I layered a deep dark cocoa sponge with an easy, silky mousse and a glossy ganache in this Chocolate Mousse Cake that hides a surprisingly simple trick for intense chocolate flavor.
I love desserts that look like a showstopper but still feel a little careless, and this Dark Chocolate Mousse idea always wins. This dark chocolate mousse cake uses dark unsweetened cocoa powder for extra rich flavor, and the interior gets extra depth from chopped dark chocolate.
I call it a Chocolate Mousse Cake because it flirts with silky mousse and a dense, decadent crumb at the same time. It tastes way richer than it looks, and somehow people always ask for the recipe even when I say I barely measured.
If you like bold, not-too-sweet chocolate, this one’s for you.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour: gives carbs and some protein, helps cake hold together.
- Dark cocoa powder: intense chocolate taste, rich in antioxidants, low sugar.
- Granulated sugar: adds sweetness and structure, mostly empty carbs that spike blood sugar.
- Large eggs: bind ingredients, add protein and moisture, give richness and lift.
- Vegetable oil: keeps cake tender and moist, it’s mostly fat and not much nutrients.
- Dark chocolate: melts into mousse and ganache, provides cocoa fats and flavanols.
- Heavy cream: makes mousse silky and rich, adds fat and calories but great texture.
- Hot coffee or water: boosts chocolate flavor, no sugar, negligible calories.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all purpose flour (for the cake)
- 3/4 cup (75 g) dark unsweetened cocoa powder (for the cake)
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar (for the cake)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (for the cake)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (for the cake)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt (for the cake)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature (for the cake)
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temperature (for the cake)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil (for the cake)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (for the cake)
- 1 cup (240 ml) hot brewed coffee or hot water (for the cake)
- 8 ounces (225 g) dark chocolate, chopped, 60 to 70% cocoa (for the mousse)
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy cream, divided (for the mousse)
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, optional (for the mousse)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for the mousse)
- pinch fine salt (for the mousse)
- 8 ounces (225 g) dark chocolate, chopped (for the ganache)
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream (for the ganache)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (for the ganache)
- pinch fine salt (for the ganache)
- unsweetened cocoa powder or chocolate shavings for dusting, optional
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9 inch round cake pans. In a large bowl whisk together 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda and 1 teaspoon fine salt.
2. In another bowl beat 2 large eggs with 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until smooth. Pour wet into dry and mix just until combined, then stir in 1 cup hot brewed coffee or hot water — batter will be thin.
3. Divide batter between the two prepared pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool 10 minutes in pans, then turn out to wire racks to cool completely.
4. Make the mousse: chop 8 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70% cocoa). Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream until just simmering, pour over the chocolate, let sit 1 minute then stir until smooth. Let the chocolate mixture cool a bit until glossy and slightly thick.
5. Whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar if using, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of fine salt to medium peaks. Fold a third of the whipped cream into the chocolate to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest until uniform — don’t overmix or you’ll lose air.
6. Level the cooled cake layers if needed. Place one layer on your serving plate and spread about half the mousse evenly over it (or pipe a ring if you want neater edges). Smooth and refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes so the mousse firms a bit.
7. Top with the second cake layer, press lightly to settle, then chill while you make the ganache.
8. Make the ganache: chop 8 ounces dark chocolate. Heat 3/4 cup heavy cream until just simmering, pour over the chocolate, let sit 1 minute then stir until silky. Stir in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature and a pinch of fine salt for shine and balance. Cool until thick but still pourable.
9. Pour the ganache over the chilled cake, letting it drip down the sides, and use an offset spatula to smooth the top. Return cake to the fridge and chill at least 2 hours or overnight for best texture.
10. Before serving dust with unsweetened cocoa powder or sprinkle chocolate shavings. Store covered in the fridge up to 3 days. Tips: use hot coffee to boost chocolate flavor, whip cream in a chilled bowl for better volume, and don’t rush folding the mousse or the cake will deflate.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven, preheated to 350°F (175°C)
2. Two 9-inch round cake pans, greased and lined with parchment paper
3. Large mixing bowls (at least 2), one for dry ingredients and one for wet
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a whisk if you wanna do it by hand (chill the bowl for better cream volume)
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Heatproof bowl plus small saucepan for a double boiler, or a microwave-safe bowl for melting chocolate
7. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping batter
8. Offset spatula for smoothing ganache and mousse
9. Wire cooling rack and a serrated knife or cake leveler for trimming layers
FAQ
Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour: Use cake flour 1:1 for a softer, lighter crumb. Or make a quick swap yourself, per cup remove 2 tbsp AP flour and add 2 tbsp cornstarch, sift — then use like normal. (Sifts help, don’t skip it)
- Granulated sugar: Swap with light or dark brown sugar 1:1 for deeper, caramel-y flavor and a moister cake. It’ll be a bit denser, but tastes amazing.
- Unsweetened dark cocoa powder: You can use Dutch-processed or regular natural cocoa. Dutch gives rounder, less acidic chocolate notes, natural is brighter. If you switch to Dutch you might notice slightly less rise because it’s less acidic, but the cake still turns out great.
- Heavy cream (for mousse): Use full-fat canned coconut cream (chilled, scoop the solid part) 1:1 to make it dairy-free. It’ll whip and set like cream, just expect a mild coconut taste.
Pro Tips
1) Chill stuff and watch peaks. Put your mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes before whipping cream. Whip to medium peaks only for the mousse, and stop there or you risk grainy, overworked cream or even butter. If you need extra stability for a warm event, dissolve 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin in 1 tablespoon cold water, bloom 5 minutes, warm gently until melted and whisk a tablespoon into the chocolate mix before folding in the whipped cream.
2) Temperature is everything when working with chocolate. After pouring hot cream over the chopped chocolate, let it sit a full minute, then stir until glossy. Cool the chocolate mixture until it’s thick like honey and still pourable before folding, otherwise you’ll melt or deflate the whipped cream. For ganache, let it cool until it coats the back of a spoon but still flows; if it gets too thick, warm it gently over a pot of simmering water.
3) Fold like a surgeon, not a blender. Add whipped cream in thirds, use a wide spatula, scoop from the bottom and fold up over the top in a long, gentle motion. Stop folding as soon as streaks disappear. Rushing or aggressive mixing kills the air and you’ll end up with a dense mousse.
4) Assemble and finish for clean lines. Level the cakes and chill the first mousse layer until it firms slightly so it won’t ooze when you add the top layer. Use an acetate cake collar or pipe a thin ring of mousse around the edge to make neat sides and keep ganache from seeping. Put the cake on a wire rack over a tray when you pour ganache, smooth with an offset spatula, then chill. For tidy slices, wipe a warm knife between cuts or run the knife under hot water and dry it before cutting.
Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe
I layered a deep dark cocoa sponge with an easy, silky mousse and a glossy ganache in this Chocolate Mousse Cake that hides a surprisingly simple trick for intense chocolate flavor.
12
servings
717
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven, preheated to 350°F (175°C)
2. Two 9-inch round cake pans, greased and lined with parchment paper
3. Large mixing bowls (at least 2), one for dry ingredients and one for wet
4. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer, or a whisk if you wanna do it by hand (chill the bowl for better cream volume)
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Heatproof bowl plus small saucepan for a double boiler, or a microwave-safe bowl for melting chocolate
7. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping batter
8. Offset spatula for smoothing ganache and mousse
9. Wire cooling rack and a serrated knife or cake leveler for trimming layers
Ingredients
-
1 3/4 cups (220 g) all purpose flour (for the cake)
-
3/4 cup (75 g) dark unsweetened cocoa powder (for the cake)
-
2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar (for the cake)
-
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (for the cake)
-
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (for the cake)
-
1 teaspoon fine salt (for the cake)
-
2 large eggs, room temperature (for the cake)
-
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temperature (for the cake)
-
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil (for the cake)
-
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (for the cake)
-
1 cup (240 ml) hot brewed coffee or hot water (for the cake)
-
8 ounces (225 g) dark chocolate, chopped, 60 to 70% cocoa (for the mousse)
-
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy cream, divided (for the mousse)
-
2 tablespoons powdered sugar, optional (for the mousse)
-
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for the mousse)
-
pinch fine salt (for the mousse)
-
8 ounces (225 g) dark chocolate, chopped (for the ganache)
-
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream (for the ganache)
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (for the ganache)
-
pinch fine salt (for the ganache)
-
unsweetened cocoa powder or chocolate shavings for dusting, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9 inch round cake pans. In a large bowl whisk together 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda and 1 teaspoon fine salt.
- In another bowl beat 2 large eggs with 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until smooth. Pour wet into dry and mix just until combined, then stir in 1 cup hot brewed coffee or hot water — batter will be thin.
- Divide batter between the two prepared pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool 10 minutes in pans, then turn out to wire racks to cool completely.
- Make the mousse: chop 8 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70% cocoa). Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream until just simmering, pour over the chocolate, let sit 1 minute then stir until smooth. Let the chocolate mixture cool a bit until glossy and slightly thick.
- Whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar if using, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of fine salt to medium peaks. Fold a third of the whipped cream into the chocolate to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest until uniform — don’t overmix or you’ll lose air.
- Level the cooled cake layers if needed. Place one layer on your serving plate and spread about half the mousse evenly over it (or pipe a ring if you want neater edges). Smooth and refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes so the mousse firms a bit.
- Top with the second cake layer, press lightly to settle, then chill while you make the ganache.
- Make the ganache: chop 8 ounces dark chocolate. Heat 3/4 cup heavy cream until just simmering, pour over the chocolate, let sit 1 minute then stir until silky. Stir in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature and a pinch of fine salt for shine and balance. Cool until thick but still pourable.
- Pour the ganache over the chilled cake, letting it drip down the sides, and use an offset spatula to smooth the top. Return cake to the fridge and chill at least 2 hours or overnight for best texture.
- Before serving dust with unsweetened cocoa powder or sprinkle chocolate shavings. Store covered in the fridge up to 3 days. Tips: use hot coffee to boost chocolate flavor, whip cream in a chilled bowl for better volume, and don’t rush folding the mousse or the cake will deflate.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 182g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 717kcal
- Fat: 45.6g
- Saturated Fat: 19.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.08g
- Polyunsaturated: 3.3g
- Monounsaturated: 10g
- Cholesterol: 81mg
- Sodium: 205mg
- Potassium: 208mg
- Carbohydrates: 70.4g
- Fiber: 5.6g
- Sugar: 48.9g
- Protein: 7.9g
- Vitamin A: 750IU
- Vitamin C: 0.5mg
- Calcium: 68mg
- Iron: 2.33mg
