Chocolate Mousse Cake

Smooth, creamy, and moist, this chocolate mousse cake is to die for! Your guests are going to go crazy over this delectable dessert. I bet they won’t be able to stop at one slice!

Chocolate desserts are a hit at every party and get-together! Try out this pie, these oreo balls, or this unique and delicious chocolate lasagna. They are all perfect desserts for any guest!

A slice of chocolate mousse cake with raspberries on a plate.

Triple Layered Chocolate Mousse Cake

If you are looking for the perfect cake, then look no further! This chocolate cake has a layer of chocolate mousse in the middle that is silky smooth and packed with delicious chocolate flavoring. In fact, the chocolate flavoring is taken up a notch when you use warm coffee to mix into this recipe. The coffee enhances the chocolate flavor (don’t worry, your cake won’t taste like coffee at all!), and it makes this so rich and flavorful.

Not only does this cake taste delicious, but it looks absolutely stunning! Topped with fresh raspberries, this cake is definitely going to impress all of your friends and family. You know when you go to a party, and there is that one dish that people can’t stop talking about? That will be this cake! You will be passing the recipe out all night long. It’s that good!

Ingredients to Make Chocolate Mousse Cake

Even though this list of ingredients is on the long end, don’t let that discourage you! Anyone can make this cake. Once you try it, you won’t regret it! See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

Chocolate Mousse Filling

Granulated Sugar: You want your filling to be sweet and this is where you will get that flavor.
Egg Yolks: These bring the filling together and help creat a smooth texture.
Coffee: The coffee really brings out the chocolate flavor.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate: Chop this up into fine pieces so that it mixes in better.
Butter: I used unsalted butter in this filling recipe.
Whipping cream: This will bring in that light and airy texture.

Chocolate Cake

Vegetable Oil: You can use butter but it will change the texture so use vegetable if you have it avaialable.
Warm coffee: This enhances the flavor of chocolate. But if you would rather, buttermilk or warm water works too!
Eggs: This will bind the batter together.
Vanilla: Enhances all of the sweet flavors.
Flour: This creates a base to mix all of the ingredients together.
Sugar: This balances out the cocoa powder making the overall taste sweet.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: Make sure you do NOT use Dutch process.
Baking soda: This makes the cake rise and become fluffy!
Salt: Enchances all of the ingredient flavors!

Whipped Ganache

Semi-Sweet Chocolate: Get some good quality chocolate to make this enhance the taste of the cake.
Heavy Cream: This will give the ganache that smooth consistency.
Fresh Raspberries: These are optional but you can use these on top for a garnish

4 pictures showing how to mix up cake batter and pour it into pans.

How to Make Chocolate Mousse Cake

This chocolate mousse cake only takes about an hour and a half to make from start to finish. And that includes baking time! It’s worth every second, and you will be licking your plate clean when you are done!

Chocolate Mousse Filling

Combine ingredients in a double boiler and whisk: In a double boiler, or in a metal bowl over a simmering pot of water, combine the egg yolks, sugar, and coffee. Be sure to keep the water at just a simmer. Whisk the egg mixture constantly until thickened and the sugar has all dissolved, about 7-10 minutes. On a thermometer it should reach 160°. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Melt choclate and mix with egg: Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave in 20 second intervals until fully melted. Add the chocolate into the egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Whip the heavy cream, cover and refrigerate: When the chocolate is almost cooled, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold ⅓ of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture and then fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining whipped cream. Cover and place in the fridge to set while the choclate mousse cake is being baked and cooling.

Baking the Cake

Preheat and prep pans: Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray two 8 inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Add parchment rounds to the bottom of the pans and spray the parchment with cooking spray. Dust the inside of the pans with flour and tap out the excess. Set aside.
Whisk: In a large bowl whisk together the vegetable oil, warm coffee, eggs, and vanilla until combined.
Sift and combine: In a medium bowl sift together the flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently whisk together until fully combined.
Fill pans, bake and cool: Fill the two pans evenly and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the center of the cake springs back lightly when pressed on, or a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting the pan on a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Whipped Ganache

Heat cream and combine: While the cakes are cooling, prepare the whipped ganache. Place the chocolate in the bowl of a mixer. Heat the cream in the microwave until steaming but not boiling, about 1 minute. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes. Use a whisk to combine the chocolate and cream.
Cool and whip: Let the ganache cool to room temperature, or chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Using the mixer and the whisk attachment, whip the cooled ganache on high speed for about 3-4 minutes, until light in color and thick and fluffy.
Fill cake: Fill the cake with the chocolate mousse and frost the outside with the whipped ganache. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Chocolate mousse cake on a cake pedestal.

Tips For Baking an AMAZING Chocolate Mousse Cake

This chocolate mousse cake takes any chocolate cake to the next level! With all of the layers, the moist cake, and the smooth filling, you will never go back to any other cake again!

Chill the cream: To help the whipped cream whip up faster, plan ahead and place the bowl and whisk in the freezer for at least fifteen minutes. Make sure your cream is well chilled as well!
Vegetable oil: Using vegetable oil instead of butter in this recipe will keep the cake very moist. If you would like to substitute the oil for butter you totally can! Just know that it will change the texture.
Coffee: When using coffee in this cake, don’t worry, there won’t be any coffee flavor! The coffee enhances the flavor of the chocolate and makes for a deeper, richer flavor. If you don’t want to use it then you can substitute it for buttermilk or even hot water!
Choose the right cocoa powder: DON’T USE DUTCH PROCESS. Make sure to use regular cocoa powder in order to activate the baking soda in the recipe. If you use Dutch process cocoa powder then the cake won’t rise! That’s because Dutch process cocoa powder has been alkalized and won’t have the proper reaction with the baking soda.

Chocolate mousse cake on a pedastal with a slice being taken out.

How to Store Leftover Cake

This chocolate mousse cake makes fantastic leftovers! You will be able to enjoy anything that you have left for about a week.

In the Refrigerator: Frosted chocolate mousse cake can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 7 days.