Decadent Chocolate Mousse Cake (No Gelatin!)
This chocolate mousse cake combines a dense layer of chocolate fudge cake topped with a light and airy layer of chocolate mousse. Made without gelatin, the lightness of the mousse is made from a combination of whipped egg whites and heavy cream. To top it off, add a bunch of berries for a decadent and elevated chocolate dessert that is actually really easy to make!
For this recipe I was realllllly going for the looks fancy but is super easy vibes.
I took the fudgy base from my cosmic brownie recipe and made it in cake form. Then I took some notes from my flourless chocolate cake and came up with a light and airy topping.
With the two opposing textures this cake has the perfect balance of light and airy and dense and chocolatey.
When testing this cake I wanted to make sure that the mousse layer was just as high, if not higher than the fudge bottom, and I also wanted it to be gelatin free.
Even as a trained pastry chef, gelatin just isnt something I use in my house, and I don’t think its a common ingredient in other homes, so I set off to test this without it!
Instead of using gelatin for stability, the mousse layer gets it’s airiness from whipped egg whites and whipped heavy cream. I first tested out using only egg whites but found it wasnt enough. The addition of whipped cream gives the mousse extra height and stability.
The best part is it’s easy to make at home from scratch! The ingredients are simple, and the process is straightforward. The only thing thats a little out of the ordinary is having to get a strip of acetate for lining the springform pan. See below for my notes on that!
While tasting this recipe, I heard one of my friends say, “This is like something out of a fancy restaurant!”
Wohoo!
Ingredients and Equipment
Let’s highlight a few of the important ingredients and equipment you’ll need to make this cake look and feel like it came right out of a professional bakery!
Acetate Cake Collar: Acetate, or a “cake collar”, is a thin strip of plastic that wraps around cakes. You use it to keep pourable things like mousse, or curd from spilling out over a cake until it has chilled and solidified over the cake.
It comes in a roll so you can cut it to any shape you want. Plus you can re use it! I use the same one for this recipe all the time. All you have to do is line it in the cake pan, pour in your mousse, then when it is chilled, pull it off!
70% Dark Chocolate: Choosing 70% dark chocolate for this recipe is ideal because it offers a perfect mix of flavor and texture. It has a rich, deep taste that isnt too sweet. It also melts beautifully, contributing to the smooth and creamy texture of the mousse.
Rubber Spatula: Use a light weight spatula instead of a whisk to reduce the air bubbles and keep everything smooth.
Glass bowl: I like to use a glass bowl for this recipe because as you are folding you can look on the bottom of the bowl to see if you missed any chocolate when folding in the egg whites.
If you dont have a spring form pan
Honestly, why not? LOL, I use it all the time for cheesecake recipes and one layer cakes! To use the acetate liner you’ll need a springform pan because it un-clicks and allows you to get the liner onto the edges of the cake.
If you dont have one then use a cake pan with high sides, you wont be able to use the acetate and you dont want the mousse spilling over.
No acetate?
If you dont want to get the cake collar, you can use parchment instead, its just not as sturdy.
Instructions
Make sure to chill the cake in the fridge for 4 hours or best overnight. You have to make sure you are cutting into a cold cake otherwise it wont be set and will be a goopy mess!
Decadent Chocolate Mousse Cake (No Gelatin!)
Ingredients
For the fudge cake:
- 1/2 cup butter, unsalted
- 6 oz semi sweet chocolate, about a heaping 1 cup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs large
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
For the chocolate mousse:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 8 oz semi sweet chocolate, or chocolate chips
- 1/2 tbsp instant coffee, Sub vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp hot water
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- Berries for garnish
Equipment
- 8 Inch Mixing Bowl
- Rubber Spatula
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F then spray and line a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium size microwavable safe bowl, melt the 1/2 cup butter and 6 oz chocolate together, 30 seconds at a time until fully melted.
- Add in the 1 cup sugar, 3 eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix on low to medium speed with a hand mixer or whisk by hand.
- Add in the 2/3rd cup flour, 1 tbsp cocoa, and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-28 mins until the center is no longer jiggly. Cool.
Make the mousse
- Melt the 2 tbsp butter and 8 oz chocolate together in a large microwave safe bowl (glass preferred) for 30 seconds at a time, mixing in between until the chocolate is completely melted. Cool. Combine the 1/2 tablespoon of instant coffee with hot water in a cup. Pour it into the chocolate and mix.
- Separate the eggs by adding the whites into the mixing bowl of a stand or hand mixer, and the yolks into the chocolate mixture. Mix the chocolate mixture with a spatula until combined. It will get a bit thicker, thats ok!
- Using the whisk attachment whip the egg whites on high speed, pouring in the 1/4 cups sugar slowly while whipping. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form. You know the whites are ready when you take the beater out, flip it upside down and the tip of the egg white can hold itself up.
- Fold 1/2 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture at a time making sure not to deflate them. Fold until there are no white streaks left then continue until there are no more egg whites.
- Lightly wash out your mixing bowl and beater. Add 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream and 1/4 tsp cream of tartar to the bowl. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. About 1 minute. This can happen fast! Make sure you watch it or it can curdle when over mixed.
- Fold the whipped cream into the mousse mixture using the same technique as folding in egg whites.
- Unclasp the springform pan and line acetate or parchment paper around the cake on the inside of the pan until it reaches the bottom. This means the cake has to come off the sides of the pan. Make sure its lined at the bottom or the mousse with seep out. Pour the chocolate mousse on top of the cake. Spread with a spoon to flatten all over evenly.
- Refrigerate the cake for 4 hours or overnight. Add fresh fruit on top before serving, raspberries are a favorite!
I haven’t tried this yet. But you have mentioned in the recipe about whipping the cream without describing what you did with the whipped cream later. Do you fold the cream into the mousse mix, or do you use the cream somewhere else.
Hey Geeta! Thanks for catching that in the recipe card. I fixed it!
Thanks Sam
Can this be made eggless?
I havent tried it unfortunately.