Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake (Printable)
An elegant French dessert with moist sponge, velvety mousse, and glossy chocolate glaze.
# What You Need:
→ Chocolate Sponge
01 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
02 - 100 g granulated sugar
03 - 80 g all-purpose flour
04 - 20 g unsweetened cocoa powder
05 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
06 - 1/4 tsp salt
07 - 30 ml whole milk
08 - 30 ml vegetable oil
09 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Dark Chocolate Mousse
10 - 250 g high-quality dark chocolate (60–70%), chopped
11 - 400 ml heavy cream, cold
12 - 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
13 - 60 g granulated sugar
14 - 2 tbsp water
15 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt
→ Chocolate Glaze
17 - 120 g dark chocolate, chopped
18 - 80 ml heavy cream
19 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line the base of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
02 - Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
03 - Beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.
04 - Gently fold in the dry ingredients. Drizzle in milk, oil, and vanilla extract; mix gently until just combined.
05 - Pour batter into the pan and bake for 18–20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan.
06 - Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly.
07 - Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a simmer.
08 - Beat egg yolks in a separate bowl. Gradually pour the hot syrup into the yolks while whisking constantly until pale and thick.
09 - Stir the melted chocolate and vanilla extract into the egg yolk mixture. Add a pinch of salt.
10 - Whip cold cream in a clean bowl to soft peaks.
11 - Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten, then gently fold in the remainder until smooth.
12 - Remove cooled sponge from pan and place on a serving platter. Clean and reassemble the pan ring around the sponge.
13 - Pour mousse over the sponge, smoothing the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until set.
14 - Heat cream until just simmering, then pour over chopped chocolate and butter. Let sit 1 minute, then stir until glossy and smooth. Cool for 10 minutes.
15 - Remove cake from pan. Pour glaze over the mousse layer, allowing it to drip down the sides. Smooth with a spatula. Chill for 30 minutes to set the glaze before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast between the tender sponge and cloud-like mousse creates this incredible textural experience that keeps everyone coming back for seconds
- Despite looking like something from a French patisserie, it comes together with mostly pantry staples and one solid afternoon of effort
02 -
- The sponge must be completely cool before adding the mousse or the texture will become dense and gummy
- Don't overfold the whipped cream into the chocolate—a few streaks are better than deflated cream
03 -
- Use pasteurized eggs if you're concerned about consuming raw yolks, though the hot syrup does cook them
- Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable for the mousse—cold chocolate will seize and warm cream won't whip properly