Decadent Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

The ultimate chocolate lover’s dream, our Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe features layers of moist, fluffy chocolate cake enveloping a smooth and creamy chocolate mousse filling, and finished with a luscious chocolate buttercream frosting, this dessert is perfect for any special occasion or simply to satisfy your sweet cravings. 

Follow our step-by-step guide to create this show-stopping cake that promises to impress both in taste and presentation.

Chocolate Layered Mousse Cake

When it comes to chocolate we don’t mess around! Like our Chocolate Pudding Trifle, Chocolate Cheesecake Pie, or French Silk Pie, our Chocolate Mousse Cake is perfect for chocolate enthusiasts seeking an indulgent dessert.

Ingredients For Your Chocolate Mousse Layer Cake

Layered Chocolate Cake from scratch

We use All-Purpose Flour. You can use bleached or unbleached flour. One doesn’t act or taste any differently from the other. Unbleached flour is less processed since it doesn’t go through the bleaching step.

Be sure to use Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. The darker the cocoa powder, the darker the results. We love dark cocoa powder’s rich flavor and aesthetics but you can use what you prefer. We used cocoa powder in the cake, mousse filling, and the chocolate buttercream frosting.

Baking soda (and/or baking powder) is Called a leavening agent that gives baked goods the right texture and rise. They should be replaced every 6 months or tested for potency. We show you how in our Basic Baking Techniques article.

We use full-fat butter, buttermilk, and cream in this recipe. It adds richness to the recipe and the additional fat makes baked goods soft and tender. If you don’t have any, buttermilk you can make your own using our instructions.

Using fresh grade A large eggs creates structure and stability within the batter and adds moisture to our cake.

When it comes to chocolate mousse, the type of chocolate chips you use can make all the difference! I’d recommend using semi-sweet chocolate chips for the perfect balance of richness and sweetness. They have enough cocoa flavor to make the mousse decadent but aren’t so bitter that they overwhelm the dessert. Use good quality chocolate chips. The better the chocolate the better the results.

How To Make Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

Heat oven to 350 °F and grease and flour two round 8” baking pans. Pull your ingredients out and double-check that you have everything on the list.

Make the Chocolate Mousse Cake Filling

We start with the chocolate mousse filling so it can chill while we bake our cake.

Stir the cocoa powder and hot water together. In a microwave, melt the chocolate chips and stir until melted and smooth. Add the cocoa mixture and stir. Cool.

In a separate mixing bowl beat the cream and sugar until very stiff peaks form. Add the chocolate mixture and gently fold it all together. Refrigerate.

Make and bake the cake

Stir together the dry ingredients; sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

In a large bowl combine the wet ingredients; eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Spoon in the dry ingredients. Stir in boiling water (it will be a thin batter). Pour batter into prepared pans.

Note: You can use an electric mixer to make this cake.

Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove them from the pans and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

In a medium saucepan, add milk, cocoa, and butter. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When smooth, remove from heat. Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. This step can be done with an electric mixer. Cool completely.

Assemble

Once the cakes have cooled, cut each cake evenly in half horizontally. Stack and spread each layer with the chocolate mousse. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Frost the chilled cake by spreading the frosting gently so as not to disturb the chocolate mousse. Refrigerate.

Popular Variations & Additions

• For this recipe, I use a “boiled” chocolate buttercream frosting. You can use a no-cook buttercream recipe as well.
• Add chopped walnuts, pecans, or shredded toasted coconut to the top of this cake.
• Use hot coffee instead of hot water when making the mousse. It will add an intensity to the chocolate flavor.

FAQ’s

Is mousse the same as pudding?

No, they’re not the same. Unlike pudding, mousse isn’t cooked. Mousse is made by folding whipped cream in this recipe.

Best Way To Store

Refrigerate this cake. Don’t leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Refrigerate for up to 4 days, covered in an airtight container. The mousse will eventually get weepy.

Can I Freeze Chocolate Cake With Mousse Filling

No, I don’t recommend freezing this chocolate mousse cake. The mousse layer is full of air, making it light and fluffy. After you freeze it, the cake will not have a light and fluffy consistency and will dry out.

Can Chocolate Cake With Mousse Filling be made ahead of time?

You can bake the cake, make the buttercream frosting, and make the chocolate mousse up to 2 days in advance. Store them separately in airtight containers. Allow the cake to cool completely and then wrap the layers in plastic wrap before refrigerating them.

If you’re making a 4-layer cake, don’t slice the layers until you’re ready to assemble the cake. Chilling the cake actually makes it easier to slice.

Hostess Tips

Cold is your friend when making this recipe. We chill the mousse while baking the cake and chill the cake before frosting it.

Do not overwhip the mousse. Overwhipping will separate the cream into butter, causing it to become grainy.

Freezing a cake for 15 minutes makes it easier to frost.

We’ve made this cake into a two-layer and four-layer cakes. You can slice each layer for a four-layer cake. The mousse recipe is adequate for both.

This chocolate mousse cake recipe can be baked in two 8-inch pans. The cake layers will be thicker. Or, in 9-inch pans. The layers will not be as thick but will be a little wider.

You can use a double boiler to melt the chocolate chips but I find that the microwave works best at 50% power and short 15 to 20-second increments. Stir between each increment.

When assembling the chocolate mousse cake layers, put one rounded layer on top and gently slice the rounded top off of the second layer. Place it upside down on the serving plate. Not slicing the top level can cause your cake to lean. You can use a serrated knife or a cake leveler for this step.

Adding a thin layer of buttercream as a skim coat will help keep cake crumbs out of your final frosting. Let it set before adding more frosting.

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.

If you’re looking for more chocolate cake recipes, we’ve got you covered. Check out our old-fashioned Mahogany Cake, Chocolate Syrup Cake, and Raspberry Chocolate Bundt Cake. They’re amazing!

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Our Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe has been updated to improve our readers’ experience. We added simple details and new images. No changes were made to the actual recipe.