Easy Chocolate Mousse Cake

Zoha Malik

by Zoha Malik

Updated:

Rated 4.70 out of 5

88 Comments
Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links

Add Bake with Zoha as a preferred source on Google and find more of my tried-and-tested recipes.

Add to preferred sources

This Easy Chocolate Mousse Cake is the perfect quick and easy make ahead dessert, requiring only 8 ingredients and 20 minutes of work. It is made of a light and soft chocolate genoise sponge cake, a delectable, creamy and perfectly set 2 ingredient chocolate mousse (no gelatin!), and a silky chocolate ganache on top to bring it all together. The cake is light and delicious, tastes like chocolate cake and ice cream had a baby!

A decadent slice of chocolate mousse cake topped with chocolate shavings rests on a white scalloped plate, garnished with two raspberries. A gold fork and another dessert plate are in the background.

There are very few things that I love more than chocolate, and this chocolate mousse cake is one of my most favorite chocolate treats! This was the first “fancy” recipe I learned as a kid, and I became completely obsessed with it. My favorite thing about this mousse cake is that it is SO fuss free, and uses my easy 2 ingredient chocolate mousse recipe which is made with just chocolate and cream (no eggs, no gelatin, no complicated steps) and still has the most delicious chocolatey flavor and perfectly set texture.

I originally shared this recipe in 2023, but have since tested it multiple times and updated it with new photos and helpful tips.

3 Components Of This Cake

This cake has 3 basic components, one of which is optional:

  • A chocolate genoise sponge cake. A light, airy base that perfectly complements the light texture of the mousse. If you prefer something richer, swap it out for my moist easy chocolate cake (halve all the quantities and make 1 9″ cake). You can even make an easier, no bake “cake” with chocolate biscuits, like I do in my no bake chocolate mousse cake!
  • Two ingredient chocolate mousse. The cake is topped with a light and creamy mousse made with chocolate and heavy cream
  • Chocolate ganache (optional). If you want your cake to have a more finished look, pour over a simple chocolate ganache once it has chilled. Alternatively, you can decorate with some chocolate whipped cream, like the one I use in my easy no bake chocolate cheesecake
A close-up of a chocolate mousse cake slice topped with chocolate shavings, showing creamy mousse and a chocolate genoise cake base, served on a white plate.

Picking The Right Chocolate

Of the 8 ingredients in this cake, chocolate is the most important as it defines the mousse’s flavor and texture.

  • Quality: Use good quality chocolate bars or callets (NOT chips!). I recommend Lindt Excellence Milk and Dark chocolates for an easy grocery store option, or Callebaut Milk and Dark chocolates for a premium choice
  • Type: For the perfectly set mousse, I recommend using semi-sweet chocolate (~50% cocoa), or a mixture of milk and dark chocolates. If you want, you can go with all dark chocolate and the mousse will be slightly firmer. However, I don’t recommend using all milk chocolate, as it makes a softer mousse that doesn’t hold shape for long at room temperature. If you use all milk chocolate, freeze the cake for 15 minutes before serving, or serve straight from a serving dish (e.g., pie dish)
A chocolate mousse cake with a chocolate genoise base, partly sliced to reveal its creamy texture and rich ganache, sits on a cake stand. A beige cloth and scattered raspberries are visible in the background.

How To Make Chocolate Mousse Cake

1. Make the chocolate genoise sponge

A wooden bowl with two raw eggs and a mound of sugar on a beige countertop, surrounded by small bowls of cocoa powder and salt, and a cloth with a checkered pattern.

Add the sugar and eggs to a bowl.

A wooden bowl with a creamy, pale mixture of egg and sugar sits on a light countertop. A beige plaid dish towel is partially visible in the background.

Whisk on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is very light in color, triple in volume, and falls off the whisk in a ribbon. This is where you add air into the batter!

A wooden bowl containing a mixture of flour, cocoa powder, and liquid ingredients sits on a light countertop, with empty bowls and a checkered cloth nearby.

Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

A wooden bowl filled with chocolate genoise batter and a pink spatula resting inside. The bowl sits on a light countertop with a beige and white checkered cloth nearby, along with a few small bowls.

Use a rubber spatula to very slowly and gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.

A round baking pan filled with smooth genoise chocolate cake batter sits on a light marble countertop next to a beige and orange plaid kitchen towel.

Carefully pour the batter into a 9″ cake pan with parchment paper (no butter / oil!).

A round genoise chocolate cake in a white baking pan sits on a light countertop next to a beige and orange plaid kitchen towel.

Bake at 350F until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool in the pan, then remove & set aside.

2. Make the mousse

For detailed tips, I highly recommend reading my blog post on making this 2 ingredient chocolate mousse.

spoon mixing chocolate and hot cream to make ganache in a glass bowl

Start by making a ganache. Microwave cream and chocolate in 15-20 second burst until most of the chocolate has melted.

smooth, shiny dark chocolate ganache in a glass bowl with a spoon inside

Gently stir until a smooth, shiny ganache forms.

soft whipped cream in a glass bowl with a rubber spatula folding it gently

Separately, whisk heavy cream until it forms medium peaks.

whipped cream spooned on top of ganache in a glass bowl

Add a third of the whipped cream to the ganache and gently whisk it in.

rubber spatula folding ganache with whipped cream in a glass bowl. they are halfway mixed with some streaks of whipped cream visible

Add that mixture to the rest of the whipped cream, and gently fold it in.

process of mixing together whipped cream and ganache in a glass bowl, the mixture looks lighter in color and texture than a ganache

Try not to knock out the air. You should have a fluffy, smooth mousse mixture.

3. Assemble

A freshly baked round chocolate genoise cake in a pan lined with brown parchment paper, placed on a light-colored countertop with a beige and white checkered cloth in the background.

Line a 9″ springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom and sides. Place the cake inside.

A round genoise chocolate cake in a white baking pan sits on a light countertop next to a beige and orange plaid kitchen towel.

Pour in the mousse mixture on top and spread it out evenly.

Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 6 hours, until the mousse is set. Then carefully remove from the pan (more tips below!). Make the ganache for the top, let it cool down slightly, then pour on top of the chilled cake. Decorate with chocolate shavings, serve & enjoy!

A decadent chocolate mousse cake topped with chocolate shavings sits on a marble platter. One slice is being lifted out, revealing creamy layers inside. Raspberries are blurred in the background, highlighting the rich chocolate mousse cake.

Tips To Perfect The Genoise Sponge Cake

This is a really simple recipe, but you need to keep a few things in mind to get the genoise sponge cake right:

  • Weigh your ingredients, especially the flour and cocoa powder. Too much will result in a dry cake
  • Whip eggs and sugar well until triple in volume and pale in color – this is how you aerate the batter
  • Sift the dry ingredients to removes lumps and make them easier to fold in
  • Fold the dry ingredients very gently and do not overmix! Go around in a circle and then lift from the bottom, repeat. You need to keep in as much air as possible so the cake is light, not dense
  • Don’t overbake. A toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake should come out with just a few light crumbs. If you underbake, the cake will deflate, and if you overbake, it will become dry
  • If your cake feels a bit dry, place it upside down and brush some simple syrup on it before adding the mousse

How To Remove Mousse Cake From Pan

One dilemma with mousse cakes is that you have to assemble them in a pan that can hold the mousse while it sets, but then removing them from said pan can be quite tricky. Don’t worry, though, as you have a few different options:

  • Option 1: Acetate Collar. Wrap an acetate cake collar around the cooled sponge on your serving plate and secure with tape. Pour in the mousse and chill. Once set, simply remove the tape and unwrap, no transferring needed. I use this method for my mocha mousse cake with chocolate and mocha mousse layers
  • Option 2: Springform Pan. Line the springform pan with parchment, assemble the cake, and once set, release the sides and peel off the paper. You can serve it on the pan base (I used this method but flipped the cake to remove the base – honestly, not worth the extra effort and risk!)
  • Option 3: Serving Dish / Pie Dish. Instead of a pan, assemble the cake in a deep pish dish like this one, and serve directly from this dish like pie (you can even spoon it out!)
  • Option 4: Regular Cake Pan (least recommended). If using a standard cake pan, line it with parchment or cling wrap and freeze the cake for 20 minutes before removing to help it stay firm
A close-up of a sliced chocolate mousse cake with a light chocolate genoise sponge base, light and creamy chocolate mousse layer, and smooth ganache topping, all beautifully garnished with delicate chocolate shavings.
Print
A slice of easy chocolate mousse cake with chocolate shavings sits on a white plate, accompanied by fresh raspberries and a gold fork. Another plate with cake is visible in the background.

Easy Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

by Zoha Malik

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.70 stars from 29 reviews

An easy chocolate mousse cake with a soft, airy chocolate sponge layered with a creamy two-ingredient mousse and finished with a shiny ganache.

Yield:10 servings

Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
12 mins
Chilling Time:
4 hrs
Total Time:
4 hrs, 30 mins

Ingredients

Chocolate Genoise Sponge Cake:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour (43g)
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder (12g)
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

Chocolate Mousse:

  • 300g semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (~50% cocoa, or use an equal mixture of milk and dark chocolate like me)
  • 2 ½ cup heavy cream (600g); chilled and divided into 1 cup (240g) and 1 ½ cup (360g)

Chocolate Ganache (optional):

  • 80g chocolate (dark, milk or semi-sweet all ok)
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream (80g)

Instructions

Chocolate Genoise Sponge Cake:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F and line a 9″ cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom; don’t grease the sides of the pan
  2. Whisk the eggs and sugar using an electric or stand mixer for 3-4 minutes until they triple in volume, become light in color and fall off the whisk in a ribbon. Do not rush this step
  3. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder, and use a rubber spatula to fold very gently and slowly until they are just combined. Take care not to knock out the air in the batter, and do not overmix as that can cause the cake to become dense
  4. Pour the batter into the pan, shake to spread it out, and bake for ~12-14 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with light, moist crumbs (almost clean, no wet batter)
  5. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn it out and place on a wire rack. In the meanwhile, prepare the mousse

Chocolate mousse:

  1. First, make a ganache with the chocolate and 1 cup (240g) heavy cream. Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream on the stove until it just starts to simmer, and pour over the chocolate. Cover with a lid or plate and wait 3-5 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt. Then stir gently until you get a creamy smooth ganache. Let the ganache rest for 5 minutes
  2. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cup (360g) chilled cream to a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to whisk the cream for a few minutes until it reaches medium peaks and holds shape – take care not to overmix
  3. Add about a third of the whipped cream from step 2 into the ganache from step 1 (which should not be hot at this point), and use a rubber spatula or whisk to very gently and very slowly fold it in. Be gentle, and stop when they are mostly combined
  4. Add the whole mixture into the remaining whipped cream, and continue to gently and slowly fold. If you see any lumps of whipped cream, press down on them with your spatula to break them. Stop mixing as soon as the cream has fully mixed with the ganache. You should have a smooth and fluffy chocolate mousse

Assembly:

  1. Take a 9″ springform pan and line it with a parchment circle on the bottom and a strips of parchment on the sides, using a little butter or oil to stick the parchment to the pan (see images above). This will allow unmolding the cake easily
  2. Place the cooled cake inside the pan, and then pour over the chocolate mousse. Spread it evenly, and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight) until the mousse has fully set

Chocolate Ganache (optional):

  1. If making a ganache to decorate, make it when the cake has chilled and you are ready to serve. Heat the cream to just boiling and pour over the chocolate in a bowl. Rest for 5 minutes, then stir to form a smooth ganache. 

Decoration & Serving:

  1. Once the cake has set, carefully release the edges of the springform pan and lift them off. Peel off the parchment carefully, and smooth the edges of the cake as needed
  2. The ganache should be warm but not hot, and still a runny consistency. If it is not runny, microwave for 10-15 seconds until it is. Pour the ganache on top of the chilled cake, and use an offset spatula to spread it, allowing some of it to drip down the edges of the cake
  3. Decorate with chocolate shavings (optional), slice, serve and enjoy!
  4. Keep the cake cold, and don’t leave it out for longer than 15-30 minutes (depending on room temperature)

Video Tutorial

Notes

  • Temperature: This chocolate mousse cake has no gelatin in it and relies on chocolate’s own solidification in the fridge to set. Therefore, it is important to keep it well chilled. Do not leave it out at room temperature for longer than 15-30 minutes, especially if it is hot, as it may start to soften and melt
  • Serving: Instead of a 9″ circle pan, you can also make this cake in a 8×8″ square pan, a 9″ pie dish, or bake in muffin cups and assemble in individual dessert cups
  • Assembling mousse cake: For more options on how to assemble and demold mousse cake, such as using an acetate collar or regular cake pan, read the blog post above 
  • Make ahead: You can make and assemble this cake ahead of time and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days before serving. Just make sure to wrap it well in cling film (or place in an airtight container) so the cake underneath does not dry out. Remove from pan and decorate with ganache when ready to serve
  • Storage and freezing: After serving, store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months

More Chocolate Recipes

If you’re a fan of chocolate, you will also love these recipes:

Leave a Rating and a Comment

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

You can unsubscribe from these notifications at any time.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Comments

  1. Sony Kavalam

    Dear Zoha, this recipe of yours is fantastic!! I have made it now on many occasions and has been always well received.

    1. Zoha Malik

      Thank you so much, Sony! Glad to hear it 🙂

  2. Heidi

    It’s so delicious, all of us loved it!
    But it’s really hot and humid at where I live so i want to add some gelatin to it so it holds shape as I bring the cake out.
    How much gelatin should I add? If I add the gelatin (+cold water to dissolve it), do I need to reduce the volume or amount of anything else?

    1. Zoha Malik

      Hi Heidi! I haven’t tried this recipe with gelatin so unfortunately I am not able to guide you properly. I will say there’s enough chocolate content that it doesn’t melt too easily. Even if you add gelatin, the cake is best enjoyed cold and I still won’t recommend leaving it out for too long.

  3. Shafaq Hassan

    Amazing recipe, i tried it and everyone loved the mousse cake. Will make again soon.

    1. Zoha Malik

      So happy to hear that, Shafaq!

  4. Jackie Hannahs

    Is 1 3/4 cups of chocolate chips equivalent to 300g chocolate? Thanks!

    1. Zoha

      Great question! It can vary a lot by brand and size of the chip, which is why I always recommend using a scale for chocolate. Happy baking! 🙏

  5. Laura

    amazing recipe! is it possible to do it with chocolate orange?

    1. Zoha

      Hi Laura! i haven’t tried that myself – perhaps you could add orange curd on top instead of ganache?

  6. Saskia

    I made this for a 25th wedding anniversary, but in a glass.
    The cake was really light but a bit dry and bland, so I drizzled some coffee liqueur over it and next time I’ll try adding some vanilla.

    For the mousse,
    I followed the recipe exactly and put it in a glass. I let it sit in the fridge overnight, then poured the whipped cream over it, chilled it briefly, and then dusted it with cocoa powder.
    It was a truly delicious cake!
    Definitely worth repeating.
    I’d definitely recommend making it.😄😄

  7. Laura

    Was really excited to make this cake for a friend’s birthday, except I got confused about the assembly part. The instructions say to put two pieces of parchment paper side by side to be able to pull out at the end but it doesn’t say whether this is under the original parchment that the cake is on. I figured the point was to be able to have no parchment at the end so I tried removing the parchment from the cooled baked cake by flipping it onto the drying rack and removing the paper before flipping back into the pan with new parchment. But when I went to flip it back into the pan, the cake was too fragile and broke apart / parts stuck to the drying rack = cake ruined. So I didn’t even get to the next step 🙁
    More instruction on what happens to that original parchment paper and assembly with the parchment paper in general would be greatly appreciated.

    1. Zoha

      Hi Laura, I am so sorry you found the instructions about parchment to be confusing! I will work on updating them. x

  8. C.Goes

    Esse não é o bolo que aparece no pinterest e que foi postado esse link 🙁

  9. VC

    lovely, family thoroughly enjoyed it. next time, a little syrup on the cake, but nontheless, yummy!!

    1. Zoha

      Thanks SO much!

  10. Samiyah

    I made this for my niece’s birthday because she liked mousse cake and she loved it! I can’t even tell you how much everyone in my family enjoyed it and loved it! My 4 year old daughter doesn’t like any cake and she loved this. Your recipes are simply amazing and I can’t wait to keep trying more of them!

    1. Zoha

      Aww, thank you Samiyah!!! 🙂 So happy to read this

  11. K A

    Zoha! This was singlehandedly the most luxurious dessert I have ever made 🙂 Got lots of complements, Thank you <3

  12. bob

    Um I made it yesterday but it’s still cooking

    Too much cream

  13. Deb

    This looks delicious! Will it work with a hand mixer if I don’t have a stand mixer?

    1. Deb

      Alternatively can I use cool whip instead of homemade whipped cream?

      1. bobby boy

        too much cream my friend

  14. Sandra Williamson PhD

    The cake component was not as deep as shown in the picture. Very confusing as 1/3 cup flour definitely was not going to produce a substantial cake base.

    1. Zoha

      it sounds like your batter deflated due to overmixing. this is quite a common challenge with a genoise sponge cake like this one

  15. Lisa

    Just made this for the second time! The entire family loved it and wanted more, it didn’t last long on the table. One of the best cakes I’ve made.

    1. Zoha

      So glad to hear this, Lisa! Thank you 🙂

  16. FE

    Your recipe for the chocolate Genoise Sponge Cake in 9×9 pan, using the main ingredient: 1/3 cup all purpose flour, sugar,eggs,salt,baking powder. You have on video sponge cake 1/2 thick. 1/3 cup of flour doesn’t make it! You need to update the recipe.

    1. Zoha

      Genoise sponges are tricky and you likely overworked your batter causing it to deflate and not have sufficient volume. The recipe isn’t incorrect

  17. Tatyana

    Hi Zoha, absolutely love love love ur cinnamon rolls recipe!
    For this cake, if I did double portion would I use a 9×13 pan? & would a glass form affect cake texture? Also, should I do double portion of the mousse or 1.5? Not sure if 2 portions of the mousse would b too much..
    appreciate any advice, thank you!

  18. Leah

    Will this be okay to make the day before? Thank you!

    1. Zoha

      Yes! keep in the fridge 🙂

  19. Fatima

    Can I double the recipe? I’m feeding a crowd today

    1. Zoha

      Yes!

  20. Zed

    I made this yesterday for a family event. I used a combo of Trader Joe’s dark chocolate (61%)with 50g of milk chocolate. It was just right for us. I topped with shaved chocolate. It was easy and fairly fast to make and the size was great for 8 people too. Thanks for sharing it.

    1. Zoha

      Thanks so much, Zed!

Get Notified When New Recipes Drop

Subscribe to get all of my latest recipes in your inbox.


Chocolate chip cookies on a white background

You might also like