This dark chocolate mousse cake is absolutely delicious! Today, we will teach you how to make dark chocolate mousse cake, at home. The mousse is incredibly creamy and light, while the chocolate cake is rich, moist, and decadent. Together, they create the perfect combination of flavors and textures that will leave you craving more.

Recently, we made a milk chocolate mousse cake recipe, and everyone loved it so much that we decided to create a different version: a dark chocolate mousse cake recipe. Both cakes are incredibly delicious and surprisingly easy to make. With the extra mousse we had, we even whipped up some chocolate mousse cups—perfect for individual servings!

What you’ll love about this creamy chocolate mousse cake

This dark chocolate mousse cake for special occasions is not difficult to make—it’s actually easier than you think! It’s the perfect dessert to impress everyone, whether you’re bringing it to an event, celebrating a milestone, or sharing it with friends.

This decadent dark chocolate mousse cake is sure to leave everyone in awe!

Watch how to make a dark chocolate mousse cake

You’ll find a video tutorial on how to make this easy dark chocolate mousse cake just below the recipe card. The video walks you through each step in real time (not sped up!), making it even easier to follow along. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments—we’re happy to help you master this recipe so you can create the perfect dessert!

Rich chocolate mousse cake information

• Refrigerate: 6h, better overnight
• Temperature to bake the cake: 170°C (338°F)
• Bake for: 25 to 30 minutes
• Yield: 10
• It does require gelatin.

List of ingredients and possible substitutions

Heads up: This section is just a list of possible substitutions and explanations for why we’re using each ingredient. If you’d like to skip straight to the quantities (in cups and grams), scroll down to the recipe card or click “Jump to Recipe” at the top of the page.

• Heavy Cream: Must have at least 35% fat content to ensure the mousse is rich and stable.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens both the cake and the mousse for a perfectly balanced dessert.
• Dark Chocolate: Use high-quality dark chocolate for the best flavor (you can substitute with milk chocolate if preferred).
• Cocoa Powder: Adds a deep, rich chocolate flavor to the cake.
• All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the cake for structure and texture.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: A combination of both helps the cake rise and become light and fluffy.
• Egg: Binds the cake ingredients together and adds moisture.
• Hot Milk: Adds extra moisture to the cake batter, ensuring a tender crumb.
• Sunflower Oil: Keeps the cake moist (you can substitute with another vegetable oil, melted butter, or margarine).
• Gelatin Sheets: Helps the mousse hold its shape and set perfectly.
• Egg Yolks: Adds richness, creaminess, and stability to the mousse.

Necessary equipment to make a homemade chocolate mousse cake

• Baking Pan: We’ll use this to bake the chocolate cake base and assemble the dark chocolate mousse cake. We’re using a 17cm x 6cm pan (or a similar size).
• Clear Acetate Cake Collar Roll (Optional): This will give your cake a polished, professional look. Simply place it around the sides of the cake and remove it when ready to serve.
• Mixing Bowls: You’ll need a few bowls for different steps in this recipe.
• Electric Mixer or Whisk: Use this to whip the heavy cream to the perfect consistency.
• Spatula: For gently folding the mousse ingredients together without deflating the mixture.
• Saucepan: To heat the cream for the ganache.
• Knife: For slicing and serving the cake neatly.
• Sieve: Use this to strain the eggs and chocolate mixture, ensuring there are no lumps.

The perfect pan to make a chocolate mousse cake recipe

To make the chocolate cake, we’ll need a pan—and we’ll also use the same pan to assemble the mousse cake. It’s important to use a pan with a removable bottom for easy release. We recommend the Zenker brand pan, 17cm x 6cm (6.7in x 2.4in)—it’s our favorite! Keep in mind that with this size, you’ll have about 1 cup of extra mousse, which you can use however you like.

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Best tips

• Prepare the Cake First: Bake and cool the cake completely before adding the mousse. This ensures the mousse doesn’t melt when poured over the cake.
• Use High-Fat Cream: Use heavy whipping cream with at least 35% fat content. Lower fat percentages won’t whip properly and won’t work for this recipe.
• Whip Cream to Soft Peaks: Avoid over-whipping the cream—stop at soft peaks. The cream will continue to mix when folded into the mousse, and over-whipping can cause it to curdle.
• Melt Chocolate Properly: If the chocolate doesn’t fully melt during a step, use the bain-marie (double boiler) method to avoid curdling.
• Fix Broken Ganache: If your ganache splits or becomes too oily, you can fix it: If the ganache is still hot, add more chocolate. Alternatively, add a bit of warm milk and mix gently.
• Avoid High Heat with Chocolate: When using the bain-marie method, never let the water boil. High temperatures can cause the chocolate to split or the ganache to break.
• Keep Chocolate Dry: After using the bain-marie, dry the bottom of the bowl thoroughly. Any water or humidity that gets into the chocolate can ruin its texture and appearance.

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Step by step how to make a dark chocolate mousse cake

How to make the chocolate cake

For the mousse cake base, we’re going to use our chocolate cake recipe—it’s super rich, decadent, and incredibly easy to make. We’ll simply scale it down to fit the pan size, so you won’t have any extra cake leftover.

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F).
2. Warm the milk until it’s very hot.
3. In a mixing bowl, add the cocoa powder, then pour the hot milk on top and mix until it forms a smooth paste.
4. Add the oil, egg, sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until well combined.
5. The batter will be smooth and ready to bake. Pour it into a lined baking pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
6. Check if the cake is fully cooked by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center—it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
7. Let the cake cool completely. Then, carefully cut off the top crust to create a soft, even cake base.
8. Remove the parchment paper gently, as this cake tends to crumble.
9. Place the cake back into the pan and line the sides with a clear acetate collar to prepare for the mousse layer.

How to make dark chocolate mousse cake

1. In a pan, combine most of the sugar (reserve about 2 tablespoons for whipping the cream) and milk. Bring to a boil.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking continuously to temper the eggs.
3. Pour the mixture back into the pan and cook on low heat for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Place chopped dark chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot mixture over it through a sieve to ensure a smooth texture. Mix until the chocolate is fully melted.
5. Hydrate 2 gelatin sheets in cold water 2 to 3 minutes, then add them to the chocolate mixture. Stir until fully dissolved.
6. Whip the heavy cream with the reserved sugar until soft peaks form. Use a whisk or electric mixer.
7. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, being careful not to overmix.
8. Pour the mousse on top of the chocolate cake, tap the pan to remove air bubbles, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours to set.

How to make a dark chocolate ganache

1. Place chopped dark chocolate in a heat-resistant bowl.
2. To make the dark chocolate ganache, start by warming up the heavy whipping cream in a pan. Once it begins to slightly boil, pour it over the chocolate and mix gently until the chocolate is completely melted. Avoid stirring too much, as this can create extra bubbles in the ganache.
3. If the chocolate hasn’t fully melted, use the bain-marie (double boiler) method to finish melting it. Be careful not to overheat the chocolate, as it can split.
4. Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring it over the mousse cake. If the ganache is too hot, it will melt the mousse layer.
5. Now, you’ll have a beautiful dark chocolate mousse cake with ganache that’s ready to serve and enjoy!

To cut and serve, remove the pan from the cake and carefully take off the acetate collar. Slice the cake into portions and enjoy your beautiful dark chocolate mousse cake!

FAQs

If you try this recipe, please leave us a review on our website! And if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments—I’ll try to reply as fast as I can. Happy baking!

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