This is the Best Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe EVER!
Since we live the small batch life (meaning, I create small desserts and small dinner for two recipes), I created a small batch version of this recipe for a 6-inch springform pan first. However, I loved it so much so I scaled it up for a regular 9-inch springform pan, too! I will put both versions in the recipe card below. If you’re one of those people that worries about consuming raw eggs in typical chocolate mousse, this recipe uses a fully cooked egg! It feels a little like Valentine’s Day today with this chocolate mousse cake for two, but it’s not! It’s just an everyday dessert, made a little fancy with mousse on top. I reworked my brownies for two recipe to bake them in a springform pan with the goal of piling fluffy chocolate mousse on top.
Easy Chocolate Mousse Cake Ingredients
Butter. For the bottom brownie layer, we need one stick of unsalted butter (no need to soften the butter, it can be cold from the fridge). Sugar. We need sugar for the brownie bottom layer and extra sugar for the mousse on top. Cocoa Powder. Unsweetened, natural cocoa powder. Vanilla Extract. Use real vanilla extract to enhance the flavor of chocolate. You’ll use it twice: one for the bottom layer and once for the top layer. Eggs. We need eggs for the brownie bottom layer and eggs for the mousse. Flour. A very small amount of flour to make the brownie on the bottom. Heavy Whipping Cream. Ensure the label says ‘heavy whipped cream,’ also called ‘double cream.’ Semisweet Chocolate. While the brownie layer uses cocoa powder, the mousse uses melted chocolate. I recommend semisweet or bittersweet chocolate so that the final dessert isn’t overly sweet.
How to Make Chocolate Mousse Cake
Preheat the oven to 325 and spray a 9” round springform pan with cooking spray.
Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe Tips
After baking the brownies in the springform pan, I set them aside to cool. You can do this a day ahead of time, too. My springform pan has 3” sides, but if your pan is a little shorter, it’s fine. My chocolate mousse topping didn’t come all the way to top, so a 2” pan works, too. I use a springform pan for this chocolate mousse cake for a few reasons. One, it helps shape the mousse into the perfect pile of frosting on the brownie bottom. After a quick chill, just snap the pan open to remove the cake easily. And two, a springform pan is the easiest way to remove a cake from a pan. But, here’s the deal: this chocolate mousse cake is so delicious, that if you only have my regular cake pan, just use that! The cake might not come out perfectly and look like a perfect slice of cake from a Patisserie, but it will still taste just as delicious! In that case, try dipping your knife in hot water, running it around the edge to release the cake from the pan. From there, I suggest inserting a small spatula and lifting out the cake whole. Alternatively, you can cut a slice first and lift it out before attempting to lift the whole cake. Let’s eat delicious desserts, regardless of their imperfect appearance, ok? I should be in a help group for my addiction to beautiful desserts.
How to remove a cake from a springform pan:
One tip on removing a cake from a springform pan. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to release the mousse. Place one hand on the bottom of the pan to support the cake while using the other hand to pop open the spring. Then, let the pan fall on your arm (like a bracelet); don’t worry about catching the ring part—worry about the cake! If you chill the cake before attempting to remove, it helps so much! This chocolate mousse recipe isn’t overly firm or soft, it’s just right. You can pipe it and it will hold its shape, but it will be slightly firmer in the fridge. One final tip: I don’t recommend chocolate chips for making this mousse because they don’t melt as smoothly as a chocolate bar, but if it’s all you have, it’s fine! You just might have some flecks of chocolate in your final mousse, but it’s still perfectly delicious. If you’re not up for making the entire chocolate mousse cake, just make the mousse frosting here and serve it in two ramekins with a few raspberries on top.
How to serve this recipe for Mousse Cake
When ready to serve, open the spring on the springform pan, place one hand under the pan and let the rim of the pan fall around your wrist. Move the cake on the bottom layer of the pan to a cutting board to slice and serve.
Storing Mousse Cake
This cake must be stored in the fridge, no exceptions! For the 6-inch version of this cake, cut it directly in half: 4 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar, ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (42 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg, and¼ cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour for the brownie layer. For the chocolate mousse: 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar, 1 cup (240 mL) cold heavy whipping cream (divided use), ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 3 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate.
