Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake
This chocolate raspberry mousse cake has the perfect balance of tart and sweet! Its moist chocolate cake layers are filled with fluffy chocolate mousse, tart raspberry jam, and is studded with fresh raspberries.
Servings: 24
Calories: 438kcal
Ingredients
Chocolate Mousse
- 1 cup or 8 oz. good quality dark chocolate chips 180g
- 1/2 cup warm water 120ml
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 40g
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold 465ml
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar 30g
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8mL
- pinch fine salt less than 1/8 tsp
Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 325g
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 500g
- 1 cup dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder 80g
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder 10g
- 2 tsp baking soda 12g
- 1 tsp fine salt 6g
- 1 1/4 cup warm water 300ml
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature 300ml
- 2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 145ml
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg white, room temperature 142g
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8ml
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
- 1/2 cup dark baking cocoa, sifted 40g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4ml
- 1/4 tsp fine salt 1g
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar 312g
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 90ml
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips, melted and cooled 190g
Cake Filling
- 3/4 cup raspberry jam 255g
- 3 cups fresh raspberries - optional 375g
Recommended Tools
- 8- inch cake pans
- Spinning cake stand
- 10- inch greaseproof cake board
- Large offset spatula
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
Instructions
Chocolate Mousse Filling
- Make the chocolate mousse first, so it has time to chill. Or better yet, make this mousse in advance! It can be made 1-2 days ahead of time.
- Melt the chocolate chips by placing them in a medium-sized, heat-proof bowl. Heat in 20-30 second increments in the microwave, stirring after each increment until the chocolate completely melted and smooth. If you don't have a microwave, you can also use a double boiler.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the warm water and cocoa powder. Pour into the melted chocolate and whisk together until smooth. The mixture should be somewhat thick. Set aside.
- Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of fine salt in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a whisk attachment.
- Mix on medium-high speed until the whipped cream starts to gather in the whisk attachment and you can see texture around the edges of the bowl. The whipped cream should be thick and able to keep its shape. This usually takes about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes in my stand mixer.
- Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream using a rubber spatula. Use the spatula to swoop around the sides of the bowl and pull through the center like I show in the video of this recipe. Be careful not to over-mix the mousse, or it will become deflated and lose its structure.
- Cover the mousse with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Chocolate Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350 F / 175 C. Grease and line four, eight-inch cake pans.
- Sift or whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, dark cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt) into a large bowl.
- Pour in the warm water, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla into a separate bowl and whisk together until fully incorporated.
- Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until they're incorporated into the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, and bake for about 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the cake layers from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Gently run an offset spatula around the rim of the cake pans to loosen them, then flip them into wire racks to finish cooling.
- Once cooled, use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer. If you are making these in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Beat the butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth.
- Add in the sifted dark cocoa, vanilla extract and salt. Mix on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Slowly mix in the powdered sugar. Halfway through, add in the heavy cream to make the frosting easier to mix.
- Mix in the cooled, melted dark chocolate on a low speed until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent crusting and set aside.
Assembling This Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake
- Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of chocolate buttercream to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
- As you assemble the cake, spread about 1/4 cup of raspberry jam on top of each cake layer. Spread about 1/3 of the chocolate mousse in an even layer on top of the jam. If desired, gently press about 2/3 cup of fresh raspberries into the mousse.
- Repeat with the remaining cake layers. Smooth any overhanging mousse around the cake with a large offset spatula, then freeze the cake for about 10 minutes in the freezer. This will help the buttercream between the cake layers firm up and make the cake way easier to frost.
- Carefully cover the cake with a thick, even layer of chocolate buttercream and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to make some cute swoops around the cake. This is an easy and stress-free way to decorate a cake that gives it a beautiful finished look.
- Top with a semicircle of fresh raspberries and enjoy!
Video
Notes
My Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake
- When making the chocolate mousse, chill your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer. It makes it easier and quicker to whip up the whipped cream for the mousse.
- Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- Be sure to properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
- Mix your cake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cake layers are tender and fluffy.
- Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. Make sure each pan has the same amount of batter will make your cake layers bake to the same height and bake more evenly.
- Bang your cake pans on the counter before putting it in the oven. This brings any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
- Level your room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
- Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!
Making This Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake in Advance & Storage Tips
- Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
- The chocolate mousse can also be made in advance! It can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge.
- Make your chocolate frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.
- This frosting can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months! Just be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to make it nice and smooth again.
- A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to 2 days. I don't recommend storing it longer than that as the raspberries can start to spoil.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 287mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 57g