Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake is the perfect light dessert recipe. It's made with a chocolate cake base, cool creamy mousse filling and topped with rich dark chocolate ganache.
Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
This mousse cake recipe is inspired by Marcel Desaulniers from The Food Network. It's almost as good as my classic chocolate mousse, strawberry mousse cake, triple Nutella mousse cake, and Nutella cheesecake.
The chocolate mousse filling adds a cool creamy texture that compliments the dense chocolate cake layer. It's smooth, velvety, and extraordinarily decadent.
This cake has loads of chocolate from top to bottom. The cool, rich texture makes it great for any special occasion or holiday.
I recently came across a chocolate mousse layer cake with ganache on The Food Network and decided to make my own version with one single chocolate cake layer, chocolate filling, and dark chocolate ganache.
I changed the above-mentioned recipe drastically and really only used it for inspiration. I found I needed to add a little gelatin to the mousse layer in order to keep it sturdy. I didn't want it to spread and drip over the edges.
I left the ganache semisweet which balances well with the sweet cake and mousse layers.
I served this layered chocolate mousse cake with fresh strawberries but I image it would be good with whipped cream, ice cream, or other fresh berries.
It truly is a decadent mousse cake and will be a huge hit for any occasion. It came out light, rich, and perfect for Mother's Day. It's also great for Valentine's Day if you have someone special to make it for. Or you could make it for yourself.
How to make triple chocolate mousse cake?
Step 1: Melt the chocolate
This method is slightly different for melting chocolate. Pour hot water over finely chopped chocolate and stir until it's completely melted.
Stir in the cocoa powder and coffee granules. The chocolate will begin to look more like a paste.
Next, add the sugar and keep stirring until the chocolate turns smooth and shiny. Set it aside to cool while you prepare the cake batter.
Step 2: Make the cake
Start by beating the butter and sugar together until pale in color. Beat in the eggs and vanilla followed by the melted chocolate. Mix in the flour and buttermilk.
Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 3: Make the mousse layer
Bloom gelatin in water then add it to steaming cream and sugar. Pour the hot gelatin mixture over chopped chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth.
Whip heavy cream to soft peaks then fold it into the chocolate. Spread the chocolate mousse evenly over the cooled cake.
Step 3: Make the topping
Pour warm cream over chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Spread the ganache over the top of the mousse layer.
Common questions about Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
I thought water will cause chocolate to seize?
It is fine to mix chocolate with a larger amount of boiling water. Chocolate will seize if it is already melted and you add a tiny bit of water. Here’s a great article to take a look at: Chocolate + Water = Mousse.
Can I make the cake the day before my event and let it sit in the fridge until I serve it?
Yes. The mousse needs time to set so that is perfect.
Can this cake be frozen for a few days?
Yes, it can! Thaw it in the refrigerator a day before serving. Also, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before you plan to serve it.
I don't have a springform pan. Can I make this cake in a regular cake tin?
A springform pan will certainly make things easier but if you really need to use a regular pan, I suggest freezing the cake before you try to turn it out.
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Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake is the perfect light dessert recipe. It’s made with a chocolate cake base, cool creamy mousse filling, and topped with rich dark chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 3 ounces (85 grams) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) hot water
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (97 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) buttermilk
For the mousse
- ¾ teaspoon gelatin powder
- 1 tablespoon water
- 6 ounces (168 grams) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups (360 milliliters) cold heavy cream
For the ganache
- ¾ cups (180 milliliters) heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 9 ounces (252 grams) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle of the oven and heat to 350ºF. Lightly grease and flour an 8-inch springform pan. Tap out any excess flour.
- Place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Bring water to a boil and pour it over the chocolate. Stir with a silicone spatula until the chocolate is melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in the coffee granules and cocoa powder. (The chocolate will begin to look more like a paste at this point.) Add ¼ cup of the sugar and stir until thick and glossy, about 2 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and remaining sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Add the chocolate mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk. Add half of the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, followed by the buttermilk, mixing until incorporated. Add remaining flour mixture and mix until the batter is thoroughly combined.
- Spread the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan, smoothing it to the edges with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature in the pan on a wire rack.
Make the mousse:
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over water, let stand for 5 minutes. Place chocolate and sugar in a medium bowl. Bring ½ cup of the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Remove from heat; add the softened gelatin and stir until fully dissolved. Pour the cream over the chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. The mixture will thicken slightly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 1 cup cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, about 30 to 60 seconds.
- Use a whisk to mix in ⅓ of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Use a rubber spatula to fold the remaining whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until no streaks appear.
- Spoon the chocolate mousse into the pan over the chocolate cake. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. Return the cake to the refrigerator and chill until set, about 2 hours.
Make the ganache:
- Heat the cream and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat just before it begins to boil.
- Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Cool to room temperature.
- Spread the ganache over the top of the mousse layer and refrigerate until set. About 45 minutes.
- Run a knife along the outer edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan and gently remove from the pan. Serve with whipped cream or fresh berries.
Notes
Please watch Chocolate + Water = Mousse if you are having issues with your chocolate seizing.
Make ahead tip
- The cake will keep for up to 3 days stored in the refrigerator.
- The cake can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16Amount Per Serving: Calories: 371
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the values shown are just an estimate.
Isa says
Hi! Is there anything i can use to sub for the buttermilk in the cake layer? We don’t have buttermilk readily available in our area. Thanks! 🙂
Jen Sobjack says
You can make it at home by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 scant cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Do this for every cup of buttermilk called for in a recipe. You can also mix 3/4 cup plain yogurt with 1/4 cup whole milk for every cup of buttermilk needed.
cakeicer says
Hi Jen,
I made this recipe for my adult son's birthday cake this past week and it was really delicious. Light, creamy and very rich.
Wish I could post a picture because it was so pretty.
Tracy Anderson says
Hi Jen,
I'm going to give your recipe a try! What alterations to the ingredients would you make if you lived in a high altitude city?
Thank you,
Tracy
Jen Sobjack says
Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with high altitude baking.
Kajal says
Can you recommend an alternative to gelatin?
Jen Sobjack says
You could try a mousse recipe that calls for egg whites instead of gelatin.
Sandra says
Can heavy whipped cream be used instead of heavy cream?
Jen Sobjack says
Heavy whipping cream and heavy cream are essentially the same things. I don't advise using whipped cream.
Linda says
Hi there,
I would love to make this cake but I would like to flavour it with white chocolate mousse instead of chocolate. How do you suppose I should go about doing this? I am hoping to follow all the instructions for the mousse with the exception of substituting white chocolate for the called chocolate. I would love to hear your advice on this! Thanks a bunch in advance
Jen Sobjack says
I've never made a white chocolate mousse so I'm not sure if you can use this recipe with white chocolate instead of regular chocolate. I suggest looking for a recipe specifically for "white chocolate mousse" and using that for the mousse layer in this cake.
Taryn says
Hi,
I was wondering if the cake layer is more like a fluffy And moist chocolate cake or a dense rich cake layer.? I prefer moist and fluffy and other recipes for mousse cake have had more dense cakes (according to reviews).
Jen Sobjack says
Hi Taryn! The cake layer is dense. It's almost brownie-like in texture.
Rae says
This recipe is my first try at baking a cake out of scratch. It came out really well and was delicious. The cake wasn't as moist as I hoped. I'm thinking maybe b/c the chocolate didn't look as glossy as in the picture after I added the sugar. My family did say that it was very rich and a bit on the sweet side. What do you recommend I do to lower the sweetness?
Jen Sobjack says
Hi Rae! The only way to make the cake less sweet would be to add less sugar. But when you make changes like that, it can affect the overall chemistry which in turn can affect how it bakes. You can try using a different cake recipe for the base, maybe? I have another chocolate cake that could work. You'd probably only need 1/3 of the recipe.
Rae says
Thanks for the tip Jen! I'll give that recipe a try. After eating it a few times, we discovered it was the chocolate ganache that was super sweet. Everything else was just right. My layer of ganache was on the thick side. I might need to thin it out or possibly use less chocolate?
Jen Sobjack says
Try using a darker chocolate for the ganache. Bittersweet might be more preferable to you over the semisweet chocolate.
NIta says
I made this cake for my daughter's birthday, and it was a hit!! Great recipe, with super easy instructions!! I posted it on my Instagram account and my friends are drooling.... I see myself making many more of this one!!
lilies2u says
Hello! I plan to make this however I don't own an 8" round pan. I do have a 9" springform though. Do you think that would work? Do I need to change anything in the recipe if I use it?
Jen Sobjack says
A 9-inch pan might be okay. The layers will be thinner than pictured.
Brenda says
Can this recipe be used in a muffin cupcake pan instead of one 8 inch cake? If so, how?
Jen Sobjack says
I've never attempted to make this in individual sizes. I imagine you'd just divide the layers among the muffin pan instead of in the springform. I'm not quite sure how much cake batter to put in each up though because you need to allow room to add the mousse and ganache layers. It's something to experiment with. If you try it, let me know how it goes.
Anna Landry says
Hi I love this cake so much but I seem to have a problem with the chocolate mixture for the cake. It doesn’t get very glossy and it stays really thick and hard to stir and kind of dry. Then when I add it to the batter it doesn’t want to fully mix in it leaves lumps. But it ends up tasting good enough but I wish it would mix in. I was thinking maybe a bit more hot water in the chocolate?
Jen Sobjack says
Are you bringing the water to a boil first? It needs to be very hot in order to work properly. Also, are you following the steps exactly as written in the recipe? The chocolate and water are mixed until melted and smooth, then the coffee granules and cocoa powder are mixed in. At this point, the mixture will be very thick and paste-like. Sugar is added next. The chocolate mixture should still be hot when the sugar is added. This helps to melt the sugar and the mixture will become thinner and glossy once mixed well.