If you're looking for the perfect chocolate dessert for this summer, look no further! This chocolate mousse cake is ultra easy to make with less than 10 ingredients, light and airy in texture, and tastes like chocolate cake and ice cream had a baby. Let's go!
There are very few things in this world that I love more than I love 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 kept making it over and over again because I was obsessed with it. It was so simple yet so delicious, especially in summers. So as we now roll into warmer months, it only made sense to bring this recipe back for you guys!
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INGREDIENTS
Here's what you will need to make this chocolate mousse cake (exact quantities are in the recipe card below):
Chocolate sponge cake
The chocolate cake used as the base of this recipe is a chocolate genoise sponge - it is light and airy and perfectly complements the mousse.
- Eggs - room temperature preferred
- Granulated sugar
- All purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
Chocolate mousse
We are making the simpler version of mousse - i.e., ganache based mousse (as opposed to custard based mousse). Now, I won't lie, I do think custard based mousse tastes more luxurious, but this definitely gets the job done with far fewer steps! All you need is:
- Chocolate: I suggest going for a semi-sweet or milk chocolate, and make sure it is one you really enjoy eating! I personally love using Cadbury Dairy Milk in this recipe as I find it has the perfect amount of sweetness and deep chocolate flavor. Seriously - I used to eat the Dairy Milk ganache with a spoon!
- Heavy cream: Use heavy cream that has at least 35% fat so it can also be whipped up
- Cocoa powder for decoration
HOW TO MAKE THIS EASY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE
This cake takes time to make only because of cooling - otherwise, the active time involved is under 30 minutes! See this video:
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Here are the steps you need to take to get this baby ready:
1. Make the chocolate genoise sponge
Pre-heat your oven to 350F and line a 9x9" pan with parchment paper. You can also make this as a 9" round cake!
The key to get a genoise right is to whip up a LOT of air into the eggs and sugar. Whisk them for 3-5 minutes until they are pale yellow, fluffy, and reach the ribbon stage (i.e., if you lift the beater, the mixture should fall off in a ribbon).
Then sift in the dry ingredients and fold them very gently until they are combined. Make sure you are gentle, as you don't want to knock out all the air whipped into the eggs earlier.
Transfer the batter to a lined pan, and bake for just ~13-15 minutes until the cake is done. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
2. Prepare a ganache
Next, make a simple ganache: bring the cream to a boil and pour over chopped chocolate in a bowl. Cover with a plate and wait 5 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt. Then stir until you get a shiny, smooth ganache.
Tip: If you see any lumps of solid chocolate in the ganache, microwave it for 10-15 seconds and stir again!
Let the ganache cool down completely by putting it in the fridge for ~20 minutes (or freezer if you wanna speed this up more). You still want it to be runny, not solid!
3. Make the chocolate mousse
This easy chocolate mousse is just a combination of ganache and whipped cream! So take chilled heavy cream and whisk it using the balloon whisk attachment of your stand mixer until it reaches the stiff peak stage (take care not to overwhip the cream).
Then gently fold the cream into the cooled ganache. Doing this in 2-3 batches will allow you to retain the air in the cream and achieve a light mousse.
Tip: Sometimes, if I want to be fancy, I reserve some of the ganache and use it as another layer in my cake!
4. Assemble the cake
Take a clean 9x9" pan and layer it with 2 sheets of parchment paper that you can pull out easily once the cake has set. Place down the cooled chocolate sponge, then pour over the chocolate mousse. Spread it out, and put into the fridge for 20 minutes so the mousse is somewhat set.
Then for final touches, spread on a layer of whipped cream and dust generously with cocoa powder.
Tip: A genoise sponge cake can feel somewhat dry especially if it is even slightly over baked. If you feel that is the case, brush on some simple syrup before pouring the mousse!
5. Chill and serve!
Let the cake set fully in the fridge! This can take 1-2 hours in the fridge and you can speed up the time by also using the freezer.
Carefully pull the cake out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut it into cubes and serve!
Tip: I personally love the texture of this cake when it is somewhere in between fridge and freezer temperature! So I put my slice of cake into the freezer for 10-15 minutes before eating.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You should use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream that has at least 35% fat in it. This kind of cream will whip up easily when it is chilled.
A genoise sponge cake does not have any oil or butter in it and is naturally very light and slightly dry. If you even slightly over bake it, it will feel quite dry. Don't worry, just brush on some simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water) before you cover the cake with the mousse!
Sure! You can use any kind of chocolate that you like the flavor of. Just know that with dark chocolate the cake will also taste dark as there is no added sugar in the mousse.
You should keep the chocolate mousse cake in an airtight container in the fridge for at least a week and in the freezer for several weeks! If freezing, let it defrost in the fridge for 30-60 minutes before eating.
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 very well chilled. Do not leave it out at room temperature or a hot place as it will start to melt.
Yes! You can make this cake as a 9x9" square and cut into individual squares, or a 9" round pan and cut into slices, or also assemble it in individual dessert cups or ramekins. Since there's just a layer of mousse, it is very versatile in how you want to assemble and decorate it.
Alright, now let's get into the recipe!
If you try out this recipe, be sure to leave a review below and tag me in your recreations on Instagram. Also, if you're looking for more easy summer dessert recipes, definitely check out my Easy No Bake Tres Leches Cake and Special Yogurt Parfait!
EASY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE RECIPE
- Total Time: 2+ hours with cooling
- Yield: 10-12 servings
Description
The easiest chocolate mousse cake with a light and airy mousse layer perfect for warmer months!
Ingredients
Chocolate Genoise Sponge Cake:
- 2 large eggs
- 55g sugar (¼ cup)
- 40g all purpose flour (⅓ cup)
- 10g cocoa powder (1.5 tbsp)
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking powder
Chocolate ganache:
- 300g milk chocolate (Cadbury dairy milk preferred), chopped
- 360g heavy cream (1.5 cups)
Chocolate mousse:
- Chocolate ganache from above
- 240g heavy cream (1 cup), chilled
Whipped cream (optional):
- ¾ cup cream
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon cocoa powder to serve
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350F and prepare a 9x9" pan with parchment paper
- Cake: Whisk the eggs and sugar using an electric or stand mixer for 3-4 minutes until they triple in volume and reach the ribbon stage. Then sift in the dry ingredients, and fold very gently until they are combined. Take care not to knock out the air in the batter. Transfer to the pan and bake for ~13-14 minutes. Let the cake cool
- Ganache: Bring the cream to just boiling, and pour over the chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Cover with a lid or plate and wait 5 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt. Stir until you get a creamy smooth ganache. Place the ganache in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to cool down (it should not solidify)
- Mousse: Whip up the heavy cream for the mousse until it reaches stiff peaks. Gently fold the cream into the cooled ganache in 2-3 additions until a light mousse is formed. Take care not to knock out the air
- Assembly: Take a 9x9 pan (the same pan you baked in will work) and line it with 2 sheets of parchment paper going in opposite directions. These will allow unmolding the cake. Place the cooled cake inside, and then pour over the chocolate mousse. Spread it evenly, and chuck into the freezer for 20 minutes
- Decoration: In the meanwhile, whip the cream and sugar for the whipped cream until they reach medium peaks. When the mousse is somewhat set, top with the whipped cream and spread it evenly.
- Serving: Let the cake cool in the freezer for 1 hour. It should be stiff after that, allowing you to easily remove it from the pan. Dust with cocoa powder and slice into individual servings. Store in the fridge!
Notes
- This cake is best enjoyed very cold! Make sure to keep it refrigerated (I actually like to put it in the freezer for 15 minutes before eating)
- If your cake feels dry, you can brush on some simple syrup before pouring over the mousse
- If you want to be fancy, you can remove ~¾ cup of the ganache and add it as another layer before the mousse in the cake
- Instead of a square pan, you can also make this cake in a 9" round pan using the same approach! Or, bake the cake in muffin cups and assemble in individual dessert cups.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Cuisine: American
Asma says
This is incredible MA. This definitely will be a centrepiece of my eid spread tomorrow. ❤️❤️❤️
Zoha says
I hope you loved it!
Ambreen says
Excellent recipe. And very easy. I make several times. It’s outstanding.
Syeda Fatima says
اسلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته.
I made this for my son's high school graduation party and now I'm making it again for his older brother's graduation from University. It's a lovely cake to look at and to eat. Perhaps a bit too sweet for me with the milk chocolate, but a real hit with the youngsters. This cake might just as well end up being a traditional graduation cake in my family!!
Zoha says
Thank you for the love! I hope you can also try with semi sweet chocolate as it will still work great 🙂
Asma Amer says
So, as I decided, I tried this incredible recipe for eid, and it turned out better than what I imagined. Absolutely right amount of sweet and chocolate. Every guest loved it. And it actually tastes even better than it looks. You are right Zoha, Cadbury is the chocolate of choice for this incredibly easy cake. Try it everyone. You will be blown away.
Zoha says
Yay, thank you so much for trying my recipe Mama <3
Jaynor says
Can this recipe be made and frozen completely?
Zoha says
Yes! 🙂 You can freeze the mousse cake and then take it out when you want to eat it. Whipped cream does lose a bit of its lightness when frozen, though.
Marlia says
Made this for my husband’s birthday. It’s a keeper!
Zoha says
YAY!
Louise Gabriella Maria Robertson Pond says
The best cake in the world
Louise Gabriella Maria Robertson Pond says
The best cake and fruit in the world
Louise Gabriella Maria Robertson Pond says
The best cake and fruit in the world
And I love tiramisu in low carbs and no alcohol
Zoha says
Thank you, Louise!
Marcella says
This has become my go to dessert. My family loves it. I use my own chocolate cake base and I make in a 9x13x3 pan. The one thing I want to ask you is for stability I would like to try it with gelatin. When do you think is best to add the gelatin in this recipe? I do adjust my quantities for this size pan. Thank you very much ?
Zoha says
Hello!! Thank you for the kind words. You can add gelatin into the ganache when it's still hot. Just be sure to first bloom the gelatin in cold water
Beth says
How much gelatin would we need to add? Also wanted to add that I made this cake for thanksgiving and it was thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Shehnaz Shaik says
Zoha I've been following you for awhile and I finally made this yesterday after all this time. I'm an Indian & I find the buttercream based cakes in The USA overwhlemingly sweet & dense I could barely finish a piece. This cake is just a dream. I did brush some simple syrup slightly infused with coffee to enhance the choc flavor. And the Mousse that tasted like chocolate icecream, I couldnt stop eating the leftover mousse. This was a test cake for my BFF's birthday & now I cant wait to bake it for her. Thank you Zoha love ya.
Zoha says
Hi Shehnaz! Thank you SOOOO much for such a kind and thorough review. I am so happy you enjoyed my recipe. <3 Hope you will try many more. Lots of love!
Nina says
Amazing!
Zoha says
Thank you Nina!
Meadow says
Just tried it, so yummy. How many calories are in one piece? Mine was a bit smaller than yours and I’m just trying to track calories? Thanks for the recipe !
Zoha says
Hi Meadow! So glad you liked this recipe. I have not calculated the calories but you should be able to do that using an app like MyFitnessPal or Noom!
Jasmine says
hello! I wanna make this for eid favours in individual ramekins. Inshallah! the cocoa powder that's used, is it sweetened or unsweetened?
Zoha says
Oh that sounds so wonderful! <3 Always unsweetened 🙂
Haya says
This has become my most favourite dessert ever! So easy to make yet so flavourful. The mousse is to die for
Zoha says
I am right there with you!
Hamna Arif says
Tried the mousse from this recipe and safe to say, this is now my go-to, no-fail, chocolate mousse recipe. It turned out so velvety and delicious! I made this with dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate!
Zoha says
Yay I am so glad you like it!
Tegan says
This is literally the best mousse recipe you will ever try! I highly recommend it!
Zoha says
Aww thank you so much, Tegan!!
Maria says
Made it for my sister’s eid milan and it was delicious
Zoha says
Thank you so much!
Simran says
Delicious dessert! This was my second time making this recipe. Very rich and creamy. My family loved it!
Zoha says
Aww thank you!
Rabia says
Looks so tempting yet so easy to make. I always love your recipes they are full of flavors and the way you explain is simply phenomenal. Your effort in your videos and baking shows your keen interest in baking. Wish you more success and strength.
Zoha says
Thank you SO SO SO much, Rabia!
Sarosh Yameen says
Hey Zoha! I have been following you for a while now and your recipes have always been so tempting. I finally braced myself to try this recipe and it turned out uhh-mazing!! It was just perfect - the ingredients, their measurements, and the balance of sweet and chocolate. Especially the mousse, so creamy and light. This really has motivated me to try out more of your desserts 😉 Thank you for sharing the most thorough and detailed recipes!
Zoha says
I am so glad you finally took the leap, Sarosh 🙂 Thank you so much!
Mika Maust says
My family loves this easy chocolate mousse cake 😍. I made it for my little one's birthday 💐❤️. It is so easy to make especially when I'm craving for The Triple Mousse Cake (in the cake course) but I don't have much time to make. I totally recommend this and the Easy chocolate tiramisu. Zoha's recipes is incredible!. Thank you Zoha for this yummy recipe!
Zoha says
YAY! Thank you so much, Mika!
Sharadhi Shetty says
Making this right for my friends birthday which is tomorrow!! Cannot wait to take a bite once it is all set haha. Love the recipe and notes which I have tried in incorporate. Would like to know how the custard version is made as you have mentioned it is more luxurious 😍 not sure how to add in the pictures and this is my first time commenting on a post!
Zoha says
I hope you loved it, Sharadhi!! The custard version of mousse is definitely my favorite - it is a recipe I have included in my cake course, actually 🙂
Aminath says
I have been following you since long time. Your recipes are so tempting. I am someone who is fond of making moussecakes. Tried this one. Ingredients used was so easily available and simple to make. It turned out so perfect. Everyone loved it. The mousse was so airy and creamy. Its simply divine! Will be making again and again.
Thankyou Zoha for always coming up with yummiest recipes and sharing it.
Zoha says
Thank you so much, Aminath! Your support means the world to me
Naiomie says
My family and I usually dislike chocolate desserts, but I made this for my cousin on Mother's Day. We all loved it and even licked the ganache bowl!🫣 It was my first time making ganache and mousse, and it was surprisingly easy without needing fancy ingredients for this decadent dessert.🤎
Zoha says
Aww, this makes me so happy. Thank you for trying my recipe, Naiomie!
Zed says
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.
Zoha says
Thanks so much, Zed!
Fatima says
Can I double the recipe? I'm feeding a crowd today
Zoha says
Yes!
Leah says
Will this be okay to make the day before? Thank you!
Zoha says
Yes! keep in the fridge 🙂
Tatyana says
Hi Zoha, absolutely love love love ur cinnamon rolls recipe!
For this cake, if I did double portion would I use a 9x13 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!
FE says
Your recipe for the chocolate Genoise Sponge Cake in 9x9 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.
Zoha says
I do not need to update the recipe. Genoise sponges are tricky and you likely overworked your batter causing it to deflate. There's a reason this recipe has worked for so many people.
Lisa says
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.
Zoha says
So glad to hear this, Lisa! Thank you 🙂
Sandra Williamson PhD says
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.
Zoha says
it sounds like your batter deflated due to overmixing. this is quite a common challenge with a genoise sponge cake like this one
Deb says
This looks delicious! Will it work with a hand mixer if I don’t have a stand mixer?
Deb says
Alternatively can I use cool whip instead of homemade whipped cream?
bobby boy says
too much cream my friend
bob says
Um I made it yesterday but it's still cooking
Too much cream
K A says
Zoha! This was singlehandedly the most luxurious dessert I have ever made 🙂 Got lots of complements, Thank you <3
Samiyah says
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!
Zoha says
Aww, thank you Samiyah!!! 🙂 So happy to read this
VC says
lovely, family thoroughly enjoyed it. next time, a little syrup on the cake, but nontheless, yummy!!
Zoha says
Thanks SO much!