Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
I have been tempted by Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake for well over three years now. I’ve seen a variety of recipes in a number of different places and have bookmarked it and doggy-eared it countless times. One day last week, my Chief Culinary Consultant mentioned that it had been awhile since I had made a big ol’ fancy cake. A show-stopper, as it were. Challenge accepted. I sifted through my notes, spreadsheets and cookbooks to see what I might want to bake up, when a page from a long-gone Cook’s Illustrated magazine fell out of a binder. The Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake. It was destiny.
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This triple layer cake is the trifecta of chocolate deliciousness. The bottom layer is a flourless chocolate cake… the middle layer is a light dark chocolate mousse… and the top layer is an even lighter white chocolate mousse. The combination of the three is rich, intensely flavorful and silky smooth. It’s a fabulous dessert to pair with coffee and enjoy slowly, lingering over each bite.
This cake is the holy grail for any chocolate lover. It takes a bit of time, but the assembly is relatively easy and absolutely, 100% worth it. You owe yourself this treat!
One year ago: Oatmeal-Raisin Ice Cream
Two years ago: How To Make a Rainbow Cake
Four years ago: Polenta Pizza
Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
Ingredients
For the Bottom Layer
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces, plus extra for greasing pan, (3 ounces )
- 7 ounces (198.45 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) instant espresso powder
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 4 eggs, separated
- Pinch salt
- ⅓ cup (73.33 g) light brown sugar
For the Middle Layer:
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
- 5 tablespoons hot water
- 7 ounces (198.45 g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1½ cups (357 ml) cold heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) table salt
For the Top Layer
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) powdered gelatin
- 1 tablespoon water
- 6 ounces (170.1 g) white chocolate chips, (1 cup )
- 1½ cups (357 ml) cold heavy cream
Instructions
- Make the Bottom Layer: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan that is at least 3 inches high.
- Melt the butter, chocolate and espresso powder in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla and egg yolks; set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Add half of the brown sugar and beat until combined, about 15 seconds. Add the remaining brown sugar and beat at high speed until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, about 1 minute longer, scraping down the sides halfway through. Whisk one-third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining egg whites until no white streaks remain. Carefully transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan, gently smoothing the top with an offset spatula.
- Bake until the cake has risen, is firm around the edges, and the center has just set but is still soft (the center of cake will spring back after pressing gently with your finger), 13 to 18 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. (The cake will collapse as it cools.) Do not remove the cake from the pan.
- Make the Middle Layer: Whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water in a small bowl and set aside. Melt the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream, granulated sugar and salt on medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 15 to 60 seconds.
- Whisk the cocoa powder mixture into the melted chocolate until smooth. Whisk one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Spoon the mousse into the springform pan over the cooled cake and gently tap the pan on counter 3 times to remove any large air bubbles; smooth the top with an offset spatula. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while preparing the top layer.
- Make the Top Layer: In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water; let stand for at least 5 minutes. Place the white chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring ½ cup of the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add the gelatin mixture, whisking until fully dissolved. Pour the cream mixture over the white chocolate chips and whisk until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is completely smooth. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes (the mixture will thicken slightly).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 15 to 60 seconds. Whisk one-third of the whipped cream into the white chocolate mixture to lighten. Using a rubber spatula, fold the remaining whipped cream into the white chocolate mixture until no white streaks remain. Spoon the white chocolate mousse into the pan over the middle layer. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. Return the cake to the refrigerator and chill until set, at least 2½ hours.
- The cake can be made up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes before releasing it from the pan. Garnish the top of cake with chocolate curls or dust with cocoa, if desired. Run a thin knife between the cake and side of the springform pan, then remove the side of pan. Cut into slices and serve. (For clean slices, dip a sharp knife into hot water and wipe dry between cuts.)
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Your cake looks gorgeous. I made this recipe last night. We will have it tonight for my mother’s birthday. I was just wondering how you got the white chocolate mousse layer so flawless? Mine does not look at silky smooth as yours.
Sounds great. Wanna make it for my sisters bday .I have a doubt though… Can I use semi-sweet chocolate instead of bitter sweet? Will it be too sweet ? TIA :)
Hi Mitch, You can sub semisweet chocolate. Sweetness tends to be a matter of personal preference, in my experience. If you typically don’t find yourself saying that things are too sweet, you’ll probably be okay :)
I just finished making the bottom layer and I need help! My cake layer completely pulled away from the sides of the pan, a lot, and I am not sure now how the second layer will go on without it leaking down the sides. Any advice? Thanks!
Hi April, Mine pulled away a bit as well. When you make your second layer, it might seep in that gap, but should still set just fine.
This cake looks wonderful! Two questions – the flourless cake recipe I’ve used from your site (which was phenomenal) did not have added sugar – is it necessary to add the 1/3 cup sugar in the bottom layer? Second, has anybody tried halving the recipe for the top two layers? I know it might not look as nice, but I’m baking this for two and it seems to be a rather heavy cake.
Hi Sammy, The bottom layer will be quite bitter without any added sugar; that’s personal preference, really – if you’re okay with it, than you can omit the sugar. I haven’t tried halving any of the layers.
Just made this for my husbands birthday. Was a little bit more involved than most cakes I make, but SO worth the effort! It came out looking beautiful and the husband LOVED it!!! Success :) thank you!!
Hi! I made this for my moms bday today and the first 2 layers looked amazing but the white chocolate layer turned out lumpy…super lumpy….I don’t know what I did wrong :( do you think it’ll still taste good??
I am so glad ive came to this site to find this beautiful chocolate recipe , I’ve been looking a chocolate cake recipes for ages and I think I finally found it , My crush asked me to make him a chocolate cake and I really want to impress him with this one .. I will give it a try and see how it goes , I hope It turns out just like the pictures above … Thank you so much
This is my husband’s favourite cake. I made this for fathers’ day and he said it is way better, in looks and taste, than the store bought. Thanks!
Just made this mousse cake & popped it in the fridge ! Fun & easy, hope it tastes as lovely as it looks.
I found this website by accident and it just opened to this recipe. Thank you so much!!!! I made it for my family and friends at a party and they all really loved it. they want me to make it again for a birthday. I added some sliced strawberries to the top and melted chocolate in a swirly random design, just for decoration. The strawberries made it even more decadent.
You rule. I’m gonna make every cake on this website. THANK YOU
silly..I got it. Thanks for the nice recipe. A nice cake is in my fridge now. ;)
Did I miss the egg yolks part for the bottom layer? It seems missing..
I tried making the first layer, and when it cooled, it collapsed like you said. But, even the sides did as well so they are no longer touching the sides of the pan. Thus, when I pour the second layer over, it spills onto the sides. Now when I look at the cake from the outside, it looks like two layers instead of 3. How do I prevent this from happening next time?
Hi Thuy, If you can see from the pictures, my lower layer shrunk a bit, too. I don’t think it’s that big of a deal, though.
Everything went fine until the last layer, when my mixture curdled on adding the whipped cream to the white chocolate mixture. I tried it twice and the same thing happened both times. Any suggestions for what I might have done wrong?
Hi Liz, I can’t imagine why it would curdle at that particular point. The only thing I can think of is that the white chocolate mixture is too hot so it essentially breaks down the whipped cream.
I just made this cake last weekend for my boyfriend’s birthday – oh man, was it ever a hit! This cake is so delicious, and also beautiful! Even his grandma was raving about it! Yay!!
So I made this cake, went smoothly. Did anyone else notice the egg yolks and vanilla never make a reappearance? I checked twice…will this effect the cake?
Hi Sarah, They are added at the end of step #2 (last sentence). Unfortunately, yes, the elimination of the egg yolks will definitely affect the outcome of the cake.
I didn’t put in the eggs with vanilla and it turned out fine. However, I don’t know if it will taste any different.
I just finished making this an hour ago, I just can’t to show this to my friend’s birthday celebration at the 20th! Resist. The. Temptation. Gaaaaah!
Why doesnt the middle layer has gelatin in it? Would it stay firm ?
Hi Amna, It can set up just fine with whipped cream, it sets up nicely, like a firm mousse.
Just made this cake and can’t wait to taste it! I currently have it uncovered in the fridge as it settles. However once umnolded and cut, how would you store the remainder of the cake in the fridge? Uncovered, plastic wrap, etc?
Hi Ally, I would store leftovers either wrapped with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
Hi Michelle, thanks for sharing this recipe. I have two questions- For the top layer, I’d like to make a lighter chocolate mousse instead of white chocolate. Can I use the same recipe as the middle layer but switch out to milk chocolate? This cake is a gift so I need to transfer it from the springform bottom base to a cake box base. Any suggestions on an easy way for removal from the base? Thanks for your help!
Hi Tina, I think you could do a milk chocolate layer on top without an issue. As for separating the cake from the base of the springform pan… I would recommend a large round spatula, like this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000237LPC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000237LPC&linkCode=as2&tag=broeyebak-20. I have one and it’s perfect for things like this.
Michelle , thanks so much for your quick reply!
That spatula is awesome and will be of great help. I’ve decided to follow the lighter mousse top layer recipe with the milk chocolate chips. I want the top layer to be airy. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Thanks again.
Michelle, I had to come back here to post how great this cake turned out. The only change I made to the recipe was to use milk chocolate chips in place of white chocolate. I made this cake as a gift for a dinner party of 10 and every single person LOVED it. I received very high praise. I only regret not tasting it myself. I’ll have to make it again just for me soon! Thanks.
All i can say is Sweet jeebus! I made this for Valentine’s day and followed your directions which were perfect. On top of the steak dinner we had a slice which put us into a food coma. Each bite was so rich and creamy that my taste buds were doing summersaults! I’m still immobilized on the couch 12 hrs later. My wife is breastfeeding our 7 week old and this dessert must have went into the milk…..she slept 9hrs straight…. thank you, thank you!!
Now we need to invite friends and family to get rid of the dessert. It’s too much for two. Any idea how long it can last in the fridge? Should it be covered?
Hi David, I’m so glad you both (three!) enjoyed it! You can keep it in the fridge for about 4 days. Yes, it should be covered.
Hi,
I want to make this for Valentine’s day, but I’d rather do individual ones – any tips on how to reduce the recipe successfully and what size tins/ramekins would work best?
Also – is it possible to make the white chocolate layer with whipped cream instead of the gelatin, as per the middle layer? I’m a vegetarian so won’t be using gelatin…
Thanks!
Hi Rebecca, It would really depend on the types of pans and what size you are using as to how to scale the recipe. I have not tried making the white layer without gelatin, so I can’t say for certain how it would set up.
Looks delicious …but i have a question…. how does d middle layer sets u used gelatin for d third layer but nothing for d middle …is whipped cream enough to set it wont it be a little runny
Yes, it will set like a mousse, not runny at all.
Yummy i love chocolate mousse, thanks for sharing this recipe.
Simon
Made this earlier. The base was fine, but the middle layer turned out liquidy. I beat the cream but didnt whipped into peaks, but i just continue and proceed onto the top layer. Is it ok? Will it be still harden the same as usual? Pls help.
Per the directions in step #6, you do need to whip the cream to soft peaks. Without doing so, the cream will remain too much of a liquid. It will not thicken on its own in the refrigerator.
Hi Michelle,
I want to try this, but I am not a fan of espresso or coffee anything. Is it ok to just leave it out completely or should I substitute something else for the espresso part of the cake? I am looking to make this on Saturday. Thanks!
Hi Laurie, You actually cannot taste it at all in this recipe. Coffee (and espresso powder) often act as chocolate “boosters” – they help to enrich and deepen the chocolate flavor in baked goods. I am not a coffee drinker myself either, but I always include it in chocolate recipes that call for it – you can’t taste it and it makes a big difference.
OK, I will trust you on this one! lol
Michelle, I never got back to you on this, but I made it and loved it. So did everyone else. One thing though, I couldn’t find espresso powder, where do you get it? I was at a large local Pittsburgh grocery chain and they have a large coffee aisle, but no luck. Thank goodness for me that the head of the bakery dept was coming down the aisle and I asked for help. I ended up getting and using instant coffee. I would rather stick to directions for next time…
Thanks!
Hi Laurie, I either get it from a local Italian grocery store (Labriola’s), or I order it from King Arthur Flour. So glad you loved the cake!
A last minute question! Would microwaving the chocolate be ok?
Hi Lauren, Yes, but be sure to microwave at 50% power and stir every 30 seconds.
This recipe is amazing! I was looking for a special treat for Christmas day and am so glad I found this!
I admittedly went a little heavy on the chocolate, roughly 20grams ( .7ounces) more than what is stated by the recipe.
I also didn’t do the flourless cake bottom layer. Instead I made an Oreo base: crushed Oreos until fine crumbs and mixed with coconut oil. Enough to make a 2.5cm (1inch) thick layer. I simply added teaspoons of coconut oil until it was sticky. Perfect!
Thankyou again for sharing this!
-from Australia
I’ve taken this one as inspiration a few times and substituted the layers with authentic mousse, the original one seemed to come out more like a truffle filling – it was fantastic either way :) And a looker, too.
I didn’t have time to read through the other comments so sorry if this question was asked before. Can i use a different chocolate cake recipe for the bottom or is this recipe necessary to hold the other layers right?
Hi Zainab, I would strongly encourage you to use this recipe and then tweak if you see fit. It’s a fabulous flourless chocolate cake, not just a regular chocolate cake, and it really goes with the two additional mousse layers.
thanks. I’ll definitely take your advice then. I want to try this for friday :D