Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake (Printer-friendly)
Rich chocolate sponge layered with silky dark chocolate mousse and glossy glaze for an indulgent dessert experience.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chocolate Sponge
01 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
02 - 3.5 ounces granulated sugar
03 - 2.8 ounces all-purpose flour
04 - 0.7 ounce unsweetened cocoa powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 2 tablespoons whole milk
08 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Dark Chocolate Mousse
10 - 8.8 ounces high-quality dark chocolate (60-70%), chopped
11 - 1 2/3 cups heavy cream, cold
12 - 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
13 - 2.1 ounces granulated sugar
14 - 2 tablespoons water
15 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt
→ Chocolate Glaze
17 - 4.2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
18 - 1/3 cup heavy cream
19 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the base with parchment paper.
02 - Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and tripled in volume, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Gently fold dry ingredients into egg mixture. Drizzle in milk, oil, and vanilla extract; mix until just combined.
05 - Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan.
06 - Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly.
07 - Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches a simmer.
08 - Beat egg yolks in a separate bowl. Gradually pour hot syrup into yolks while whisking constantly until mixture is pale and thick.
09 - Stir melted chocolate and vanilla extract into egg yolk mixture. Add a pinch of salt.
10 - Whip cold heavy cream in a clean bowl until soft peaks form.
11 - Fold one-third of whipped cream into chocolate mixture to lighten. Gently fold in remaining cream until smooth.
12 - Remove cooled sponge from pan and place on serving platter. Clean and reassemble pan ring around sponge.
13 - Pour mousse over sponge, smoothing top. Refrigerate at least 4 hours until completely set.
14 - Heat cream until just simmering. Pour over chopped chocolate and butter. Let sit 1 minute, then stir until glossy and smooth. Cool 10 minutes.
15 - Remove cake from pan. Pour glaze over mousse layer, allowing drips down sides. Smooth with spatula. Chill 30 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The mousse-to-sponge ratio is basically perfect, and I will fight anyone who disagrees
- People will think you spent hours on technique when mostly you just waited patiently for things to chill
02 -
- Cold cream whips better and holds its structure longer in the mousse
- The glaze sets quickly once it hits the chilled mousse, so pour confidently
03 -
- Brush your cooled sponge with coffee syrup before adding mousse for an extra depth dimension
- Use pasteurized eggs if you are concerned about the yolks in the mousse