Chocolate Mousse Cake
An extraordinarily decadent yet surprisingly simple chocolate mousse cake featuring a rich sponge base and a velvety chocolate mousse topping.
Ingredients
- •3/4 cup all-purpose flour (95g)
- •1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- •1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (30g)
- •3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- •1/4 teaspoon salt
- •1/4 cup vegetable oil (60ml)
- •1/4 cup milk or pareve dairy alternative (60ml)
- •1 large egg
- •1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- •1/4 cup boiling water (60ml)
- •8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (225g)
- •1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream or pareve whipping cream (360ml), divided
- •2 tablespoons powdered sugar (15g)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and lightly grease an 8-inch springform pan, lining the bottom with parchment paper.
- 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- 3
Add the vegetable oil, milk, egg, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- 4
Carefully stir in the boiling water until the batter is smooth and quite thin.
- 5
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 6
Remove the cake base from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- 7
To make the mousse, melt the chopped bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring until smooth, then let it cool slightly.
- 8
In a chilled bowl, whip 1 cup of the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- 9
Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled melted chocolate in two additions until completely smooth and uniform.
- 10
Spread the chocolate mousse evenly over the cooled cake base inside the springform pan.
- 11
Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours, or until the mousse is completely set.
- 12
Before serving, whip the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream with the powdered sugar, then pipe or spread it over the top of the chilled cake.
💡 Chef tips
- Make ahead by preparing this cake up to two days in advance and keeping it stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- For a dairy-free pareve version, simply substitute the milk with almond or soy milk and use a quality non-dairy whipping cream.
- Ensure your melted chocolate is only lukewarm before folding in the whipped cream so the cream does not deflate.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished cake features a moist, tender chocolate sponge topped with a cloud-like, intensely chocolatey mousse that melts in your mouth.