This chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling recipe is the best chocolate mousse cake recipe ever! With a super easy chocolate mousse for cake filling recipe, plus moist cake layers and rich chocolate ganache, this mousse layer cake is perfect for chocolate lovers!
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And if you like this dark chocolate mousse cake, you'll love my Pineapple Upside Down Cake, my Key Lime Pound Cake, and my Chocolate Orange Cake!
Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe
If you’ve been searching for the best chocolate mousse cake recipe, this is it. You’ll love the layers of moist chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling and ganache that come together into the most decadent mousse cake. The chocolate mousse filling is airy and smooth, while the cake itself stays fudgy and rich.
Whether you’re craving a dark chocolate mousse cake recipe that’s easy enough for beginners or looking for a decadent dessert to impress your guests, this cake hits the mark. It’s essentially a mousse layer cake that feels like it came from a pastry shop, but you can make it right at home.
This recipe has the same chocolate cake layers from my Matilda's Chocolate Cake or my Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, so you'll get that same moist chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling and ganache. It's a decadent twist that's surprisingly easy!
Jump to:
- Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe
- Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse Recipe
- Can I use chocolate mousse on a cake?
- What’s the difference between mousse cake and regular chocolate cake?
- What is chocolate mousse cake made of?
- Equipment
- Shop This Recipe
- How do you make the best chocolate mousse cake?
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Top Tip
- Related
- Pairing
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse Recipe
The best part of this chocolate mousse cake is -- you guessed it -- the chocolate mousse! Rather than a traditional chocolate mousse recipe made with eggs and complicated steps, we'll make a super easy chocolate mousse-style filling with just two ingredients: dark chocolate and heavy cream.
Then we'll just combine our melted chocolate and hot cream, and whip it into the perfect cream chocolate mousse texture. That simplicy makes this decadent chocolate cake one of the best desserts -- it's perfect for a special occasion, but simple enough for any day!
Can I use chocolate mousse on a cake?
Yes, you can use chocolate mousse on a cake! It makes an incredible cake filling or frosting, adding rich chocolate flavor and a light, creamy texture. Chocolate mousse works beautifully between cake layers like in this mousse layer cake recipe, or topped with chocolate ganache for a bakery-style finish.
What’s the difference between mousse cake and regular chocolate cake?
Chocolate mousse cake is lighter and silkier thanks to the whipped mousse layer. Regular chocolate cake relies on frosting for texture, but a chocolate mousse cake recipe gives you creamy filling between every layer, making each bite melt in your mouth. It's a chocolate lover's dream!
What is chocolate mousse cake made of?
You can find the full list of ingredient measurements in the recipe card below, but here's a quick look at what you'll need for this chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling:
- cake release – Prep your cake pans with baking spray and parchment rounds to make sure your chocolate cake layers come out clean and perfect every time.
- sugar – regular white granulated sugar adds the right amount of sweetness and keeps this chocolate mousse cake rich and balanced.
- flour – use all-purpose flour and measure it by weight with a kitchen scale to get the most accurate results — too much flour can make your cake dense instead of soft and fluffy.
- cocoa powder – go with unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder for a deeper, smoother chocolate flavor that pairs perfectly with the light mousse filling.
- baking powder + baking soda – these two help your cake rise beautifully and stay tender, giving you that soft crumb every great chocolate cake needs.
- salt – a little salt goes a long way in bringing out the chocolate flavor and balancing the sweetness in this chocolate mousse cake recipe.
- oil – I use vegetable oil instead of butter for extra moisture — it keeps the cake soft even after chilling, which is key when you’re layering it with mousse!
- eggs – make sure your eggs are at room temperature before mixing. If they’re cold, just place them in a bowl of warm water for 10 to 15 minutes to take the chill off.
- vanilla – pure vanilla extract ties everything together and adds warmth to the chocolate flavor. If you’ve got homemade vanilla, this is the time to use it!
- buttermilk – use full-fat buttermilk at room temperature, just like your eggs. It adds moisture, tenderness, and that little bit of tang that makes the chocolate flavor pop.
- hot coffee – my favorite trick for deep, rich chocolate flavor! A little hot coffee intensifies the cocoa without making the cake taste like coffee. If you’d rather skip it, just use boiling water — it still helps bloom the cocoa for that bold chocolate taste.
Then we're using the same ingredients for our fluffy chocolate mousse filling and for our ganache:
- bittersweet chocolate – use a good-quality bittersweet chocolate around 60% cacao for the best flavor. It gives your chocolate mousse filling that deep, rich taste without being overly sweet. I like the Ghirardelli bittersweet baking bars.
- heavy cream – the key to that light, silky texture! Whip your heavy cream until soft peaks form so your mousse filling stays airy and smooth when layered with the cake.
- salt – A pinch of salt enhances the flavor of the chocolate and keeps the filling from tasting too sweet.
- vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract adds warmth and rounds out the flavor, making your chocolate mousse filling taste even more decadent, just like my Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie!
Equipment
You can mix this easy cake batter by hand with a whisk, a rubber spatula, and a large mixing bowl. Then you'll need three 8-inch cake pans, with each cake pan lined with parchment paper to bake it up!
Once it's baked, you may also want to have a wire rack to help the cake cool more quickly. For the mousse filling, you'll want a hand mixer or a stand mixer to whip it up and an offset spatula to spread it all over your mousse layer cake!
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The recipe card below will give you detailed step-by-step instructions and a recipe video! But here are the basic steps you'll follow for this dark chocolate mousse cake recipe:
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well.
Stir in vegetable oil and mix well until well saturated.
Mix in eggs and vanilla.
Mix in buttermilk until well combined.
Add hot coffee and mix in -- batter will be liquidy. Pour evenly into three 8-inch cake pans and bake!
To make mousse, heat heavy cream until hot and mix into chopped bittersweet chocolate until melted and smooth. Stir in vanilla and salt and chill in refrigerator until very cold.
Whip chilled chocolate mixture, then in a separate bowl whip extra heavy cream until stiff peaks. Fold whipped cream into whipped chocolate and spread onto cooled cake layers. Chill while you prepare ganache.
Prepare ganache, if using, and let until room temp but still pourable. Spread over cooled cake. Serve your cake chilled, adding berries and chocolate shavings on top of the cake, if you like!
Hint: This cake actually tastes better the next day. The mousse firms up perfectly, the flavors deepen, and it slices like a dream. Store it in the fridge overnight for the best results.
Storage
In the fridge, it’ll stay fresh for up to 4 days. Just keep it covered to prevent the mousse from drying out.
You can also freeze it for up to two months. Wrap the entire cake or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving — the mousse stays creamy and the cake stays soft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chocolate mousse is a great cake filling! It’s rich, creamy, and holds its shape beautifully between cake layers. The light, airy texture of this chocolate mousse filling pairs perfectly with our moist chocolate cake layers.
It can be either! Some chocolate mousse cake recipes use baked cake layers with mousse filling, while others are no-bake mousse cakes set in the fridge. This easy chocolate mousse cake recipe combines both — soft baked cake and chilled chocolate mousse for the perfect balance.
Yes! Chocolate mousse cake is even better when made ahead. The mousse needs to chill to set, so you can assemble the cake the day before and refrigerate it overnight. It slices cleaner and tastes even more chocolatey the next day.
Bittersweet chocolate (around 60% cacao) works best for chocolate mousse filling. It gives deep flavor without being too sweet. You can also use semisweet or dark chocolate, depending on your taste.
Yes! It's optional, but a layer of chocolate ganache on top makes this cake even more decadent. It adds shine, structure, and an extra punch of chocolate flavor that balances perfectly with the soft mousse layers.
In the fridge, it’ll stay fresh for up to 4 days. Just keep it covered to prevent the mousse from drying out. You can also freeze it for longer storage — it tastes amazing even after thawing.
Top Tip
Good chocolate makes all the difference. High quality bittersweet chocolate (around 60% cacao) gives your mousse deep flavor without making it overly sweet.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling recipe? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe:
If you try this recipe, I would love it if you could leave a star review rating and comment below! It’s so wonderful hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to share your creations with me by tagging @chenee_today on Instagram!
📖 Recipe
Equipment you may need
Ingredients
- baking spray
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour - measured by weight using a kitchen scale or with the spoon and level method
- ¾ cup (75 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon (6 g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon (5 g) salt
- ¾ cup (177 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs - room temperature
- 2 teaspoon (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (237 ml) full-fat buttermilk - room temperature
- 1 cup (237 ml) hot brewed coffee
Chocolate Mousse Filling
- 8 oz (227 g) bittersweet chocolate - chopped (or dark chocolate chips)
- 2 ½ cups (591 ml) heavy cream - divided
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon (8 g) powdered sugar
Chocolate Ganache (Optional)
- 1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream
- 8 oz (227 g) bittersweet chocolate - chopped
- ½ teaspoon (2 ml) pure vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with baking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt, 2 cups granulated sugar
- Stir in vegetable oil until dry ingredients are well coated, followed by eggs and vanilla.
- Stir in buttermilk until combined, then carefully pour in hot coffee and stir until smooth.1 cup full-fat buttermilk, 1 cup hot brewed coffee
- Add batter evenly to prepared cake pans and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick entered into the center of the cakes comes out smooth or with moist crumbs.
- Cool cake layers slightly in cake pans, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before adding frosting.
Chocolate Mousse Filling
- Heat 1 cup of your heavy cream in microwave until hot, but not boiling, about 1-1½ minutes.2 ½ cups heavy cream
- Pour hot cream into chopped chocolate; stir to melt. Add another cup of chilled heavy cream, vanilla and salt. Chill overnight.
- When ready to assemble cake, use a hand mixer to whip cooled ganache just until stiff peaks form – do not overmix. It should only take about 30 seconds.
- In a separate bowl, whip remaining ½ cup of heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into gently into whipped ganache mixture.2 ½ cups heavy cream, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- Spread mousse evenly over cake layers -- I use about 1½ cups of mousse filling between each layer, and use the rest for the top and sides.
- Chill assembled cake in fridge for at least one hour to allow mousse to set.
- If adding ganache, heavy cream in microwave until hot, but not boiling, about 1-1½ minutes.1 cup heavy cream
- Pour over chopped chocolate and mix to melt until smooth. Stir in vanilla and salt.
- Allow ganache to cool to room temperature or chill in fridge for up to one hour so that it's no longer warm to the touch.
- Spread cooled ganache over chilled cake and allow to set. Store cake in refrigerator and serve chilled.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Angelica says
This recipe was a big hit! Five stars!
Chenée Lewis says
That's great to hear! Thank you!!
Chenée Lewis says
This is the ultimate chocolate cake! I can't wait to have any excuse to make it again!