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Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 93 reviews

This indulgent Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake combines a moist, rich chocolate cake base with a luscious and creamy dark chocolate mousse, finished with a smooth chocolate ganache topping. Perfect for special occasions or any time you want to impress with layers of deep chocolate flavor and velvety texture.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Cake

  • 1 Cup (120g) All-Purpose Flour
  • ½ Cup (42g) Dutch Cocoa Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Fine Espresso Powder (optional)
  • ¾ Teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ¼ Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • ¾ Cup + 2 Tablespoons (175g) White Granulated Sugar
  • ⅓ Cup + 1 Tablespoon (80g) Neutral Oil (avocado, vegetable, canola)
  • ⅓ Cup (76g) Full-Fat Sour Cream (room temperature)
  • 1 Whole Large Egg (room temperature)
  • 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ½ Cup (113g) Boiling Water

Chocolate Mousse

  • 1 ½ Cups (340g) Heavy Cream
  • 1 Whole Large Egg + 1 Large Yolk
  • ⅓ Cup (67g) White Granulated Sugar
  • ¼ Cup (21g) Dutch Cocoa Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Fine Espresso Powder
  • 1/8 Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 6 Ounces (170g) Dark Chocolate
  • 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Cup (227g) Heavy Cream (to be whipped, cold)

Chocolate Ganache

  • 5 Ounces (141g) Dark Chocolate 60% to 70%
  • 2/3 Cup (151g) Heavy Cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven & Prep Pan: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and line a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the cake later.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, Dutch cocoa powder, fine espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly mixed and free of lumps.
  3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, neutral oil, sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
  4. Mix Dry & Wet Ingredients: Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, pushing through any cocoa powder lumps. Gently whisk until almost fully incorporated. The batter will be thick at this stage which is expected.
  5. Add Boiling Water: Carefully add the boiling water to the batter and gently mix until combined. The batter will thin out; avoid overmixing to keep the texture light.
  6. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and bake for 24 to 28 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center— it should come out clean.
  7. Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then remove from the pan and cool completely either at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
  8. Prepare Chocolate Mousse Mixture: In a small saucepan off heat, whisk together heavy cream, whole egg, yolk, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt until combined smoothly.
  9. Cook Mousse Base: Place the saucepan over low heat, whisking constantly until the mixture reaches 170ºF (76ºC), approximately 8 to 10 minutes. This process gently cooks the eggs for safety and thickening.
  10. Add Chocolate & Flavoring: Remove from heat, add the chopped dark chocolate and vanilla extract. Whisk until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth.
  11. Chill Mousse: Transfer the mousse mixture to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap directly on its surface to prevent skin formation, and refrigerate for 1 to 1.5 hours until thick and spreadable.
  12. Prepare Cake Layer: While mousse chills, line the springform pan bottom with fresh parchment. Level the cooled cake if needed, place it back in the pan, and surround the edges with acetate cake collar taped to secure or lightly greased parchment paper for easy removal of the mousse layer.
  13. Whip Cream & Fold Mousse: Whip cold heavy cream in a large bowl until firm peaks form, careful not to overwhip. Gently fold the chilled mousse mixture into the whipped cream in two additions until fully combined and streak-free.
  14. Assemble Cake: Spread the chocolate mousse evenly over the cake layer in the springform pan. Chill the assembled cake in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours to set properly.
  15. Make Chocolate Ganache: When ready to serve, place chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream on medium until it simmers (about 185ºF/85ºC), then pour over the chocolate. Let sit 4-5 minutes before stirring gently until smooth. If needed, rewarm over a simmering water bath until fully melted.
  16. Unmold Cake: Remove cake from fridge, release from springform pan, peel off acetate or parchment collar, and transfer to a serving plate.
  17. Finish with Ganache: Pour ganache over the top and spread evenly to edges with an offset spatula. Chill briefly (10-15 minutes) to let ganache set before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Using espresso powder in both cake and mousse enhances chocolate flavor without adding coffee taste.
  • Ensure eggs and sour cream are at room temperature for better mixing and texture.
  • If mousse hardens too much in fridge, let it sit at room temperature briefly to soften before folding.
  • A cake collar (acetate strip) helps achieve clean mousse edges; parchment paper works well if lightly oiled.
  • Do not overmix mousse and whipped cream to maintain lightness and volume.
  • Use high-quality dark chocolate 60-70% for the best rich chocolate flavor.
  • Check oven temperature and baking time as ovens can vary; adjust as needed to avoid overbaking.

Keywords: dark chocolate mousse cake, chocolate mousse cake recipe, layered chocolate cake, rich chocolate dessert, chocolate ganache cake

Find it online: https://dailysimplerecipe.com/dark-chocolate-mousse-cake-recipe/