Chocolate Mousse Cake

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Chocolate Mousse Cake is a classic. It’s made up of three layers of moist chocolate cake divided by two layers of smooth and creamy chocolate mousse. The whole thing is covered in a light chocolate whipped cream frosting. Decadently delicious!

Rich & Decadent Chocolate Mousse Cake

There’s nothing quite like a rich, silky chocolate mousse. When combined with a moist, tender chocolate cake, you have the most wonderful cake – perfect for celebrations or satisfying a chocolate craving. This chocolate mousse cake is that chocolate cake. If you’ve ever made my Raspberry Chocolate Cake or my Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake, you’ve already made the cake itself before. It’s always a hit and super easy to make. It’s very similar to my favorite Chocolate Cake, but a touch more sturdy, which works well for the layering in this cake.

The three layers of chocolate cake are layered with a traditional, decadent, smooth chocolate mousse. There are no shortcuts here. We are using real-deal chocolate mousse. The whole thing is covered with chocolate-infused whipped cream frosting and garnished with chocolate sprinkles. Each aspect of this cake is loaded with chocolate flavor and is sure to wow the chocolate lovers in your life.

Chocolate mousse layer cake on a cake stand.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Mousse Cake

In case the words “chocolate mousse cake” didn’t already have you running to the kitchen without further thought, here’s a list of some of my favorite things about this cake. You have to try it.

  • No fancy mixing method. The batter is so easy to whip up. You’ll be shocked at how quickly you will be popping the cakes in the oven.
  • Rich and decadent. If you’re a chocolate lover like me, this cake will knock your socks off. It is brimming with rich chocolate flavor. Get that cold glass of milk ready.
  • Moist. The cake layers themselves are perfectly moist, making this dessert a dream to sink your teeth into.
  • Real chocolate mousse. Some chocolate mousse cakes will take shortcuts when it comes to the mousse filling. Not this one. The filling for this cake is a real-deal chocolate mousse. It’s incredibly rich and wonderfully silky smooth. Make a double batch and enjoy it as is!

What You’ll Need

Here’s a list of what you will need to make this sinfully delicious layer cake. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Ingredients for chocolate mousse cake separated into bowls.

Chocolate cake

  • All-purpose flour – Feel free to use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour instead.
  • Sugar
  • Natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Baking soda and Baking powder – These two leavenings give you best texture and rise in this cake. It’s super tender, but also sturdy.
  • Salt – Salt amplifies the flavors in the cake. Don’t leave it out.
  • Milk – I suggest using whole milk or 2%. Dairy-free? Try a full-fat, unsweetened diary alternative such as oat milk or cashew milk.
  • Vegetable oil – This cake uses oil instead of butter and is super moist.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Eggs – Be sure to use large size eggs.
  • Hot water – For additional moisture without excess fat to weigh the cake down. The heat helps the cocoa bloom to give the chocolate cake a more intense flavor.

Chocolate mousse

  • Egg yolks – These thicken the mousse and add to the rich and creamy texture.
  • Sugar
  • Heavy whipping cream – Should be cold in order to whip properly.
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips – I recommend semi-sweet chocolate. You could use dark chocolate. Milk chocolate might also be fine, but it doesn’t firm up quite as much, so the mousse may be a little softer.
  • Powdered sugar – To help stabilize the whipped cream.

Chocolate whipped cream frosting

  • Heavy whipping cream – The heavy whipping cream must be cold. Otherwise, it will not whip up and hold volume properly.
  • Powdered sugar – To stabilize the whipped cream so that it never wilts.
  • Natural unsweetened cocoa – Dutch-processed cocoa powder will work as well. Just note that the chocolate flavor will be more intense and a bit more bitter. It’ll also be darker in color.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Chocolate sprinkles
A slice of chocolate mousse cake on a plate with a bite taken out of it.

How to Make Chocolate Mousse Cake

Three cake layers, chocolate mousse filling, and chocolate whipped cream frosting. It might sound like a lot but I promise that if you take your time and follow my instructions closely, you will end up with an incredibly delicious, beautiful layer cake. Here’s how to make it. Scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

Make the cake

  • Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F, line the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper, and grease the sides.
  • Combine the dry ingredients. Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  • Combine the wet ingredients. Mix together the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs.
  • Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.
  • Slowly add the hot water and mix to combine.
  • Bake. Divide the batter between the cake pans. Bake for 22-25 minutes.
  • Cool. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the chocolate mousse

  • Heat the egg yolks, sugar, and 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream in the top of a double boiler over simmering water for 7-10 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  • Melt the chocolate. Microwave the chocolate chips in intervals of 10-15 seconds, stirring well between each, until melted and smooth.
  • Whisk the chocolate into the egg yolk mixture. Let it cool to room temperature.
  • Whip 1 1/4 cups of heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
  • Put it all together. Fold 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Fold 1/4 of the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream. Fold the remaining chocolate mixture into the whipped cream.

Build the cake

  • Level the tops of the chocolate cakes with a large serrated knife.
  • Prepare the assembly pan. Use a clear cake collar (shown in the images) or an 8×3 inch cake pan (I recommend a springform pan) to build the cake. See the recipe card below for detailed instructions on what to do if you don’t have a springform pan.
  • Stack and fill. Place the first cake layer in the bottom of the cake pan. Spread half of the chocolate mousse over the cake. Add the second cake layer and spread the remaining mousse over the cake before adding the final cake layer.

Frost and decorate

  • Make the frosting. Whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, natural unsweetened cocoa, and vanilla extract on high speed until stiff peaks form.
  • Remove the cake from the fridge and release it from the springform pan.
  • Frost the outside of the cake with the chocolate whipped cream and pipe swirls around the outer top edge of the cake. Decorate with chocolate sprinkles.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Tips for Success

Intimidated by making this multifaceted layer cake? Not to worry. I’ve got you covered with some helpful tips and tricks that will set you up for success. Here they come.

  • Don’t over-mix. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, do not overmix the batter. This will cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop and will leave you with a tough, dense cake.
  • Scrape the sides of the bowl as you add ingredients and mix them in. This will help ensure that all of the ingredients make it into the batter and are incorporated evenly.
  • Not too hot. When cooking the egg yolk mixture over the double broiler (for the mousse), don’t let the water boil or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs. You just want the water to be at a simmer. I suggest lifting the bowl occasionally to release steam from underneath.
  • Keep it moving. When cooking the egg yolk mixture for the mousse, it is important that you whisk continuously. This not only helps incorporate air and volume into the mixture but it will also help keep you from ending up with scrambled eggs.
  • Be gentle with the mousse. When folding the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream and vice versa, do so gently with a rubber spatula so as not to knock the air out of the mousse.
  • Let the chocolate cool. Be sure that the egg yolk-chocolate mixture has cooled completely before folding it into the whipped cream for the mousse. Otherwise, it will melt the whipped cream and knock the volume out of it.
  • Cold heavy cream. Be sure that the heavy whipping cream used to make the frosting is cold. It will whip up and hold volume better.
  • Let the cakes cool. Before stacking, filling, and frosting the cake it is crucial to allow the cake layers to cool. Otherwise, the mousse and the frosting will slide right off.
  • No mess assembly. I highly recommend using a springform pan here but, if you do not have one, assemble the cake on a cardboard cake circle with the help of a clear cake collar. You can use an 8×3 inch cake pan instead but make sure to prepare it properly. Place a large piece of plastic wrap in the cake pan so that it covers the bottoms and sides. This will help you lift the cake out of the pan. Line the bottom (over the plastic wrap) with a cardboard cake circle and line the sides of the pan with parchment paper. The parchment paper should stick up above the top edge of the pan to prevent overflow.

Can The Mousse Be Prepared in Advance?

I don’t recommend making the mousse in advance of adding it to the cake. It will firm up in the fridge and you’d have to stir it back up before using it later, which can cause it to deflate. You can definitely make the cake layers in advance though. And with the all the moisture in the cake and chocolate mousse, you can easily make the full cake a day or so in advance. It holds up very well.

A slice of chocolate mousse cake on a plate with a fork near a whole chocolate mousse cake on a cake stand and a bowl of chocolate chips.

How to Store This Chocolate Mousse Layer Cake

If you find yourself with leftover chocolate mousse cake, store it in an airtight cake carrier or let it chill for a couple of hours in the refrigerator before wrapping the whole thing in a double layer of plastic wrap. Use toothpicks to prop the plastic away from any decorations. Already sliced it? Arrange the slices in a single layer in an airtight container. Whatever method you choose, you can store the cake in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.

You can also freeze this cake. Pop it in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up before wrapping it in a double layer of plastic wrap and storing it in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you already sliced the cake, arrange the slices in a single layer in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the cake thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

More Decadent Chocolate Cakes

In a chocolate kind of mood? Good. Me too. Always. Here are a few other heavenly chocolate cakes. Pour yourself a glass of cold milk and take yourself on a chocolate cooking spree.

Watch How It’s Made

Read Transcript

Print
clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon facebook facebook icon print print icon squares squares icon
A slice of chocolate mousse cake on a plate with a fork near a bowl of chocolate chips.
Recipe

Chocolate Mousse Cake

  • Author: Lindsay Conchar
  • Prep Time: 5-6 hours (including chill time)
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 5-6 hours 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12-14 Slices
  • Category: Cake
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Chocolate Mousse Cake with three layers of moist chocolate cake and two layers of smooth & creamy chocolate mousse – all covered in chocolate whipped cream!


Ingredients

Chocolate cake

  • 1 3/4 cups (228g) all purpose flour
  • 2 cups (414g) sugar
  • 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup (240ml) milk
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (240ml) hot water

Chocolate mousse

  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup (52g) sugar
  • 1 3/4 cup (420ml) heavy whipping cream, divided
  • 1 1/4 cups (227g) semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup (86g) powdered sugar

Chocolate whipped cream frosting

  • 2 1/2 cups (600ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 3/4 cup (68g) powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup (57g) natural unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Chocolate Sprinkles

Instructions

Make the cake and chocolate mousse

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare three 8 inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper in the bottom.
  2. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside.
  3. Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined. Slowly add the hot water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  6. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
  7. When the cakes have cooled, make the chocolate mousse. Combine the egg yolks, sugar and 1/2 cup (120ml) of heavy whipping cream in the top of a double boiler (or in a metal mixing bowl set over a pot of simmering water). Do not let the water boil, or it’ll get too hot. Occasionally lift the bowl to release steam. Cook the egg mixture, whisking constantly. It’ll be ready when it has thickened, lightened a bit in color and has more volume. It should take about 7-10 minutes and reach 160°F (71°C). When done, remove it from the heat and set aside.
  8. Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl and microwave in intervals of 10-15 seconds, stirring well between each, until melted and smooth. You could also use the double boiler again.
  9. Add the chocolate to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Set the mixture aside to cool to room temperature.
  10. In a mixer bowl, whip the remaining 1 1/4 cups (300ml) of heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
  11. Fold about 1/4 of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until combined, then fold about 1/4 of the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream. Slowly fold the remaining chocolate mixture into the whipped cream.

Build the cake

  1. Level the tops of the chocolate cakes by using a large serrated knife.
  2. The cake can be built in an 8×3 inch cake pan (springform would be ideal) or with a clear cake collar. If you are using a cake pan to build the cake, put a cardboard cake circle in the bottom of the pan. If not using a springform pan, you can put some plastic wrap in the bottom of the pan and up the sides and use it to lift the cake out of the pan when it’s done. Line the sides of the cake pan with parchment paper. The parchment paper should stick up above the top edge of the pan, since the cake will probably be a little taller than your pan. Add the first layer of cake into the bottom of the cake pan. If you are using a cake collar, place the bottom cake on a cardboard cake circle or a serving plate and wrap the cake collar around it and secure in place.
  3. Add about half of the chocolate mousse and spread into an even layer.
  4. Add the second layer of cake on top of the mousse, then add the remaining mousse and spread into an even layer.
  5. Top the cake with the final cake layer. Refrigerate the cake until the mousse is firm, 4-5 hours.

Finish it off

  1. Make the whipped cream by adding all the ingredients to a large mixer bowl and whipping on high speed until stiff peaks form.
  2. Remove the cake from the fridge and either remove it from the pan by removing the springform pan sides, lifting the cake out of the pan with the plastic wrap, or removing the cake collar.
  3. Frost the outside of the cake with the chocolate whipped cream and pipe swirls around the outer top edge of the cake.
  4. Finish off the cake with some chocolate sprinkles, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Cake is best when well-covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 683
  • Sugar: 55.2 g
  • Sodium: 410.3 mg
  • Fat: 42.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 73.1 g
  • Protein: 9.8 g
  • Cholesterol: 163.6 mg

Categories

Share a Comment

Have a question? Use the form below to submit your question or comment. I love hearing from you and seeing what you made!

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

357 Comments
  1. Yousra

    Thank you so much for sharing this terrific recipe, I do not know how many times i have baked this cake in the last year and before, everyone tasted it can’t resist having another piece👌 , it is perfect






    1. Lindsay

      No, once it firms up, you won’t want to stir it again or it’ll break down the firm structure of the mousse.

  2. Unzila

    Hey
    Plz reconfirm if baking soda quantity is 2 1/4tsp?
    I just make sponge so far and I am feeling little weird and bitter taste of baking soda.
    Still in process of making mousse.

  3. Averie Ann

    I made it… twice. It did not come out the pan and it rose in the oven and fell before it was done. The mouse was tragic, but that was most likely my fault.

  4. Sandra Romero

    Hi, my grandbaby is having birthday and I’ll like to make this for her. I’m planning on making it a 9 inch and maybe 1 1/2 recipe of both chocolate mousse and frosting. What do you think? Thank you Sandra

  5. Ariana

    I made this recipe and i think it is the best cake ever! I made it for a birthday party with my family all loved it! However my father’s birthday is coming up soon and i was wondering if you have any idea on what i should make (Cakewise) because i have asked him many times and all he says is “surprise me!”






    1. Lindsay

      I’m so glad it was a hit! As for recommendations, it would depend a little on what flavors he usually likes. Is there anything in particular he’s a fan of?

  6. AZ Grandma Vickie

    This is a delicious decadent cake! I bake the layers yesterday, (my concern that the batter was so thin was unfounded!), filled it with mousse and chilled overnight. This morning I finished with the chocolate whipped cream icing. I added a bit of ganache drizzle around the top edge and decorated it with malted milk balls and fanned out whole strawberries. It was for a birthday lunch and everyone loved it! Definitely a keeper recipe. Thank You. ❤️😊






  7. Melissa

    Hi!,
    I made this cake earlier this year and it came out terrific. I would like to make again for Christmas, but will be visiting family about a one hour drive away. If I make and frost the day before, do you think it will be stable enough to withstand the drive?

  8. Leonie

    When you say you can freeze this cake, do you mean just the cake part, or the fully assemble cake, mouse, icing and all.?

    1. Lindsay

      You can definitely freeze the cake layers. I’ve never tried freezing the full cake. In theory though, it should be fine.

  9. Zahrah Ahmed

    Oh another thing! Can we put a layer of sliced strawberries in with the mousse? Do you think it will hold?

  10. Zahrah Ahmed

    Hi I’m very eager to try this cake but my problem is I have a very tiny oven that can only fit one 8 inch cake at a time. Is it possible for the other two pans to rest outside while the cake bakes or do I need to divide the recipe in three and make one at a time? If so then the measurements will be very complicated could you be so kind to help me with that?

  11. Dee

    I need to just take the plunge and start wrapping the acetate around the bottom cake and pouring on the mousse. I’m so scared of breaking the second two layers to get them in the sleeve, but… who’s going to know it broke once it’s set up?! Courage!

  12. Trix

    Hi! This looks really good and normally I would make it as written but in the interest of time can I just make a regular devils food chocolate cake from a mix and proceed from there? Just getting overwhelmed with having to do entire thanksgiving myself and having a choc mousse cake for dessert..:( Thanks so much-

  13. Emily

    Question. I love this recipe but have recently had to go dairy free for an milk protein allergy my baby has. Could dairy free substitutes be made? Like silk heavy whipping cream or oat/soy/almond/coconut milk? If so, what would be best?






    1. Lindsay

      I’m glad you enjoy it! I don’t really work with dairy free products, so it’s hard for me to say for sure. It should be fine in the cake layers. I’m not used a dairy free whipped cream, but I imagine it would be ok for the frosting. The only question for me would be the mousse. If the whipping cream isn’t as high in fat content, the whipped cream may be a little less stable, which could mean your mousse wouldn’t be quite as firm. It could still be ok, I just don’t know.

  14. Kayla

    When would you add the cocoa powder to the whipped cream frosting? Would you add it along with the melted chocolate chips?

    1. Lindsay

      I’m not really sure what you’re asking. There are chocolate chips in the mousse and cocoa powder in the whipped cream. They aren’t together.

  15. Virgínia Dias

    Este bolo é simplesmente delicioso! E muito fácil de fazer! Já fiz várias vezes e sempre deu certo, massa muito fofa e húmida. Tenho substituído a agua quente por café, porque adoro café e combina bem com o cacau






    1. Lindsay

      I really haven’t tested it to know for sure. It’s pretty stable, so possibly. But it may also depend on how high you’re talking.

  16. Ari

    My grandad who never normally eats cake ate his whole slice and asked to keep more at his house lol ! thank you so much for the amazing recipe.






    1. Lindsay

      My tips are all in the blog post, but if you have a specific question, I’m happy to help. I hope you enjoy it!

  17. Tanya

    Hi. Looks like a beautiful cake, will be attempting this for my Dad’s 80th. If I keep the frosting smooth and chill the cake, can I use mirror glaze over the top? Many thanks.

  18. Debbie Dziedzic

    I am making this cake for a birthday. I was wondering if it is possible to substitute coffee for the hot water or half the water with hot coffee? I have read that coffee brings out the flavor of the chocolate without the cake tasting like coffee. I’m making this cake at the end of the month. Thanks so much!

    1. Lindsay

      You can use coffee instead of hot water. I think hot water does the same thing though. The heat in the hot water and the coffee cause the cocoa to “bloom”, which enhances the chocolate flavor.

  19. 4iiiis

    Hi, if I am wanting a super sweet Chocolate whipped cream frosting, is there anything I could substitute for the unsweetened cocoa?

    1. Lindsay

      Not that I know of. Melted chocolate wouldn’t work as well in whipped cream, which needs to be cold. You could try adding more powdered sugar, but it will make the whipped cream quite thick.

  20. Ana

    This recipe is great. Tastes amazing. If I wanted to make a 12inch cake like this one, should I double the ingredients?

    1. Lindsay

      So glad you enjoyed it! I normally double my 8 inch cakes for a 10 inch cake. So for a 12 inch, you may want to triple it.

  21. Sofi Alexander

    This cake was amazing. I bake lots and try many new recipes, all the time. I printed this one so I can make this one again. I halved the recipe for a smaller cake, and it turned out great.






  22. Melissa

    Hi, how tall is your built cake? I have a 6” high acetate cake collar, but am questioning whether it is tall enough for all three 8” layers and mouse. What size cake collar did you use?

    1. Lindsay

      That would be fine. But I will say that true chocolate mousse like this cake has is richer, creamier and more delicious. It’s worth the extra steps.

  23. Valerie

    Rich and chocolatey, perfect texture. The mousse is delightfully smooth. This cake is better than any bakery dessert!






  24. Lauren

    Hi! I’ve made this recipe and it’s so amazing. I want to make it again but this time with 6 inch pans. Would it make 4, 6 inch cakes?






  25. Katrina

    The best chocolate mousse!! I have lived in Greece and whenever I go home I order mousse cakes because I can’t seem to find them where I live and crave them. The search is over and now I can make them myself. Thank you!!






  26. Lauren Yoon

    I made this for my sister’s birthday and she said it was the best cake she has ever had, everyone loved it and it came out perfect 🙂

    I compare this cake to Gelson’s Chocolate Parisian cake which we usually buy for $60+ and, in my opinion, this cake tastes better and it was easy and fun to make.

    Thank you for this recipe, I will make this cake again soon 🙂






  27. Alma

    Help.I’ve done the frosting but no matter what it comes out too liquidy. Sure the ingredient amount is correct?

    1. Lindsay

      Yes, it’s correct. If you are using the correct kind of cream, it should whip without even adding anything else to it. It should whip even better and remain stiff with everything else added. Make sure you are using an actual whipping cream and it should be Heavy whipping cream. The high fat content helps it whip.

      1. Andel Petzer

        Hi there! I want to make this cake for my birthday but we don’t get a cream called “heavy cream” or “heavy whipping cream” in South Africa. We do get a whipping cream with a fat content of 35%, or a double cream with a fat content of 58%. Please could you let me know the fat content of the cream you’re using and then perhaps guidance on how to approach the choc mousse with the cream we have here? Perhaps mix these two we have available and get an average fat content of 46%?

      2. Lindsay

        Heavy whipping cream here is 36% fat or higher. It’s hard to say what the specific one that I use is because it’s not listed on the container. It sounds like either of the ones you mention would be fine.

  28. Alicia Pelletier

    I have this chilling in the fridge right now! I used a chocolate cake recipe very similar to yours and made a mock cake collar out of tin foil that I folded in half to make more sturdy. Then I taped it closed. It was a little hard getting the second cake layer in but I managed! I also used a little milk chocolate chips and semi sweet because I think it makes the chocolate flavor a little less rich. Bringing it to the church picnic tomorrow, I’ll let you know the reviews!

  29. Antonina

    Hi, I would like to try this recipe but I have a question. Do you think this cake can be covered with fondant, would the mouse be able to hold the weight? Thank you so much.

    1. Katrina

      After chilling the cake I made a marshmallow fondant which tastes great and covered the cake. The cake kept its shape






  30. Sheila Lavell Williams

    I have tried this recipe before and it turned out perfect with 2% milk…but would like to try it with buttermilk. Have anyone tried it?

  31. abby nickens

    I have made this cake three times and it is amazing. Will this cake freeze well. I 5 different cakes to make for a reunion and making this in advance and freezing them but wasn’t sure on this one. Thinking made the mouse wouldn’t hold up to the defrosting.






    1. Lindsay

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’m not really sure about freezing. There is the possibility that the texture of the mousse would change a bit after freezing.

  32. Angela McCasland

    Lindsay,
    Hello I have a client that would like a baker to make this cake for a Birthday. She would like Gold lettering of Happy Birthday on the cake. Is this achievable with it being Mouse or whipped topping on the top?
    Thank you so much,
    Angela

    1. Lindsay

      Would you be piping the lettering on top or trying to stick a little sign in the top? I would think piping something on top would be fine. If it’s a little sign with a stick, I would just make sure the stick goes down into the cake layers to help hold it in place.

  33. Nicole Brown

    I tried this recipe because I had the taste for chocolate mousse and cake and let me tell you delicious. Very moist, rich, and sweet! I can stop buying chocolate mousse cake from the supermarket now and make my own…..Thank you very much Lindsay!!!!






    1. Nicole

      I’ve tried plenty of different recipes and some are just enough to say you made a recipe but, your recipe is really amazingly delicious! I truly thank you for sharing your recipe!!!

  34. Katrina

    Hello! I noticed the weighted measurements in grams seem to vary for the same cup measurements. Are those correct?

    1. Lindsay

      Not all ingredients weigh the same for the same volume. That’s why measuring by weight can be so valuable. A cup of sugar weighs more than a cup of flour.

    1. Lindsay

      The chocolate mousse will not be thick enough to hold up in the cake without a cake collar until after it has been refrigerated and firmed up. You could try using the moose for the outside of the cake, but you would have to add it after the mousse in the cake has cooled and firmed up in the fridge. I hope that answers your question.

  35. Mariah

    This cake is delicious! My little twist is that I serve it with fresh fruit like raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. It helps cut through the richness of the cake. Such a great recipe!






  36. Sally

    Hello! I haven’t made this cake yet, but I need a chocolate mousse cake that makes a three layer 6″ cake. Do you know what size and how many layers this cake recipe makes?






  37. Antoinette

    OMG…ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS This is the BEST mousse recipe that I found. I needed a special Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe for a homewarming dinner desert for my daughter for a dinner party to impress for a family of X’s..including my own…lol I wasn’t sure how it would come out since I never did mousse before and also never made this recipe before, but, it really was a HIT!!! So, I jumped in with both hands and spent a little more time to prepare since it took a little more care and well worth the risk. I immediately signed up for emails and noticed you have some gorgeous recipes for other cakes, cookies and other desserts. I am now a fan and forwarded your website to my daughter. I would just love to purchase a printed book on all your desert delectables if you plan to do one so I may have that for future baking needs. I am old school and love something written with pictures. Thanks for making our dinner dessert successful. A+






  38. Vittoria

    Love this recipe. This weekend will be the third time I make it!
    I’m entertaining a larger crowd and was hoping to make it in a rectangular 9x13inch pan. Would I need to double the recipe?
    Thanks no advance for your replies






  39. @by.the.grams

    (Rating only the mousse recipe)
    Easy and tasty! I did this without a thermometer and the mousse still set! It worked as a cake filling, but I would stick to using lighter/fluffier cakes. A proper butter cake only cake would be far too heavy.
    Milk chocolate also works in place of the semi-sweet chocolate, just omit the powdered sugar. Even with semi sweet, I’d omit the powdered sugar.
    I didn’t find it necessary to melt the chocolate before adding it to the egg yolk mixture as long as I did it on the double boiler. Just turn off the heat at that stage. Saved me a dish to wash 😋






  40. Rebecca Ross

    Hands down the best cake I’ve ever made! The cake is perfectly moist and the mousse and frosting are delicious! I’m definitely keeping this recipe.

    I did take the liberty to add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the hot water before adding to the batter to deepen the chocolate flavor of the cake. I also wanted to stabilize the whipped cream for the frosting so I added two teaspoons of instant Clear Jel to the powdered sugar and cocoa powder before adding to the whipping cream.

    I’ve never used a cake collar and was a little nervous about assembling this cake, but it ended up being a breeze. I assembled the cake in a springform pan with a collar that I made out of parchment. I was concerned that the cake layers would break when placing them in the collar, but I had no trouble at all and the cake looked beautiful after the mousse firmed up in the refrigerator.

    The cake was a huge hit with everyone! I would make it again without hesitation.






  41. Anna

    This was absolutely delicious, the mousse is so good. I used 2 cake pans and cut them so the 4 layers with the mouse looks very elegant. Thank you for the recipe., I would make this again, it’s an impressive looking dessert.

  42. Bryn

    I only have 9-inch cake pans – would you recommend doing 2 9 inch layers or still 3 layers? How long should I put in the oven if using 9-inch pans? Thanks!

    1. Lindsay

      I would do two pans instead of three. As for bake time, I would keep an eye on it. It may just be a few minutes more.

  43. Zubeida Waqar

    Its the first time I’ve tried the mousse recipe,I hope it turns out good.The whipped cream topping is great and I love it.Thank you for sharing the recipe.






  44. Sandy Little

    Can’t wait to try this for my granddaughter birthday cake. We’re having a outdoor party. The temperature here in Arizona will probably be in the 70’s. Will this cake be okay for a couple of hours?

    1. Lindsay

      I don’t typically leave cakes outside in the heat so it’s hard for me to be sure. But I’d bring it out shortly before serving.

  45. Francesca

    I love this recipe so much! This is now the cake that both of my kids request for their birthdays. It’s the best, moistest cake any of us have ever had! The chocolate mousse filling and chocolate whipped cream frosting is a chocolate lover’s dream come true. Last year, I had to use two 9″ round cake pans, because I couldn’t find 8″ pans locally. After both kids requested this cake again this year, I ordered a set of three 8″ round pans, along with the recommended cake collar in the recipe, and 8 inch parchment paper rounds. It will be my first time making a 3 layer cake. I’m a little nervous, but up for the challenge. My main concern is that the chocolate cake is so moist that I worry I’ll break it when placing the cake layers. If anyone has any tips or tricks on how to place layers in the collar without breaking the cake. I’d really appreciate it. I had minor breakage issues when I had to use the two 9″ pans before. (The cake was completely cool on the rack when I placed the top layer, but I hadn’t refrigerated it). Thanks in advance for any expert advice. I’m a novice at layer cakes.






    1. Lindsay

      I’m so glad it’s been a hit! One thing you could try is to put the cake layers in the fridge for a little bit so they firm up for when you’re moving them around. You could even freeze them for 15 minutes or so. I hope that helps!

  46. sarah

    This cake is delicious, the only problem I have is whenever I make it the cake always ends up falling apart when I take them out the cake tins.






    1. Kirsten

      Hi Sarah,
      I put baking paper between my spring form pan sides and the bottom. They taking it out doesn’t involve trying to cut it off (learnt to do this from another recipe and don’t want to go back to trying to cut the cake off). Hope this help!

  47. Ally

    I have made this recipe a ton and it is so good!

    I was wondering if I could use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose? Would there be a large difference in texture?

  48. Lizy

    I always make this cake but I would love to make it as a sheet cake to make the number 9 for my sons bday. Do you know if this is possible? How long can I bake it for?

  49. Emma

    If I wanted to make the mousse a day before the cake, could I refrigerate it and still put it on the cake, or would it be too stiff? Could I re-mix it to make it more spreadable?

    1. Lindsay

      I would not recommend it. Once it sets, it can be hard to stir it up again without it deflating. It may also not really firm back up again.

  50. Yashika

    Hi
    I would like to enquire if the cocoa in the whipped cream frosting can be replaced with chocolate (a ganache frosting).
    If so how would I do this and what would the quantities be to frost the cake?
    Would appreciate your assistance.

  51. Mel

    By far the best cake I have ever baked. I took my time and followed the recipe exactly the only thing I swapped was hot water for hot coffee. Thank you for this recipe!






  52. Angelica Leal

    I didnt use the came recipe, but I did makenthe mousse and whipped cream. It was delicious and will make again.






  53. Donna

    I made this cake this weekend and it was phenomenal. I have never had good luck making a from scratch chocolate cake. It either comes out too dry or not as tasty as I wanted. This cake was perfect. It had a fantastic flavor and texture. It was so moist. Bravo to the recipe creator. I didn’t have the cake collar so I taped some heavy duty foil around the entire cake. Also, I only had two 8″ pans so I had only a two layer cake. I used about 75% of the mousse filling. It set up well so I didn’t have any tilting. I put the rest aside for those who wanted to blob more on top of their piece. Delish.






  54. Kaaya

    Hi if I were to make this in a rectangle pan the mousse would just flow out because the cake collar would not fit so should I refrigerate the mousse to make it more stable to spread? Btw loved this recipe tried it before once and was delicious

    1. Lindsay

      You could certainly try that. You just have to be careful that the mousse doesn’t set completely, because stirring it back up might cause it to deflate a bit.

  55. Batul Shajapurwala

    I would love to try out this recipe. However, I was hoping to make this in a 10 inch pan instead. So same 3 layers but 10 inch pan. How do i adjust the recipe to make that?

  56. Jessie

    Hi, I was wondering if I could make this in a rectangle pan, and make them bite sized, like petit fours, and would that change the baking time? 






    1. Lindsay

      Once you have refrigerated the chocolate mousse until it’s firm (which is about 4-5 hours), you don’t have to refrigerate it any longer really. But you do want to store it in the fridge.

  57. Alejandro Brinker

    Hi Lindsay. I almost forgot to write to you about this cake. I made this recipe twice in one day 2 years ago for my birthday, and I shared the cakes with my teachers and the students during the after school program. They literally couldn’t stop gushing about the cakes after they ate them. And of course I had some too. The recipe was a success. Really delicious and so chocolaty, the mousse was my favorite part of the cake. Thank you for sharing this recipe. 






  58. peggy

    hi lindsay. I just wanted to thank you for this amazing recipe. I’m 19 and I’m mostly interested in making no-bake desserts such as cheese cakes and this was my first time actually baking something. let me just tell you that I heard so many great compliments about both the look and the taste of the cake. I can’t wait to try your other recipes.






  59. Natalie

    Do you think it would affect the texture of the chocolate mousse if I added a black cherry layer on top of the cake but under the mousse? The request was Black Forest but he loves chocolate mousse so I thought this recipe would be perfect. 

    1. Lindsay

      I would think it’d be ok. It’d probably be best if it’s a cherry layer that’s thick enough that it won’t try to slide out from between the cake and mousse layers.

  60. Sabina

    Hey I tried this recipe last weekend and it was incredible! Just wanted to ask if I can double the recipe and make a taller cake? Do you think I’ll need gelatin to stabilize then? Have a wonderful week!






  61. Varna

    Hey there. I really want to make this cake for my cousins bday next weak. I was wondering how tall your cake was at the end? And do you know how tall this cake can be without squishing all the filling out?

    Hope you have a wonderful day and stay healthy :))

  62. Puneet

    Hi there
    I am planning to bake this beauty for my wife’s birthday. The sugar you have used is normal sugar or the powdered sugar?? Also I am not sure about semi sweet chocochip, can I use Cadbury dairy milk chocolate instead?

    1. Lindsay

      When I refer to “sugar”, it’s granulated sugar. In the whipped cream, I say “powdered sugar”. I hope that helps! As for the chocolate, I haven’t tried milk chocolate, but it might end up a little softer consistency.

  63. Dawn

    Hi Lindsay. I am excited to try this cake and am going through the steps and ingredients right now to get started and realized I only have 2% milk on hand. Would that be okay, or does it have to be whole milk? Thank you for sharing all your recipes, I have made several and all delicious!

  64. Lucy

    I have a question. can I use three egg yolks for the mousse instead of four? I don’t want an eggy taste…
    Also since I don’t have a thermometer I’m a bit scared of cooking eggs over the double boiler. So is it fine if the eggs aren’t done perfectly?

    1. Lindsay

      I wouldn’t recommend reducing the eggs. They thicken the mousse, so it may not thicken enough if you reduce them. And I’d recommend a thermometer, just so that your eggs are cooked to a safe temperature and thicken enough.

  65. Amy Jackson

    This cake was one of the best I’ve ever had. It’s not to sugary or bitter and has the perfect taste. The texture was perfect too.






  66. Andrea

    I didn’t have a cake collor or the right sized springform pan so I tried making a mock collar out of parchment paper. It didn’t work. The mousse dripped out the bottom and spread all over the outside of the bottom of the cake. My advice is to make sure you have the proper acetate cake collar on hand before making this cake.

  67. Jesal Patel

    Hi

    Can I use two 9 inch pan instead of 3 8inch pans? I love that your mousse recipe doesn’t require gelatin.

  68. Lirit

    My husband and I made this together for my 40th birthday. Neither of us had ever made anything like this before and it was a lot of work, but it was so worth it. I’m a huge cake and mousse fan and am pretty picky when it comes to good cake. This cake was everything I was looking and hoping for. This was one of the best cakes I’ve ever had. The cake itself was moist, chocolatey, and delicious and the mousse and chocolate whipped cream were absolutely perfect. I was in awe at how great it came out given our lack of experience. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe and detailed instructions!!






  69. Ramona

    This was cake was amazing, made it for a birthday. They loved it so much, said it rivaled Costco’s American cake. I swapped out sugar for no carb sweetener, so only about 300 g carb for whole cake using flour and chocolate chips. Used 9″ pans, so cooked less time, came out perfect and had more cake to go around. Really superb. Thank you for the recipe.

  70. Shana

    Hi not sure if this question has been asked but can this be used for a shaped/carved cake? I just need to angle the sides a bit. But also cover with fondant. Will this recipe work?

  71. Lisa Corbin

    Followed recipe as directed and It came out beautiful & delicious! Will definitely make again, family loved it. Thank you!!






  72. Foodlover

    I love this recipe.. my mom wanted a certain cake and found this recipe. I surprised her for her birthday with this cake. Took me almost 2 days to make due to my medical condition but it was worth it. I made the cake a day ahead, the mousse and frosting the next day. And served it in the evening.. but I do suggest to chill the mousse before layering on the cake.. I made a big mess my collar did not hold. But I was able to fix it. .. served best when chilled. the following day the frosting had a different taste and texture.. to be honest I thought it tasted better the following day. Thank you for this recipe.. will be making it for my son’s birthday but think of making cupcakes this time.






    1. Lindsay

      It’s not really going to be ideal. It’s not going to give you as firm of sides and in my experience when I try to tape it together, the tape comes right off because it’s non-stick. You could try building it inside of a cake pan and use parchment paper has a collar around the edge so that the cake pan holds the sides in and the parchment paper keeps it from sticking to the pan. If you do that, I would suggest putting some clear wrap in the pan first and then a cardboard cake circle and then build the cake on that. Then when it’s done, you can use the clear wrap (which should extend out the sides) to lift the cake out of the pan and the cardboard cake circle should keep it steady.

  73. Farzana

    Hi, I can’t wait to try this recipe. Is it 1 cup of milk or 1 cup of buttermilk? I look forward to hearing from you soon, Thank you. 

  74. Lizy

    I’ve made this recipe countless of times and it truly is an amazing cake. However, I do not know why the filling of my cake is not thick and fluffy like yours. Mine is like a thick syrup so the filing is not high like yours. I still make it work and the cake still tastes amazing, but what do you think am I doing wrong?






    1. Lindsay

      I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it! As for the mousse – It should be kind of soft when you layer it together, but it should firm up in the fridge. If that’s not happening, there are a couple things I could think of. 1. The egg mixture isn’t being cooked enough, to a high enough temperature. 2. Are you using semi sweet chocolate, or another chocolate like milk chocolate?

      1. Lizy

        I am using everything in your list. I am not talented to try other things. Maybe I am not cooking the egg mixture enough. I am making again this weekend for my sons 8th bday as this is his fav cake. I hope it looks like yours. Thanks for the tip and responding…..Maybe next time you can make a video for us slow people 🙂






  75. Miranda

    Hi, I’m afraid I didn’t fold the chocolate and the cream right Bc now my mouse is a little watery.. How can I thicken it back up without ruining it? 

    1. Lindsay

      It’s hard for me to know without seeing it, but it may very well still be OK. The mousse thins out a good bit at that stage, but firms up in the fridge.

  76. Jrose

    Made this cake yesterday. Took me 2 days to make due to my medical condition. Made the cake the night before and made the mousse the next day and when I poured the mousse it ran off the sides. The collar did not hold it in place. So make sure to put the mousse in the fridge for a couple of hours. Before layering it. The frosting I made before serving the cake. Everyone loved this recipe. I’ve never made a cake from scratch and it was worth it. Will be making it again.






  77. Shelly

    Hi Lindsay, I plan to make this cake soon.  I just love this chocolate cake recipe.  But, if I wanted to add some kind of chocolate crunchy layer for texture between the mousse/cake, what would you suggest I use that won’t get soggy?  My inspiration is the chocolate crunchy layer in a Carvel ice cream cake.  Would crushed oreo cookies work?  Thanks.

    1. Lindsay

      It’s hard to say. I think most things would end up softening. If you want to try the crunchy oreo layer like in an ice cream cake, I have a Dairy Queen copycat ice cream cake with a layer like that that you could try. However I think part of the reason that stays crunchy it’s because it’s frozen. I’m not sure if it would stay as crunchy in a regular cake. You could try something like mini chocolate chips. https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/copycat-dairy-queen-ice-cream-cake/

  78. Jocelyn

    Lord that just sounds heavenly! Question, could I use the chocolate mousse as frosting on cupcakes? Will it hold its shape? 

    1. Lindsay

      I’ve never actually measured the temperature. I just pop the water in the microwave and take it out when it’s good and hot or just starts to boil.

  79. Riya

    It looks so delicious! I am planning on making this cake for a friend for her husband’s birthday party. So, I would be making it a few hours ahead and it also needs to sustain about an hour’s drive. Will the whipped cream be stable enough or should I go for buttercream? 

    1. Lindsay

      As long as you aren’t in some super warm environment, it should be fine. Just be sure to make the whipped cream as listed with the ingredients. The powdered sugar and cocoa help to stabilize it.

      1. Karolin

        THANK YOU!!!! 

        Must say this is the best yet easiest cake I’ve ever made! I made this cake for my hubby birthday, and it was a hit!

        The steps are so so clear & detailed, just stick to it and you will get the amazing reward, don’t forget to watch the video/tutorial each time you do the steps (mix the cake, bake it, cooling, build and the frosting).

        However, I do know level of sweetness for each of us are definitely/ totally different, but if you’re not really into something that sweet..(sweet), you might want to cut some of the sugar, for me it’s too sweet, everything’s so perfect, just the sweetness level.

        Will definitely making this cake again with an adjustment with my level of sweetness 😚

        Thank you again for sharing this amazing receipe!






  80. Brenda

    I made this for the first time today but I think I messed up the mousse because it taste only like the chocolate chips. Is that how it’s supposed to taste?

    1. Lindsay

      I’m not really sure what you mean about the taste. It obviously should taste like chocolate. Are you saying it tasted and had the consistency of more like chocolate ganache? After the whipped cream is added, it should light up.

  81. Dave Abell

    I made 3 of these cakes. 2 were made with real sugar and 1 went to my wife’s office and 1 was for my wife’s daughter and her family. The third was made with monk fruit in the cake and sugar substitute in the mousse and frosting. This cake was awful, but the other two were light and fluffy and moist. Is this typical, or did I ere on some other way??

    1. Lindsay

      That is kind of what I would expect. Sweeteners like that have a pretty big affect on the way things turn out. Aside from the fact that they can affect the texture of the cake, they have a very strong flavor to them that kind of takes over if you use too much. I made some mini cheesecakes with that same sweetener recently and cut down the amount of sugar a fair amount. I would think it would be especially tricky in a cake and mousse because of the larger amount of sugar and texture. I’m glad you enjoyed the versions with the regular sugar though!

    2. Lorraine

      I am so glad you posted this.  I made this cake for my mom’s 82 birthday and she had asked if I could make it sugar free. Id never made this cake before, so I kept with the original recipe and its delicious, delicious, delicious. Monk fruit is ok in tea, but cake needs sugar. 






  82. Belma

    Made this for my family and boyfriend, it was an absolute success! Everybody LOVED it! At the end, we stopped cutting slices and eventually just all started going at it with a fork!! The cake was moist and delicious, the whip cream and mousse just as great! Thank you for sharing!!






  83. Chelsea

    Hello, Lindsay! 😊 I just want to know how long can this mousse cake last outside the fridge? The party is from 1-5pm. Can the mousse withstand the chocolate ganache frosting after the mousse has set? Or is it possible to add powdered gelatin to add more stability if so how many would you think? Thank you in advance!

    1. Lindsay

      It should be fine for that amount of time. You could add gelatin, but I don’t think it would need it. I’m not sure what chocolate ganache you’re referring to – the recipe doesn’t call for it that I can remember. I hope you enjoy it!

    2. Kelsie

      I used this mousse filling for a tiered wedding cake, I stabilized the whip cream with gelatin and completely omitted the powdered sugar. Stable mousse at room temp for 6 hours!  Very light and surly with Rich chocolate flavour !

      1. demi

        …if u see my message,,,how did u add the gelatin and how much?dissolved in water and melted or somehow else?i want to make a doll cake with ch.mousse and banana slices inside and whipped cream or buttercream outside.it will be in the fridge …i am just worried if it is firm enough to hold between layers of cakes for the doll cake?and not slide off or sth…thanks

      2. Lindsay

        There isn’t gelatin in this chocolate mousse. The egg yolks are what firm it up. If you are concerned about stability for a particular kind of cake, you could add gelatin though.

  84. Mikki Young

    Making this for the third time today! I was making it for my neice’s birthday and after tasting the mousse decided I had to make a cake for myself! So I did and shared it with friends and family who all loved it too. My grandmother loved it so much she requested it for her birthday so here I am making it for a third time. Soooo yummy!






  85. Samantha

    Wow! This is what I would call the last chocolate cake I would ever make. This cake is so moist and just enough chocolate taste… I don’t think any other cake will ever be as good as this.
    I did have an issue with the mousse. It did not quite get ‘solid’ enough for me. It is fine in the refrigerator but it cannot be outside it long.
    I will have to double check my measurements. I also thought the mousse was a little sweet by itself. Once I put the cake together, it all seemed to work out. I selected to not add chocolate to the frosting. All who have eaten it, love it. Thank you so much for all your work on this and sharing it!

    1. Lindsay

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s hard to say why the mousse wasn’t quite as form, but it could have to do with how long you cooked the egg mixture or perhaps the whipped cream.

  86. Tammy

    Hi Lindsay when you put cake in fridge to set mousse for 3-5 hours does it need to be covered then? And do you cover straight away in fridge once you finished cream if your going to use it that day or only if your using it the next day or leftovers etc? Hope these questions make sense lol

    1. Lindsay

      If it’s just going to be in the fridge for a few hours, it won’t hurt it if you don’t cover it. If it’s going to be in there overnight or something, it might be best to store it in a cake carrier in the fridge so it doesn’t dry out.

  87. Ana Goncalves

    Hi Lindsay, this recipe looks amazing and I’m going to make it for my husband’s birthday who is a chocolate lover! However, i wanted to have a layer of dark chocolate mousse and the other layer white chocolate mouse. Are the ingredients proportion the same to make both by just substituting the type of chocolate used for the mousse?

    1. Lindsay

      No, the mousse would be a little different because different kinds of chocolate have different fat contents. I’m not totally sure how to advise without testing it. I’m sorry!

    1. Lindsay

      I haven’t actually tried that before, but I think it would be fine. I would suggest melting it with the chocolate chips and maybe trying about a 1/2 cup or so?

  88. Maria

    Hello, I made the cake for my sister’s birthday and it was AMAZING!!!! It was sooo moist!!! I was think about using the same recipe to make a vanilla cake…could I substitute the cocoa powder with flour??? Thank you in advance!

  89. Maggy

    I made this cake, actually I doubled the recipe, and wow what delicious decadent cake. It was worth putting in the effort to make. Highly recommend for everyone who enjoys baking, to give it a go!! You won’t be disappointed with the effort you put into. Was so delicious 😋 

  90. Ghiras

    Hi..

    it seems soooo delicious..but i tried to find a heavy whipping cream where I live but couldn’t find what can I do?

    1. Lindsay

      What alternatives do you have? Heavy cream will work, though it won’t be quite as stiff. If you have access to something like Cool Whip, you could try that too.

    1. Lindsay

      The cake recipe should be fine as cupcakes, but the mousse would need to be a filling, not a frosting. It’s fairly soft before it firms up in the fridge. You could use the whipped cream as the frosting though.

    1. Lindsay

      The hot water helps the cocoa bloom and gives it a stronger chocolate flavor, but you could use room temperature or cold water and the cake would still bake fine.

  91. Kirsty Smith

    What should I do if I over whip the cream frosting? I just made this but it became very stiff and not very pliable at all! Never made mousse before, so no idea how to fix it!

    1. Lindsay

      For the whipped cream, you could try adding a smidge of extra heavy cream and gently stir it in. That should loosen it up a bit.

  92. Cassie

    My aunt and I are making this for my birthday cake on Thursday, the only difference is that we’re only filling the cake with the mousse and using a chocolate buttercream (our favorite) as the coating icing. It’ll be the first time I make a cake from scratch, but I’ve always made a box mix with coffee instead of water, providing a deeper chocolate flavor.

  93. Yousra

    Thank you my dear i tried this recipe as you wrote exactly every step and details .
    The result is unbelievable as you mentioned the cake is terrific very rich in chocolate flavor i also added coffe to the hot water before adding it to the cake batter.
    And it is the first time for me to do the chocolate mousse with egg yolk i followed your instructions and also it was a successful one …….again many thanks for sharing this recipe with details.






  94. Tina Cromey

    I have made this cake 3x now and it is a winner every time! My family loves it and requests it for birthdays. Great recipe if you have the time!






  95. Sheila

    Hi Lindsay, How are you? Thank you for this recipe. I want to surprise my daughter and make her birthday cake. Can I use the mousse to crumb coat the cake instead and then refrigerate and then cover with mirror glaze?

    1. Lindsay

      I would think that would be fine, but I have never worked with mirror glaze before, so use your best judgment.

  96. Dieselle

    Hi Linday, I want to use the chocolate mousse filling for a unicorn cake. The birthday girl would like some strawberry jam or preserves in the filling as well, any idea how to add that to the filling layers? Maybe put on top of the mousse filling but don’t go all the way to the edges so the mousse creates a dam?






  97. mariam

    Hi.i want to try this but i am not sure about what kind of chocolate did u use? .because this color is so perfect .

    1. Lindsay

      I used Hershey’s regular cocoa for the cake and whipped cream and semi sweet chocolate chips for the mousse.

  98. Ally

    Hi I would like to know whether I can change the choc chips to dark chocolate compound? The grams (weight) would be the same?

    Thanks!

  99. Patrick

    I have made this cake with gluten free cup for cup flour and it came out perfect. I have also made it with organic flour. It is now my favorite moist chocolate cake. The mouse and whipped cream frosting are what make this so special. This is a great break from the regular, heavy buttercream icing on chocolate cakes. Thank You for posting this recipe. I will be using it for years to come.






  100. Julie

    Delicious! I made the chocolate cake but paired it with you chocolate stabilized whipped cream and it was marvelous. Definitely will be my go to chocolate cake.

  101. Pamela Kauffman

    I’ve made this cake 4 times and it is my family’s favorite when it comes to chocolate. They request it for birthday s and anything under the sun!!!!

      1. Srujana

        Hi
        You mentioned 3 8inch pans. What if we are using 9inch pans. How many should we use for this recipe?
        Thank you!

    1. Bonnie

      Hi Sarah, I’m making this cake and had also planned on layering it and freezing it but am now a little worried about how it’ll defrost. Did u ever try it? Thanks

  102. Kimmie

    I made this today well tried too! Lol I made a mistake and the layers turned into fudge icing and I read the directions wrong my fault. I used gluten free and made it sugar free. And I didn’t use confectioners sugar but powdered sweetener. And not bad going to redue it again the correct way. But my mistake cake was really good and rich! Love the recipe 

  103. Melissa

    My 5 year old watched your video and picked this for her upcoming birthday!! One question though… what is the best way to wrap and store it in the fridge??

      1. Teresa

        Hi Lindsay!

        Is it safe to leave the whipped cream out overnight at room temp? Im afraid it will melt-if it makes sense lol

        Thanks!

      2. Lindsay

        The whipped cream holds up really well, but I would not recommend leaving it out overnight.

  104. Gaolee Vang

    I made this cake recipe for my daughter’s birthday and everyone loved it! We made more making them into cupcakes. I’m definitely using this recipe again. Thank you for sharing your delicious recipes!

  105. Alma Villarreal Cox

    I am making this cake for the first time and have never used the cake collar.  Do i place the cake on the cardboard first add the mousse and let it set or do I immediately place the cake on top of the mousse and continue the process?  I wasn’t if it would smash it !!!!

    1. Lindsay

      You layer cake, mousse, cake, mousse, cake – and all at once. You don’t need to refrigerate between layers. The lovely thing about the cake collar is it allows you to do that without smashing anything. 🙂 It all stays in place. I hope you enjoy it!

  106. Marisa

    Hi, I am planning to make this cake for the holidays. However, nowhere in the recipe or video does it explain how to get layers two and three into the perfectly fitting cake collar without breaking them. Any hints will be appreciated!

  107. Ann

    Hi Lindsay,
    I would like to make this cake for my 35th birthday next week. Can I substitute the A/P flour to gluten free one?

      1. Ann

        Yayyyy! I made it with gluten free flour. I love it! So perfect for my palate. So delicious!!! Love everything with this cake. Thanks Lindsay.

  108. Fatima

    Hi lindsay ,
    I want to ask you that can l divide the recipe into half ( including cake , chocolate mousse and frosting) ???
    And …
    If i do that the cake will come out perfectly???

    1. Lindsay

      Having not tried to build that size of this cake, it’d be hard to say. I know that the cakes and mousse would be fine individually, but I’m not sure what size cake would be best.

  109. Mariah

    Is it possible to make the mousse ahead of time and put it between the layers after it has set? I do not have a cake collar

    1. Lindsay

      Unfortunately, I don’t think it would. Once the mousse sets, it’s set. If you stir it back up again, it usually deflates. You could try the method using the mock collar though. I’ve used that on many cakes in the past and it works just fine.

  110. Samed raheel

    Hi I am confused about judge 1 3/4 and 2 1/4 is this one 1 time 3/4 or 1 and 3/4 both include similarly 2 time 1/4 or 2 and 1/4 both include please guide me thank.

    1. jeanne lopilato

      1 3/4 cups means one cup plus 3/4 cup. 2 1/4 cups means 2 cups plus 1/4 cup. American recipe amounts are always written like that. Hope this helps.

  111. Tanya

    My mousse came out very runny – it would never support a cake on top. I’ve put it in the fridge for a bit to see if it will firm up. Any ideas on how to fix or what i might have done wrong?

    1. Lindsay

      The mousse is very thin when you first make it, which is why the cake is layered with a cake collar or something similar. The cake will not hold up until the mousse has been refrigerated and firmed. The cake collar allows the cake to be stacked while the mousse is soft, then once it’s firm you can remove the collar and it’ll stand up well.

  112. Rebecca

    I was looking for a cake recipe just like this… and I’m so excited to find it on your blog – on that I reference regularly. I am planning on finishing the cake off with a marbled chocolate ganache – my question is…. should I use the whipped cream or should I go with something safer like a buttercream. Your thoughts would be very much appreciated! Thanks!

    1. Lindsay

      Certainly a buttercream would be safer. I can’t remember if I’ve ever tried adding ganache to whipped cream, but buttercream might be best. I hope you enjoy it!

  113. Hanna

    Hi! I’m so happy that I found your website. It was so hard to find any other recipes which ones are not only for Americans. It’s so much easier for me to have grams . Maybe you know another’s websites where everything is also written in grams? It would be really nice to know!
         P.s. I’m sorry if I made any mistakes while writing this, because English is not my first language and I hope you at least understand my point.   

    1. Raquel Zapata

      I would like to make this but I want to do 6 in cake pans instead. Do you know if I should just cut everything in half? Thank you so much

      1. Lindsay

        I really don’t make any 6 inch cakes, so I’m not sure. It might bet better to do like 2/3 of the recipe.

  114. Dieselle

    Hi Lindsay,
    Congratulations to both you and Jocelyn.
    Lindsay regarding the cake… I love your recipe for “Best Chocolate Cake” with the Hershey’s Dark Chocolate powder and buttermilk. Would that recipe work here or is it too delicate?

    1. Lindsay

      The color did end up looking the same, but the mousse is between the cake layers and the whipped cream is on the outside of the cake.

  115. Ivory

    This cake looks amazing.  I think I can taste it, and has gained 10lbs just looking at how beautiful and yummy it looks.   Yum!

  116. Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)

    My IVF partner in crime, you will always be! I am so blessed that we were on this journey together. I can’t imagine anyone better to have gone down this road with. You are such a true friend to me. Thank you for being part of this!

  117. Nicole

    Oh my goodness! First let me say, I love your blog. I must retweet just about everything you publish on Twitter. Then I always wanted to ask you, what do you do with all of these cakes? You must have a separate freezer just to store your cakes for special occasions. Also, thank you so much for participating in this virtual event! I loved seeing what everyone came up with and appreciate working with you!

    1. Lindsay

      Thanks Nicole! And thanks for organizing! I give as much away as I can and definitely freeze a good bit too, then give it to my parents. 🙂

  118. Rebecca

    Congratulations Jocelyn! And to you as well. As someone who has also struggled with infertility and been through IVF hell and back twice – you ladies have my support and admiration! And, so… now onto my cake question! I was looking for a cake recipe just like this… and I’m so excited to find it on your blog – on that I reference regularly. I am planning on finishing the cake off with a marbled chocolate ganache – my question is…. should I use the whipped cream or should I go with something safer like a buttercream. Your thoughts would be very much appreciated! Thanks!

  119. Stefanie

    I want to make this today for Wednesday and your instructions say that the cake will hold up in fridge well covered for 3-4 days. I was just a little concerned about the homemade chocolate whipped cream….doesn’t that get weepy if not used immediately? Just want to double check before I start baking, thank you!!! And I have been praying for the safe arrival of your precious twins!

    1. Lindsay

      It doesn’t get weepy, just be sure to use the full amount of powdered sugar and cocoa listed. It stabilizes the whipped cream so that it doesn’t wilt.

  120. Karen @ The Food Charlatan

    Happy baby shower Jocelyn! You are going to be an amazing mom! This cake looks like exactly what I need for my birthday Lindsay…every year, please 🙂

  121. Carol Thebus

    I love that you make everything from scratch giving the end result a more quality taste – and more importantly, you know every single ingredient that went into your cake.

    You are my inspiration,

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I'm a wife and a mom to twin boys and a baby girl! And I've got a serious sweets addiction! Bring on the treats!

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29