and repeat the process with the milk chocolate mousse.
• Top with the final cake layer and place the cake and wire rack in the refrigerator while you make the ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

• Place the chopped semi-sweet baking chocolate into a small heat-proof bowl.
• Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it reaches a simmer.
• Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, Let the mixture sit for 1-2 minutes to soften the chocolate, then stir, so the ganache has a smooth consistency.
• Transfer the ganache to a bowl with a pour spout.
• Remove the cake from the refrigerator, place the wire rack back on the baking sheet to catch any chocolate drips.
• Slowly pour the ganache over the top and sides of the cake. Smooth out any divots or bumps using an angled spatula. You can scrape and re-heat any extra dripped chocolate from the baking sheet to reuse.

Notes

• If the ganache becomes too thick, heat in 30-second intervals until smooth and pourable.
• Use good quality chocolate as this is the star of the show!
• Breaking the chocolate into smaller pieces will allow it to melt quicker when the hot cream is poured over it.

Make Ahead: Each component of this cake can be made 2 to 3 days ahead of time and the cake can be assembled when it’s convenient. 

Storage: Store the cake in a cake container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let the slices sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving for the best texture.

Freezing: Let the ganache set up in the fridge first. Wrap the cake tightly in two layers of plastic wrap and a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 824kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 33g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 276mg | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 551mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 63g | Vitamin A: 1455IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 5mg

(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)