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Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

This Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake perfectly balances tart and sweet, featuring moist chocolate layers and fluffy mousse.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Course Cakes
Cuisine American
Servings 24 slices
Calories 438 kcal

Equipment

  • 8-inch cake pans
  • Spinning cake stand
  • 10-inch greaseproof cake board
  • Large offset spatula
  • Electric hand mixer or stand mixer

Ingredients
  

Chocolate Mousse

  • 1 cup good quality dark chocolate chips 8 oz. or 180g
  • ½ cup warm water 120ml
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 40g
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold 465ml
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar 30g
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8ml
  • pinch fine salt less than ⅛ tsp

Moist Chocolate Cake

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 325g
  • 2 ½ cups granulated sugar 500g
  • 1 cup dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder 80g
  • 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder 10g
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda 12g
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt 6g
  • 1 ¼ cup warm water 300ml
  • 1 ¼ cup buttermilk, room temperature 300ml
  • ⅔ cup vegetable or canola oil 145ml
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature 142g
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8ml

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2 sticks, 226g
  • ½ cup dark baking cocoa, sifted 40g
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4ml
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt 1g
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar 312g
  • ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 90ml
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips, melted and cooled 190g

Cake Filling

  • ¾ cup raspberry jam 255g
  • 3 cups fresh raspberries - optional, 375g

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.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the warm water and cocoa powder. Pour into the melted chocolate and whisk together until smooth.
  • 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.
  • Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream using a rubber spatula. 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 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.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, and bake for about 23-26 minutes.
  • Remove the cake layers from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 10 minutes.
  • Once cooled, use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • Beat the butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds 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, adding the heavy cream halfway through.
  • Mix in the cooled, melted dark chocolate on a low speed.

Assembling This Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

  • Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using chocolate buttercream to help stick the first layer.
  • Spread about ¼ cup of raspberry jam on top of each cake layer.
  • Spread about ⅓ of the chocolate mousse in an even layer on top of the jam.
  • Repeat with the remaining cake layers.
  • Smooth any overhanging mousse around the cake with a spatula, then freeze for about 10 minutes.
  • Cover the cake with a thick layer of chocolate buttercream.
  • Top with a semicircle of fresh raspberries and enjoy!

Notes

For best results, chill your mixing bowl and whisk attachment when making the mousse. Use room temperature ingredients for better mixing. Properly measure your flour and mix the cake batter just until ingredients are incorporated.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 438kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 4gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 217mgPotassium: 103mgFiber: 1gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 710IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2mg
Keyword baking, chocolate cake, Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake, dessert, Mousse Cake, raspberry cake
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