🌈 Fun and Colorful Mousse Cake

Nothing says “party” more than an over-the-top rainbow cake. The layers! The sprinkles! The punch-you-in-the-eyeballs colors! To me, nothing feels more celebratory than a big ole dessert packed with layers of bright colors. Some of my favorite cakes I’ve made over the years have been rainbow themed – like this surprise-inside Rainbow Cake, this Gold-Topped Rainbow Cake, or these super clever Buttercream Rainbows (see them in action on these Pot of Gold Cupcakes).

Today’s cake is another entry in the Rainbow Dessert Hall of Fame (and yes, I am the only member and the only inductee.) This version is a seven-layer beauty alternating layers of moist butter cake and rich mousse.

The BEST part? Each colorful layer is a different fruit flavor, so this cake is bursting with bright, sweet-tart flavor. I thought about calling it a “Taste the Rainbow Mousse Cake,” but it doesn’t actually contain Skittles (plus I’m scared of getting on the wrong side of the powerful Big Candy industry) so I kept things simple. But if you love light and fluffy mousse cakes, and you enjoy playing with color and flavor, this cake’s for you!

This year’s version is a seven-layer beauty alternating layers of moist butter cake and rich mousse. Each colorful layer is a different fruit flavor, so this cake is bursting with bright, sweet-tart flavor. I thought about calling it a “Taste the Rainbow Mousse Cake,” but it doesn’t actually contain Skittles (plus I’m scared of getting on the wrong side of the powerful Big Candy industry) so I kept things simple.

🍓 Rainbow Mousse Fruit Flavors

Here’s the actual breakdown of the cake flavors, listed from top to bottom:

• lime cake
• blackberry mousse
• blueberry cake
• cranberry mousse
• raspberry cake
• passion fruit mousse
• lemon mousse

The layers are flavored with a mix of extracts, zests, fruit purees, and powdered freeze-dried fruit. (Oh freeze-dried fruit, I wish I could quit you!)

Although it could be made with just extracts, I love that each layer contains actual fruit products in the form of juice or puree or powder, so each has a different bold, vibrant realistic taste. You’ll notice that I used a lot of tart fruits, which went a long way toward keeping this cake from being too sweet, cloying, or overwhelming.

The cake is topped with a quick buttercream, lots of colorful sprinkles, and every rainbow candle and lollipop I could find. After all, you can’t spell “over-the-top rainbow cake” without “star-shaped rainbow lollipops,” right? (Riiiiiight)

This cake is as fun to eat as it is to look at! It’s sweet, for sure, but also refreshing in the way that the best fruit desserts are. One of our favorite ways to eat it is to mix-and-match the flavors, trying new combinations of fruits, just like you might do with a handful of Skittles. And of course, since it’s such a tall cake, it serves a ton of people, making this perfect for a big celebration.

💡 Tips and FAQs

Gold-Topped Rainbow Cake

If you’re looking for an over-the-top celebration cake, this Gold-Topped Rainbow Cake is for you! It features eight layers of lemon cake, seven layers of rainbow frosting, and one incredible assortment of edible golden goodies. Perfect for St. Patrick's Day or any big party!

View Recipe

Buttercream Rainbows

Give your desserts a splash of color with these 3-D Buttercream Rainbows! These fun frosting rainbow toppers are surprisingly easy to make, and they look SO fun on top of cakes and cupcakes!

View Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Rainbow Mousse Cake

This Rainbow Mousse Cake has seven gorgeous layers of cake and mousse in vibrant, fruity flavors. This rainbow cake recipe is perfect for any party or celebration!

Prep Time1 day d

Cook Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time4 hours hrs 54 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Rainbow mousse Cake

Dessert Type: Cake

Servings: 20

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Cake Layers:

• 14 oz granulated sugar 2 cups
• 16 oz cake flour 4 cups
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 11 oz full-fat sour cream 1 1/3 cup, at room temperature
• 12 oz unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1 lemon large
• 1 tsp lime extract
• 2 limes large
• 1 oz freeze-dried raspberries 1 cup
• 1 oz freeze-dried blueberries 3/4 cup
• Assorted gel food coloring I used Americolor brand: Lemon Yellow, Leaf Green, Deep Pink and Regal Purple

For the Passion Fruit Mousse:

• 9 oz white chocolate chopped
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream divided use
• 1/2 cup passion fruit puree I used Goya brand, from the freezer section, defrosted
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 tbsp cold water
• Orange gel food coloring I used Americolor brand.

For the Cranberry Mousse:

• 9 oz white chocolate chopped
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided use
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 1 cup freeze-dried cranberries
• Red gel food coloring I used Americolor Super Red.

For the Blackberry Mousse:

• 9 oz blackberries fresh or defrosted from frozen
• 9 oz white chocolate chopped
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream divided use
• Pinch salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 tbsp cold water
• Blue gel food coloring I used Americolor brand.

For the Vanilla Frosting:

• 12 oz powdered sugar 3 cups, sifted after measuring
• 4 oz unsalted butter 1 stick, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp milk plus more if necessary
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or other flavoring extracts
• 1/8 tsp salt

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

To Make the Cake Layers:

• Preheat the oven to 300 F. (That is not a typo—I use a low and slow bake time for these, to help prevent the cakes from doming.) Line four 9-inch cake pans with parchment rounds, and spray the parchment and pan sides with nonstick cooking spray.
• Combine the sugar, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for about a minute to combine the dry ingredients.
• Lightly whisk together the eggs and 1/3 cup of sour cream, and set aside for now.
• Add the remaining 1 cup sour cream and the softened butter to the large mixing bowl and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Turn the mixer to medium speed and mix for a minute and a half.
• Add the egg mixture in three batches, mixing for 20-30 seconds after each addition, until you have a smooth batter. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and give the batter a few more stirs to make sure everything is incorporated. Divide the batter into four equal portions—if you are using a kitchen scale, this will be about 15 oz of batter per bowl.
• To one portion of the batter, add the zest from one large lemon, 1 tsp lemon extract, and a few drops of yellow food coloring. Taste, and add more extract if desired, then scrape into one of the cake pans and smooth.
• To the second portion of the batter, add the zest from two large limes, 1 tsp lime extract, and a few drops of green food coloring, with an additional drop or two of yellow. Scrape into the second cake pan.
• Place the freeze-dried raspberries in a food processor and process until they’re a fine powder. Add the raspberry powder and some pink food coloring to the third portion of batter, and gently stir until it’s incorporated. Try not to over-mix, or your cakes will be tough. Pour into the third cake pan.
• Process the freeze-dried blueberries in the food processor, and add the blueberry powder and purple coloring to the final portion of batter. Pour into the fourth cake pan.
• Bake the cakes at 300 F for 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway throughout, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let the cakes cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then gently turn them out and let them cool completely. If you are making these in advance, they can stay in the freezer for up to several weeks.

To Assemble:

• Prepare your pan. You need a 9-inch pan with tall sides, and the ability to remove the bottom. Either a cake pan with a removable bottom or a springform pan will work. Place a cake cardboard in the bottom of the pan. Tape two long strips of an acetate cake collar together, to make one 8-inch tall strip of acetate. Line the inner wall with your extra-tall acetate collar. Make sure the acetate is long enough so that it overlaps itself. I strongly recommend using acetate—it will provide you with a firm structure in which to build your cake, and clean edges along the sides. If you don’t have acetate collars, you can try using a double layer of heavy-duty foil, 8 inches tall, to wrap around the inside of the cake pan. This should be stable enough, but it won’t produce the clean edges that acetate does.
• Set your lemon cake layer in the bottom of the cake pan on the cardboard. Prepare your passion fruit mousse (instructions below), pour it on top of the lemon cake, and smooth it into an even layer. You’ll notice that the mousse is somewhat loose and fluid, which is why it’s so important to have a stable layer of acetate or heavy duty foil around the sides of the cake, to prevent the mousse from overflowing the sides.
• Chill the cake for 10 minutes, so the mousse just starts to set but is still tacky to the touch. Add the raspberry cake layer on top, and return to the refrigerator while you prepare the cranberry mousse layer (instructions below).
• When the cranberry mousse is done, pour it on top of the raspberry cake, and spread it into an even layer. Chill the cake again for 10 minutes, then add the blueberry cake on top. Refrigerate again while preparing the final mousse, the blackberry layer (instructions below.)
• When the blackberry layer is done, pour it on top of the blueberry cake and smooth it. Chill for 10 minutes, then top with the final lime cake layer. Refrigerate the cake for at least 6 hours (longer is okay!) to firm up all the mousse and make it a stable, solid cake.
• To serve, remove the cake from the cake pan, then carefully unwrap the acetate or foil collar from around the cake. Top with vanilla frosting (recipe below) or whipped cream, and lots of sprinkles and candles! This cake is easiest to cut when it’s straight from the refrigerator, but I like it best when it’s sat at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, so the cake is not completely cold.

To Make the Passion Fruit Mousse:

• Combine the white chocolate, passion fruit puree, 1/4 cup of cream, and salt in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. It should not be warm to the touch at all.
• While you wait for the white chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and the cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. When the chocolate is at room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and white chocolate together. Add several drops of orange food coloring, and stir them in. The color will get very diluted when you add the whipped cream, so go darker than your intended color.
• Whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the white chocolate, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Try not to fold more than necessary, or the mousse will start to get grainy and break. Use immediately after it’s made.

To Make the Cranberry Mousse:

• Follow the instructions for passion fruit mousse, but with a few small changes: combine the white chocolate, 1/2 cup cream, and salt and microwave together. Use red food coloring instead of orange, and add enough to make a very bright red color. Place the freeze-dried raspberries in a food processor and process until they’re a fine powder. After you fold in the whipped cream, add the cranberry powder and stir it in gently.

To Make the Blackberry Mousse:

• First, blend the blackberries in a blender or food processor, then strain them to remove the seeds. Measure out 1/2 cup puree (save any additional puree for another use) and combine 1/2 cup puree, the white chocolate, and the salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Follow the instructions for the passion fruit mousse, but use blue food coloring instead of orange.

To Make the Vanilla Frosting:

• Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sugar is moistened. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat again on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. You can add more milk or sugar, if desired, to get the consistency you want.

Notes

 If you want to spread out the work, I recommend baking the cakes a day in advance and keeping them well-wrapped until you’re ready to assemble the cake. The cake will have to chill for at least 6 hours to set after you finish assembly, so factor this into your time estimate. The assembly process itself takes some time, because the mousses have to be made as you’re assembling and chilling it between steps—because they start to set quickly, they cannot be made in advance. I recommend reading through the recipe several times before beginning, to make sure you understand the flow and have all the components ready at the right time. Also, see the Note below for suggestions for simplifying the process. Finally, I used the purees and freeze-dried fruits that I had access to. Feel free to experiment and switch up the layers depending on what ingredients you have available! This cake is a big commitment, but there are a few ways you can simplify it! Consider using whipped cream instead of frosting on top. You can also use just extracts instead of the zest and freeze-dried fruit in the cake recipe (add 1 tsp extract of choice to each portion of batter. No need to make any other changes to the recipe.) You can also try using a cake mix to speed up the process. For the mousses, you can omit the freeze-dried fruit and purees by following the instructions for the cranberry mousse, but omit all freeze-dried fruit and just use extracts and food coloring. These changes will not give the cake the same realistic fruit flavor, but they will greatly simplify the process and reduce expenses.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 842kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 278mg | Potassium: 294mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 66g | Vitamin A: 1520IU | Vitamin C: 10.8mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Pin this recipe for later!

🌈 COLORFUL RAINBOW DESSERTS 🌈

We’ve rounded up 23 of our FAVORITE rainbow dessert recipes & ideas that are sure to make you smile — click here to get all the recipes!

This cake just hits all of my pleasure spots. Rich, dark chocolate cake? Check! Light and fluffy mousse? Check! Minty flavor that’s refreshing but not too strong? Checkity check check! Subtle, understated decorations? Che—wait, no. You didn’t forget the SugarHero motto, did you? “Go big, and then go bigger.” That’s the SugarHero way!

So let’s talk about what’s really going on with this beast of a candy cane cake.

This is another cake based on my popular Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake. (I also have a Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Cake, if you want to see an autumn-themed version as well! The autumn version also includes a video.) That cake is one of my very favorites, and I’ve decided I’m not going to be happy until I’ve tried new variations of it for every season and every holiday. Repeat with me: Go big, and then go bigger! Should I embroider that on a throw pillow for my house? Asking for a friend.

If you love peppermint, you will also love my Candy Cane Cheesecake, Chocolate Candy Cane Cake, Candy Cane Cake, Peppermint Lava Cakes, and Peppermint Mocha Mousse Cake! And, don’t miss my collection of 35 Peppermint Dessert Recipes!

This cake has two layers of my moist, flavorful chocolate cake, and two layers of light, fluffy, minty candy cane mousse. It’s white chocolate-based, and it gets its flavor from a bit of mint extract, as well as a bunch of Andes peppermint crunch chips.

I recommend Andes chips instead of candy cane bits, because candy cane bits get soft and sticky very quickly. They wouldn’t stand a chance when mixed into the mousse! If you can’t find the peppermint crunch chips, any pieces of chocolate-mint candy will do. As long as you avoid hard mint candies in the mousse, you’ll be fine!

So let’s talk about the decorations. After the mousse cake was set, I added a top layer of shiny chocolate ganache dripping down the sides. And on top? A winter candy wonderland, of course!

I used every red and white candy cane treat I could find! Homemade peppermint bark, lollipops, ribbon candy, mini candy canes, and crushed candy cane pieces all got scattered on the top in a wild display of sugar and stripes. Of course this is optional, and you can keep things as simple as leaving the chocolate ganache plain, or go as crazy as I did and add a whole candy cane forest.

💡Tips, Tricks, and FAQs

This truly is one of my very favorite holiday desserts, and I hope you’ll give it a try!

 More Christmas Desserts You’ll Love

• Gingerbread Cookie Mug Toppers
• Oreo Cookie Christmas Ornaments
• Christmas Present Cookie Boxes
• Pull-Apart Cupcake Wreath
• Red Velvet Trifle
• Grinch Cake
• Snow Globe Cupcakes

Candy Cane Hearts

Make your holiday sweeter with homemade candy cane hearts! This recipe is more like a magic trick – just heat and shape candy canes into heart shapes, then fill with chocolate and peppermint bits for a minty, chocolatey treat that’s perfect as a dessert topper or edible gift.

View Recipe

Candy Cane Cheesecake

This Candy Cane Cheesecake recipe will be the star of your holiday table. It has a creamy peppermint cheesecake filling, an Oreo cookie crust, and lots of candy cane pieces inside and out!

View Recipe

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a  rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram @elabau or use #sugarhero.

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Candy Cane Mousse Cake

This Candy Cane Mousse Cake is a knockout Christmas dessert! It has alternating layers of moist chocolate cake and candy cane mousse, covered with a shiny chocolate glaze and a spectacular candy cane topping.

Prep Time2 hours hrs

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: candy cane, mousse cake

Dessert Type: Cake

Servings: 16 servings

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake:

• 4 oz unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3.5 oz granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
• 3.75 oz brown sugar (1/2 cup)
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 fl oz buttermilk (1 cup), at room temperature
• 5.3 oz all-purpose flour (1 1/3 cup)
• 2 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (2/3 cup)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the Candy Cane Layers:

• 18 oz white chocolate chips
• 3.5 cups heavy cream
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 4 TBSP water
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 8 oz Andes peppermint crunch baking bits (1 1/3 cup), or similar chocolate-mint pieces

To Glaze and Decorate:

• 4 fl oz heavy cream (1/2 cup)
• 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
• Peppermint candies peppermint bark, lollipops, ribbon candy, candy canes, etc.

Instructions

To Make the Chocolate Cake:

• Line two 9-inch cake pan with parchment, but do not spray with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Add the butter and both sugars to the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat them together on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, and beat well until everything is fully incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running on low, add a quarter of the sifted flour mixture. When the flour streaks have almost all disappeared, add a third of the buttermilk to the mixing bowl. When that’s incorporated, continue to add the drys and wets in an alternating pattern, ending with the dry ingredients.
• When the dry ingredients are nearly incorporated, stop the mixer. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and finish mixing the cake by hand. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, and smooth it into an even layer. Bake the cakes for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool the cakes completely before using. They can be made in advance and kept in the freezer for up to several weeks until ready to use.

To Make the Candy Cane Mousse:

• Prepare your pan. You need a 9-inch pan with sides at least 3 inches tall, and the ability to remove the bottom. Either a cake pan with a removable bottom or a springform pan will work. Line the inner wall with a 4-inch high acetate cake collar or a strip of aluminum foil. Make sure the acetate or waxed paper is long enough so that it overlaps itself, and if you are using foil/waxed paper, make sure you cut the strip tall enough to extend at least an inch over the pan’s sides, since the cake is about 4 inches tall.
• Place a cake cardboard in the bottom of the pan, then carefully place the baked cake on top of the cardboard. This is optional, but it makes it easy to transfer the cake cleanly and neatly to your serving plate.
• Prepare the first mousse layer: combine 9 oz (1 ½ cups) white chocolate, 3/4 cup of cream, and ½ tsp salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a large bowl, and let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• While you wait for the white chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together 2 tsp gelatin and 2 TBSP cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. When the chocolate is at room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 10-15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and white chocolate mixture together, then whisk in ½ tsp peppermint extract.
• Whip 1 cup heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the white chocolate, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Add 2/3 cup (4 oz) of the Andes peppermint pieces, and gently stir them into the mousse. Scrape the mousse on top of the cake in the pan, and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate the cake for 15 minutes, until the mousse has just started to set and is firm enough that the cake layer can be added.
• Gently place the second chocolate cake layer on top of the mousse, then repeat the mousse-making process with the second candy cane mousse layer. Scrape the mousse on top of the cake, and refrigerate for at least 5-6 hours, preferably overnight, until the mousse is very firm and set.

To Glaze and Decorate:

• To finish the cake, push the bottom out from the pan, or unhinge the sides, and unwrap the acetate strip. Transfer the cake to your serving platter. Make a quick chocolate ganache by putting the chopped chocolate in a small bowl and heating the cream to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and whisk gently until the chocolate melts and you have a smooth, shiny mixture.
• Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, and use a spatula to nudge it right to the edge and over in evenly spaced drizzles. Don’t worry if the top is not smooth—it will be covered up! Let the cake sit for 10 minutes so the ganache starts to set, then top it with your candy of your choice—try using different sizes and shapes, like shards of peppermint bark, lollipops, candy canes, and ribbon candy. Sugar candy will get sticky over time, so don’t top the cake more than an hour or two in advance of when you plan to serve it.
• For the cleanest slices, cut the cake when it is well chilled. Use a large sharp knife, and wash it frequently between cuts. For the best taste and texture, allow the cake slices to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 572kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 1115IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Pin this recipe for later!

‘Tis the season for holidays parties. The season for wearing fun dresses, and white elephant gift exchanges, and eating your weight in cheese and crackers. For reconnecting with old friends, for seeing your coworkers dance awkwardly, for avoiding—or seeking out—the mistletoe. And most importantly, ‘tis the season for making epic holiday desserts!

The holidays are the PERFECT time to indulge your inner pastry chef. You have a built-in-excuse to get fancy—hellooooo, ever heard of a little something called holiday cheer?—and a built-in group of people to foist your dessert upon. It’s a win-win!

This Peppermint Mocha Mousse Cake is my ideal party cake. It keeps extremely well in the refrigerator, so you can make it a day or two ahead and not worry about it getting dry and stale. It looks fancy, with the layers and the decorations and the mousse-iness of it all, but no one has to know how easy it is to decorate, or how non-intimidating mousse can be! And add in that great peppermint mocha flavor? You’ll be the hit of the party! Speaking of mousse-iness, I also highly recommend trying this Flourless Chocolate Buche de Noel while your spreading some holiday cheer!

Speaking of flavor, I used a phenomenal peppermint mocha liqueur (also known as a peppermint chocolate liqueur) to take this cake to the next level. This type of liqueur is smooth and mellow and wonderful to sip on its own, but I especially love the festive taste it adds to the cake.

I actually used it twice in the recipe: brushed on the brownies, to add moisture and give them a subtle peppermint mocha flavor, and in the mousse itself. The end result is not overwhelmingly minty (or boozy, for that matter), and the chocolate/coffee/mint/liqueur elements are nicely balanced in a cozy little slice of cake. There are several brands of peppermint mocha liqueur on the market such as Peppermint Mocha Jackson Morgan Southern Cream, Kahlua Mint Mocha Liqueur and Borgata Chocolate and Peppermint Liqueur. All that matters is that you find a brand you like.

If you’re new to mousse cakes, there are a few tips and tricks to ensure success. Most importantly, you’ll want to assemble it in a cake pan with a removable bottom—a springform (cheesecake) pan can be a good substitute if you don’t want to buy an additional cake pan. This is the only way you’ll be able to remove your cake cleanly without smooshing the mousse!

You’ll also want some sort of collar to go around the sides of the pan. This keeps the mousse from sticking to the cake pan itself, making the cake easy to remove, and making sure the mousse edges are super-smooth and clean. In a pinch, you can use a long strip of foil or waxed paper, although those tend to wrinkle and you’ll see the wrinkles in the finished mousse. I like acetate cake strips—they’re affordable, re-usable, and good for a lot of different cake applications.

For instance! See that fun chocolate swirl around the edges? I got it by scribbling melted chocolate onto a cake strips, then wrapping it around the edges of the cake.

Once the chocolate sets, all you have to do is peel off the plastic strip, and it’s like you’re a genie with the magical ability to pipe chocolate is smooth swoops on the side of a cake. Take a bow!

I almost left the top plain, but at the last minute decided I needed more chocolate (because, duh) so I added a layer of shiny chocolate glaze. To finish? Chocolate truffles, chocolate-covered espresso beans, peppermint candies, and a ring of crushed peppermint around the edge. And that’s it! Your party on a plate is ready.

Candy Cane Cheesecake

This Candy Cane Cheesecake recipe will be the star of your holiday table. It has a creamy peppermint cheesecake filling, an Oreo cookie crust, and lots of candy cane pieces inside and out!

View Recipe

Candy Cane Mousse Cake

This Candy Cane Mousse Cake is a knockout Christmas dessert! It has alternating layers of moist chocolate cake and candy cane mousse, covered with a shiny chocolate glaze and a spectacular candy cane topping.

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Peppermint Mocha Mousse Cake

This Peppermint Mocha Mousse Cake is a party on a plate! This gorgeous dessert features layers of brownies and peppermint mocha mousse, wrapped in chocolate swirls and topped with a shiny chocolate glaze. It feeds a crowd and is great for any holiday party!

Prep Time2 hours hrs

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: peppermint mocha mousse cake

Dessert Type: Cake, Christmas desserts, Mousse

Servings: 20

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Brownie Layers:

• 6 oz unsalted butter
• 12 oz granulated sugar (1 ¾ cup)
• 3 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (1 cup)
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• 1 TBSP vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup coffee or water
• 5 oz all-purpose flour (1 cup + 2 TBSP)

For the Peppermint Mocha Mousse Layers:

• 18 oz white chocolate chips (3 cups)
• 2 ½ cups heavy cream divided use
• 1 ¼ cups Peppermint mocha liqueur
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tsp instant espresso powder
• 2 tsp peppermint extract
• 4 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 4 TBSP water

To Decorate:

• 2 oz chocolate candy coating melts can substitute chocolate chips
• 4 fl oz heavy cream
• 1 oz unsalted butter
• 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
• Chocolate truffles peppermint candies, candy canes, or other decorations of your choice

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

To Make the Brownies:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment rounds, and spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
• Melt the butter in a large bowl in the microwave. Once the butter is melted, stir in the granulated sugar until well-mixed.
• Sift the cocoa over the bowl, and add the salt, baking powder, and vanilla, and stir well. It will look very grainy at this point.
• Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition, then whisk in the coffee. After the coffee is added, the mixture should look glossy and no longer grainy.
• Finally, stir in the flour, stirring until no streak of flour remain. Divide the batter between the pans and smooth it into an even layer.
• Bake the brownies at 350 F for 22-25 minutes, until the brownies are puffed, pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool completely before using.

To Make the Mousse:

• Prepare your pan. You need a 9-inch pan with sides at least 3 inches tall, and the ability to remove the bottom. Either a cake pan with a removable bottom or a springform pan will work. Line the inner wall with a 4-inch high acetate cake collar or a strip of aluminum foil or waxed paper. Make sure the acetate or waxed paper is long enough so that it overlaps itself, and if you are using foil/waxed paper, make sure you cut the strip tall enough to extend at least an inch over the pan’s sides, since the cake is about 4 inches tall.
• Place a cake cardboard in the bottom of the pan, then carefully place a baked brownie layer on top of the cardboard. Brush the brownie layer generously with about 2 TBSP peppermint mocha liqueur.
• Prepare the first mousse layer: combine 9 oz (1 ½ cups) white chocolate chips, 1/4 cup of cream, 1/2 cup of peppermint mocha liqueur, 2 tsp espresso powder, 1 tsp peppermint extract, and ¼ tsp salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a large bowl, and let it cool until it is warm but no longer hot, stirring occasionally.
• While you wait for the mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together 2 tsp gelatin and 2 TBSP cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. When the white chocolate is at room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and warm white chocolate mixture together.
• Whip 1 cup of heavy cream to medium peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the white chocolate, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Scrape the mousse on top of the brownie, and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate the cake for 25 minutes, until the mousse has started to set and is firm enough that a second layer can be added.
• Gently place the second chocolate brownie layer on top of the mousse, and brush it with another 2 TBSP of peppermint mocha Liqueur. Repeat the mousse-making process again with the remaining mousse ingredients. Spread the mousse on top of the cake, and refrigerate for at least 5-6 hours, preferably overnight, until the mousse is very firm and set.
• To finish the cake, push the bottom out from the pan, or unhinge the sides, and unwrap the cake strip. Transfer the cake to your serving platter.

To Decorate:

• If you want to make the optional chocolate decoration around the mousse, melt 2 oz of chocolate candy coating (or chocolate chips) and transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag with a small round tip.
• Spread a clean cake strip out along your counter, and pipe swirls of chocolate onto the strips. You can make random scribbles, or a pattern of your choice. While the chocolate is still wet and flexible, pick up the strip and gently press it along the sides of the cake, all the way around, so the chocolate adheres to the mousse. Let it dry completely, then gently pull away the plastic strip.
• To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Combine the cream and butter in a small saucepan, and heat it to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and whisk gently until the chocolate melts and you have a smooth, shiny mixture. Let it cool and thicken slightly, until it has the texture of pudding.
• Pour the ganache on top of the cake and smooth it into an even layer on top, then take a spatula and make a swirl on top of the cake. Finish the mousse cake with truffles, peppermint candies, crushed candy canes, or the decoration of your choice around the edges. Refrigerate briefly to set the ganache, and serve!
• This cake can be enjoyed chilled or at room temperature. It stores very well—just wrap leftovers in plastic wrap and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 385IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1.7mg

First things first: the REAL name for this cake should probably be “Pumpkin Cinnamon Butterscotch Salted Caramel Chocolate Mousse Cake.” I really wanted to call it that. I mean, yeah, it’s a mouthful, but this cake is so good, so packed full of warm and toasty cinnamon/butterscotch/caramel/pumpkin flavors, it seemed a shame to leave any of them out. (If you love all things mousse, you need to try this recipe as well: Pumpkin Pie Mousse Cups)

And then I came to my senses and realized that ain’t nobody got time for a novella of a name when it comes to cakes. So just please know that “Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Cake” does this cake a huge disservice, because we are cramming every flavor we can think of into this glorious autumn-inspired cake.

Don’t be put off by all the elements, though. This cake is simple to make, because all of the mousse layers are made exactly the same way! Don’t believe me? Just check out this video showing how easy it is…

A few years ago I created this Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake. (Sidenote: have you made it yet?! If not, add it to your baking bucket list stat!) It quickly became one of the most popular recipes on my site, and I’ve heard from literally hundreds of people who have made it and loved it. I’ve also gotten lots of requests for adapting it for different flavors. I mean, chocolate and raspberry are classics, but it does seem to be sort of a spring-summer cake, since it is best when made with fresh raspberries.

So this year, I decided to give that mousse cake a facelift and recreate it with FALL flavors! The basic premise remains the same, although I did swap out the brownie layer for a cake layer this time around, and all of the mousse layers are different as well.

Here’s what we have, going from bottom to top: chocolate cake, cinnamon mousse, pumpkin-butterscotch mousse, salted caramel mousse, chocolate ganache, whipped cream, and cute lil chocolate pumpkin truffles.

I LOVE the ombre effect of the different mousse layers, and guess what?! I didn’t need to use any food coloring to get this look! I mean, yes, cinnamon and butterscotch chips most likely already have food coloring in them, but I didn’t use additional coloring, meaning that anyone can recreate this exact effect without worrying about variables like what brand of coloring, how much to add, etc.

Can we talk about these adorable pumpkin truffle toppers for a minute? I found them at Trader Joe’s! They’re filled with either ganache or caramel, and each color is a different flavor. I looked for a source online and couldn’t find one, so my apologies if you’re not able to track them down. This cake would still look amazing with other candies on top, or perhaps chocolate curls or even pumpkin sprinkles.

Like my Chocolate Raspberry Mousse cake, this one is a dream to slice. If you use a hot (and dry!) knife, and a chilled cake, you’ll get clean, even layers and a slice that’s easy to move onto individual plates. I do recommend letting it sit for maybe 10 minutes before eating, just so the cake layer isn’t ice-cold, but this is a dessert that’s best enjoyed slightly chilled. The mousse won’t collapse and lose its shape if left longer, but there’s something about room temperature mousse that’s a little unappealing to me.

Long story short, this is a great make-ahead dessert that can hang out in the fridge for several days before serving!

I know we’re all anxious to move into Christmas baking, and Candy! Cane! Everything!, and believe you me, I’m contemplating coming out with a candy cane version of this cake as well. But I do think there’s still a little time to enjoy fall desserts before we turn our kitchens into a perpetual peppermint wonderland, and I hope you’ll give this mousse cake a try.

What You’ll Need to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Cake:

• Cake pan with removable bottom: You can either use a 9-inch cake pan with a removeable bottom (my faaaavorite for baking cakes!) or use a springform pan. Either way, make sure you have an easy way of getting the finished cake out of the pan that DOESN’T rely on flipping it upside down!
• Clear cake collars: These are a MUST for getting those smooth, even sides! As a bonus, you can wash and re-use clear cake collars, and they’re great for making chocolate borders around cakes, too!
• Cake cardboards: I always have a huge supply of these cake cardboards on hand! They make assembling and transferring cakes SO much easier.
• Pumpkin puree: Duh! Make sure you get pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which has sugar and other ingredients added.

💡 Tips and FAQs

🎂More Chocolate Cakes 

Chocolate lovers, these cakes are for you!!

Print Recipe

5 from 11 votes

Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Cake

This Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Cake is a stunning 4-layer dessert with chocolate cake, cinnamon mousse, pumpkin-butterscotch mousse, and salted caramel mousse! Finished with a layer of shiny chocolate ganache and whipped cream, it’s a total show stopper!

Prep Time4 hours hrs

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time4 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Halloween, holiday dessert, homemade cake, homemade mousse, pupmkin chocolate mousse cake, Thanksgiving

Dessert Type: Cake, Mousse

Servings: 18 servings

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake:

• 2 oz unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1.75 oz granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
• 1.75 oz brown sugar (1/4 cup)
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 fl oz buttermilk (1/2 cup), at room temperature
• 2.66 oz all-purpose flour (2/3 cup)
• 1 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (1/3 cup)
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt

For the Pumpkin Cinnamon Mousse Layer:

• 9 oz cinnamon chips see Note below
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided use
• 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Pumpkin Butterscotch Mousse Layer:

• 9 oz butterscotch chips see Note below
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided use
• 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 tbsp water

For the Salted Caramel Mousse Layer:

• 9 oz salted caramel chips or white chocolate chips, see Note below
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided use
• 1/3 cup thick salted caramel sauce
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Ganache on Top:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped

To Decorate:

• Whipped cream
• Ground cinnamon
• Candy of your choosing I used pumpkin shaped truffles

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

To Make the Chocolate Cake:

• Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment, and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Add the butter and both sugars to the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat them together on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla extract, and beat well until they’re fully incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running on low, add a quarter of the sifted flour mixture. When the flour streaks have almost all disappeared, add a third of the buttermilk to the mixing bowl. When that’s incorporated, continue to add the drys and wets in an alternating pattern, ending with the dry ingredients.
• When the dry ingredients are nearly incorporated, stop the mixer. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and finish mixing the cake by hand. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake the cake for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool the cake completely before using.

To Make the Mousse Layers:

• Prepare your pan. You need a 9-inch pan with sides at least 3 inches tall, and the ability to remove the bottom. Either a cake pan with a removable bottom or a springform pan will work. Line the inner wall with a 4-inch high acetate cake collar or a strip of aluminum foil or waxed paper. Make sure the acetate or waxed paper is long enough so that it overlaps itself, and if you are using foil/waxed paper, make sure you cut the strip tall enough to extend at least an inch over the pan’s sides, since the cake is about 4 inches tall.
• Place a cake cardboard in the bottom of the pan, then carefully place the baked cake on top of the cardboard. This is optional, but it makes it easy to transfer the cake cleanly and neatly to your serving plate.
• Prepare the cinnamon mousse layer: combine the cinnamon chips, pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup of cream, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a large bowl, and let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• While you wait for the cinnamon mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and the cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. When the cinnamon is at room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and cinnamon mixture together, and whisk in the ground cinnamon.
• Whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the cinnamon, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Scrape the mousse on top of the cake, and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate the cake for 25 minutes, until the mousse has started to set and is firm enough that a second layer can be added.
• For the pumpkin-butterscotch mousse, combine the butterscotch chips, pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Continue to make this layer the same way you made the cinnamon layer, by melting and cooling the butterscotch mixture, whisking in the melted gelatin, and folding in whipped cream. When the pumpkin-butterscotch mousse is ready, pour it over the cinnamon mousse layer. Spread it into an even layer, and refrigerate again.
• Finally, prepare the salted caramel layer. Combine the salted caramel chips (or white chocolate chips), 1/2 cup heavy cream, salted caramel, salt, and vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl. Continue to make this layer the same way you made the previous two layers. Pour it over the pumpkin-butterscotch mousse, and refrigerate to set the mousse layers for at least 30 minutes.
• Make a quick chocolate ganache by putting the chopped chocolate in a small bowl and heating the cream to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and whisk gently until the chocolate melts and you have a smooth, shiny mixture. If it is very hot, let it cool slightly so it’s still warm and spreadable, but not so hot that it will melt the mousse. Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, and use a spatula to nudge it right to the edge and spread it in an even layer. Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours or overnight, so that the mousse layers can be very firm when slicing.
• To finish the cake, push the bottom out from the pan, or unhinge the sides, and unwrap the acetate strip. Transfer the cake to your serving platter. Pipe rosettes of whipped cream around the edges, and sprinkle the cream with a bit of cinnamon. Top the rosettes with chocolate candies or chocolate curls, or leave them plain.
• For the cleanest slices, cut the cake when it is well chilled. Use a large sharp knife, and wash it frequently between cuts. For the best taste and texture, allow the cake slices to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

How to replace specialty baking chips flavors if you can’t find them in the store:

For the cinnamon flavored mousse: Replace the cinnamon chips with an equal amount of white chocolate chips. Add 1 tsp of ground cinnamon to the melted chips. Taste and add more ground cinnamon if desired. You could also flavor the white chips with some cinnamon flavoring. Start with 1 tsp, taste, and add more if needed.

For the pumpkin butterscotch flavored mousse: Replace the butterscotch baking chips with an equal amount of white chocolate chips. Once the chips have been melted, add 1 tsp of butterscotch flavoring, taste, and add more if desired.

For the salted caramel flavored mousse: Replace the caramel baking chips with an equal amount of white chocolate chips, melt, and add the salted caramel sauce as directed. The resulting mousse will have a lighter caramel flavor, but if desired, you can use caramel flavoring to increase the caramel taste. Start with 1 tsp, taste, and add more if necessary.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Serving: 18g | Calories: 561kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 226mg | Potassium: 217mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 1855IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Pumpkin Dessert RECIPES 🎃

We’ve rounded up over 50 deliciously cozy pumpkin dessert recipes to help you make the most of fall baking.  Click here to get all the recipes!

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to try my hand at a mirror glaze cake! I feel like I’ve been seeing them on my Instagram feed for about a decade now, although it’s probably only been in the past year that they’ve become really popular. (…on my Instagram feed…and possibly nowhere else…the standards for popularity are pretty low around here.)

If you’re not familiar with mirror glaze, it’s a white chocolate glaze made with gelatin that is poured over cakes—usually mousse or other soft molded desserts—to give them an ultra-shiny appearance, like the surface of a mirror.

You can do SO many cool effects with mirror glazes just by adding different colors, pouring in patterns, or scraping the surface of the cake in different ways. You can create cracks, spiderwebs, tie-dye effects, and so much more. For my first go-round with mirror glaze, I decided to tackle a small subject: THE GALAXY.

*insert epic maniacal laughter here*

Here’s the bad news: this recipe has a lot of steps because there are 3 different components: the brownie base, the chocolate mousse, and the mirror glaze itself. You can skip the homemade brownies and go straight for a box mix, but it’s still going to be quite the time investment in the kitchen.

Here’s the good news: the mirror glaze itself is simple to make, easy to pour and use (what a welcome surprise that was!), and SO FREAKING COOL IN REAL LIFE.

SORRY FOR SHOUTING.

IT’S JUST REALLY COOL.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. First, the innards.

The chocolate mousse is actually sort of a cheater’s version of mousse—no eggs are involved. Instead, it uses gelatin to give the mousse some stability, and is flavored with rich chocolate.

I knew these would be intensely chocolatey, so I planned to make smaller, mini mousse cakes, both to control portions and for the cuteness factor. I thought these 3-inch spheres were the perfect serving size—enough to satisfy a big sweets craving, but not a ridiculous amount of mousse. And I love how the sphere shape makes them look even more space-themed!

I used this silicone mold to shape the desserts. (You’ll need 2 to make the 10 cakes this recipe produces.) You don’t have to use this one, but I would be sure to pick a mold that’s deep enough to hold both mousse and brownie, smooth on the inside, so the top of the mousse won’t be textured and ruin the mirror effect, and large enough to produce a dessert that’s satisfying by itself. I don’t even know you, but I DO know you don’t have time to make a kazillion bite-sized galaxy mousse cakelets.

Oh, and you DEFINITELY want silicone, as opposed to traditional pans. Being able to flex the mold inside-out to remove the mousse is a must!

The mirror glaze seems intimidating. Believe me, I know. All those Instagram videos have been taunting me for the last year, but I had the fear in my belly. The fear that it would be a long project that would most likely leave my kitchen floors covered in sticky gelatin glaze. The last part was true (because I’m a klutz) but the first part is a lie. Mirror glaze is really not difficult! I hope the video up top will give you an idea of how simple it can be.

I went all-out with the galaxy theme, and decorated my mini mousse cakes with an assortment of gel food colors. I used swirls of navy, teal, purple, pink, and white colors (which are probably way more colorful than the actual Milky Way, let’s be real.) I finished them off with a pinch of edible silver star sprinkles, and they looked like miniature works of art. Completely edible, totally delicious works of art.

Galaxies aren’t your thing? You can do them all one color, swirl just 2 together, or go for a completely different color scheme than the one I chose.

Mirror Glaze Tips for Success

1. Use real white chocolate! I’m sorry, I know it’s much more expensive, but you REALLY don’t want to cheap out and use “white chips” for this one. The palm kernel oil or other substitute fats in the white chips just doesn’t behave the same as real cocoa butter. (It doesn’t taste as good, either!) So you can look for white chocolate chips made with cocoa butter, or buy bars of real white chocolate and chop them up.
2. COLD is the name of the game when it comes to molding the mousse. Give the cakes at least 2 hours in the freezer, but know that they might require more depending on your specific freezer. Well-frozen mousse will pop right out of the mold, and soft mousse with leave little bits clinging to the edges, and this rough texture is no good for the mirror glaze. After they’re unmolded, put them back in the freezer so they’re cold when you glaze them! A cold mousse cake is a happy mousse cake.
3. NOT COLD is what you want when you serve them. (Sorry, I was trying to be clever but that’s just bad grammar.) I prefer to have them closer to room temperature, because then the brownies are soft and fudgy, and the glaze is very easy to cut through with a spoon. You may not agree…keep tasting them to see what you prefer!
4. Speaking of the glaze…be aware that the finished texture remains sticky (some say rubbery) and it’s unlike most other cake glazes you’ve probably tried. Some people love it, some people peel it off like fondant. And the taste? It just tastes like sweet white chocolate. I found it helpful to use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the glaze. If you are new to using a thermometer, check out my guides for how to use a thermometer and how to test and calibrate a thermometer correctly.
5. Have fun! Be creative! Play with your food!

🍰 More Cake Recipes You’ll Love

• Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake
• Charlotte Royale Cake
• Strawberry Swirl Bundt Cake
• Strawberries and Cream Layer Cake
• Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cakes

Brownie Lava Bites

These Brownie Lava Bites are a dessert that’s fun for kids, but definitely suited to grown-ups! They have a decadent truffle center that stays soft and fudgy and are topped with bright sprinkles.

View Recipe

Cosmic Brownie Mini Cakes

These cute Cosmic Brownie Mini Cakes are layered with rich chocolate frosting and topped with rainbow chips, just like the classic Cosmic Brownies!

View Recipe

Print Recipe

4.34 from 30 votes

Galaxy Mousse Cakes

Galaxy Mousse Cakes are almost too pretty to be real! Mini chocolate mousse cakes on a brownie base are covered with a gorgeous glossy mirror glaze that’s swirled to look like the galaxy. 

Prep Time4 hours hrs

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brownie, galaxy, mirror glaze, mousse cake

Dessert Type: Mousse

Servings: 10 mousse cakes

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Brownies:

• 6 oz unsalted butter
• 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp instant espresso powder optional
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 5 oz granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
• 2.25 oz all-purpose flour (1/2 cup)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt

For the Chocolate Mousse:

• 9 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped, or can substitute 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
• 1 3/4 cup heavy cream divided use
• Pinch of salt
• 1 packet unflavored powdered gelatin (.25 oz)
• 2 tbsp water

For the Mirror Glaze:

• 3 packets unflavored powdered gelatin (.75 oz)
• 9 oz water divided use
• 10.5 oz granulated sugar (1 ½ cups)
• 7 oz sweetened condensed milk (1/2 of a standard 14-oz can)
• 12 oz white chocolate chopped, or can substitute 2 cups white chocolate chips
• Assorted gel food coloring I used the following Americolor gel food colors: royal blue, sky blue, electric purple, electric pink, super black & bright white

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

To Make the Brownies:

• Line a 9” x 13” baking pan with foil, and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Combine the butter and chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl. Melt them together in 30-second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheating. Once melted and smooth, let it cool to room temperature.
• Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then whisk in the instant espresso, vanilla, and granulated sugar. Continue to whisk until the texture smooths and thickens and the batter becomes glossy, like pudding. Finally, add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir in gently with a spatula until no streaks of flour remain.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake the brownies for 15 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and gently rap it on the counter to release any air bubbles. Return it to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes (20 minutes of baking total), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.
• Let the brownies cool completely, then use a 2 ¾” circular cutter to cut out 10 brownie circles. If the tops of the brownies are uneven, gently press down on them to flatten them out.
• Place the brownie circles on a covered baking sheet and freeze them until you’re ready to use them.

To Make the Chocolate Mousse:

• Combine the chopped chocolate, 3/4 cup heavy cream, and salt in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, whisking every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Let it cool until it’s slightly warm or room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• While you wait for the chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and the cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water.
• Whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream to firm peaks, and set it aside for a moment.
• When the chocolate is at room temperature, it’s showtime! Microwave the bowl of gelatin for 10-12 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and chocolate mixture together.
• Fold half of the whipped cream into the chocolate, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream.
• Make sure your silicone molds are clean and dry. Use a large spoon to fill the half-sphere cavities, leaving about a half-inch of space at the top. Move the spoon around as you fill them to make sure the mousse is evenly distributed and there are no air pockets that will show up later.
• Take a frozen brownie round and press it on top of the mousse, pressing firmly so the mousse comes up around the sides of the brownie. Use a spatula to smooth around the edges so they’re perfectly clean.
• Place the silicone molds on a baking sheet and freeze for at least 2 hours, until VERY firm. (Freezing time may depend on your individual freezer—when in doubt, err on the side of more time!)
• Once frozen, unmold and place each dessert on a small cardboard circle—this will make them easier to transfer later. Keep them in the freezer until you’re ready to glaze them.

To Make the Mirror Glaze:

• Whisk together the gelatin and 4 oz (1/2 cup) cold water in a bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water.
• Combine the remaining 5 oz water, sugar, and condensed milk in a medium saucepan, and place the pan over medium heat. Stir while the sugar dissolves, and bring the mixture to a simmer.
• Once it is simmering steadily, remove it from the heat and add the gelatin (no need to melt the gelatin first—just scrape the big blob out of the bowl!) Whisk the gelatin as the heat from the pan dissolves it, and whisk until it is almost entirely incorporated. A few small pieces of gelatin are fine.
• Add the white chocolate to the pan, and let it sit for a few minutes to soften the chocolate. If you have an immersion blender, that is best to use—just stick it right in the pan and blend until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is very smooth. If not, you can whisk everything together, just try to avoid vigorous whisking that will create a lot of air bubbles.
• Divide your glaze into as many bowls as you want. I find it’s easiest to have a few “base colors” that are larger portions, and a few “accent colors” that are smaller portions. I made 3 base colors, using Americolor Sky Blue, Royal Blue, and a mix of Royal Blue + a drop of Super Black. I made 3 accent colors using Americolor Electric Purple, Electric Pink, and Super White. All you need to do is whisk a few drops of food coloring into each bowl of glaze.
• Let the bowls set until they cool down to about 95 Fahrenheit (35 C). An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to check this, but if you don’t have one, it should feel barely warm on your fingertip, and be thick enough to coat it. Stir the bowls occasionally as they cool, so they don’t form a skin on top.
• Take the mousse cakes from the freezer. Cover a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper for easy clean-up, and set small jars or cups on the sheet for the mousse cakes to balance on—try to use ones that are smaller than the base of the cakes, so the glaze can drip down cleanly.
• In a new bowl, pour about 1/3 cup of one of your base colors of glaze, then drizzle the top of it with a few other colors—there’s no rhyme or reason here, so go crazy! After you’ve added all the colors you want, give it a brief stir to swirl everything together, but do NOT swirl too much and muddy the colors! Take this bowl of glaze and pour it over one of the cakes, swirling it around the top to make sure that all the sides are covered. Let the glaze drip down the cake onto the baking sheet.
• If it is dripping quickly and is a very thin layer, it’s too warm and needs to cool down a few more degrees. If it is gloopy and clinging to the cake and barely dripping, it is too cool. You can warm the bowls of glaze BRIEFLY in the microwave (start with 8-10 seconds each) and stir until they’re fluid again, and keep re-warming as necessary while glazing the cakes.
• Repeat the swirling and glazing process with the rest of the cakes. It’s fun to give them all different color schemes so they each look unique. If desired, finish the cakes with a pinch of edible silver star sprinkles. (Any remaining glaze can be saved and used on a different cake within about a week or so. Make sure it stays covered tightly with plastic wrap so it doesn’t form a skin and dry out.)
• Let the cakes sit for about 15 minutes, until the glaze is semi-set, then transfer them to small plates. Chill for an additional 10-15 minutes until the glaze is full set.
• I actually prefer to eat these when they’re closer to room temperature, so the brownie layer is softer, but that’s not everyone’s preference, so do what tastes best to you. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

This recipe has been updated from when it was originally published. You can find the original version of the recipe here. 

There are some lengthy chilling periods involved in this recipe, so although the time in-kitchen isn’t bad, you will want to make sure you give yourself enough time to prep everything. To save a few steps, you can use a box brownie mix instead of the homemade one provided. One final note: you’ll have some excess glaze, so consider saving it and using it on another dessert within a week or so!

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 542mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 62g | Vitamin A: 910IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 200mg | Iron: 3.7mg

Berry Topped Lemon Mousse Cakes

I am so excited to share these Lemon Mousse Cakes with you today!

Sometimes my dessert ideas are directly inspired by things I’ve seen in magazines or online, sometimes they’re the result of endless experimentation in the kitchen, and sometimes they just come to me, fully-formed, as a complete idea that just miraculously works out the first time I test it.

This last category, the elusive “perfect idea that totally works and looks exactly like what I pictured in my head,” is the rarest of all, but when it happens, it is MAGICAL.

I hope you understood that monster of a run-on sentence, because apparently I’m too excited to remember all the rules of grammar. Sorry (not sorry)—lemon mousse cakes have me feeling all sorts of ways.

Why You’ll Love Lemon Mousse Cakes in White Chocolate Cups

These gorgeous, single-serving desserts have 3 main components: a bottom layer of moist, tangy lemon cake, a thick top layer of fluffy lemon mousse, and then an outer shell of hand-painted white chocolate that encloses the mousse and cake.

I topped mine with an assortment of fresh berries, and I loved the simplicity in contrast to the patterned white chocolate. You could also add some sprigs of edible flowers, to really hammer home the fresh springy vibe, and a sprinkling of powdered sugar to finish the whole thing off. Or, go the other direction and top it with whipped cream and candied lemon peel—that would also be perfect.

The white chocolate shell is easier than you’d think. You do need one piece of specialty equipment (if “equipment” is even the right word for cheap strips of plastic acetate!) The shells are made using something called cake collars, and these are the ones I used. They’re shiny plastic strips that you can cut down to whatever size you need.

I used them twice in this recipe: first to wrap around the cake layer to contain the mousse, so that the mousse sets in a nice, even cylinder right on top of the cake. Once the mousse is set and the collar is peeled away, it’s used again to wrap a thin layer of white chocolate around the mousse cake. Again, a short chilling time, and then the collar is peeled away a second time to reveal a beautifully thin, shiny white chocolate shell.

How to Decorate The White Chocolate Cups with Brush Strokes

The brush stroke effect is really easy, too. You might have guessed this, but I used a brush (duh) to stroke (duh) random streaks of yellow candy coating onto the acetate strips, then covered the whole thing in white chocolate. The less you think about it and plan, the better. They’re meant to look organic, haphazard, and free-spirited, so just get in there with a brush and make a mess! The end result will look intentional and beautiful, I promise.

The most FUN part of this dessert is actually the deconstruction! The first time you crack open that white chocolate shell, it’s SO satisfying. A few pieces fly off, a few berries tumble down, and you’re exposed to a lush layer of vibrant lemon mousse. Take a bite of this, maybe with a few juicy berries on top, and mmmmm, you’re off to the races. I would also recommend eating downwards until you hit lemon cake on the bottom, too, for maximum textural satisfaction.

If white chocolate, lemon, or berries aren’t your thing, you can use this technique and these base recipes to make a million different variations, so don’t let the details stop you. And if you give them a try, make sure you drop by my facebook or instagram and share pictures of what you make!

🍋 More Lemon Desserts

• Lavender Lemon Bars 
• Lemon Meringue Teacup Cakes 
• Raspberry Lemon Meringue Trifle 
• Lemon Bars Recipe
• Lemon Blackberry Trifle 
• Lemon Tea Cake
• Lemon Madeleines

Raspberry Mousse Chocolate Cups

These Raspberry Mousse Chocolate Cups have an amazing combination of edible chocolate cups, raspberry-chocolate ganache, and fresh raspberry mousse. They are gorgeous, easy and perfect for any occasion of the year.

View Recipe

Banana Bread Tiramisu

Banana Bread Tiramisu has a hint of dulce de leche in the bread and layers of soft, sweet mascarpone cheese and caramelized bananas that really boost the banana flavor. Plus, the entire dessert is wrapped in an edible chocolate wrapper!

View Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 7 votes

Lemon Mousse Cakes in White Chocolate Shells

Lemon Mousse Cakes in White Chocolate Shells are elegant, single-serving desserts perfect for any special occasion. They’re made with lemon cake, lemon mousse, and fresh berries, all wrapped in a gorgeous and elegant hand-painted white chocolate shell. 

Prep Time3 hours hrs

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lemon mousse cake

Dessert Type: Cake, Mousse

Servings: 10

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Lemon Cake:

• 1 lemon zested
• 9.3 oz granulated sugar (1.33 cups)
• 2.5 oz unsalted butter
• 3 fl oz vegetable oil
• 3 oz powdered lemon gelatin like Jell-O brand, not sugar-free
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 8.5 oz all-purpose flour (2 cups)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature

For the Lemon Mousse:

• 18 oz white chocolate chips (3 cups)
• 28 fl oz heavy cream (3.5 cups)
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp lemon extract
• 2 lemons zested
• 4 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 4 TBSP cold water

For the White Chocolate Shells and Assembly:

• 10 inches acetate cake collars (3 tall and 3-inch cake collars)
• 4 oz yellow candy coating melts
• 16 oz white candy coating melts
• 3 pints fresh berries

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

To Make the Lemon Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350 Line a 10×15” rimmed baking sheet with parchment and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
• In the bowl of a large stand mixer, combine the lemon zest and sugar and rub them together between your fingertips, until the sugar is damp and very fragrant. Add the butter, oil, and powdered lemon gelatin, and mix on medium speed with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then add the vanilla and lemon extracts.
• In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer running on low, add a third of the flour to the large mixing bowl, and once it is mostly mixed in, add half of the buttermilk. When the buttermilk is mixed, add half the remaining flour, then the rest of the buttermilk, then finish up with the last of the flour. Mix until just a few flour streaks remain, then finish stirring the cake batter by hand. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl well to make sure everything is well-mixed.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes, until it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, and the top bounces back when lightly pressed with a fingertip. Let cool completely before proceeding.
• Use a round cutter about 2.75” to cut 10 circles out of the lemon cake. (Save the rest of the scraps to make cake balls, crumble them on top of ice cream, or just munch on them as you assemble the mousse cakes!) Place each cake round on a 4” cardboard cake circle for easier assembly.
• Wrap a 3” high acetate cake collar around each cake circle, making sure that it fits snugly and doesn’t gap at the bottom. Tape each cake collar securely.

To Make the Lemon Mousse:

• Combine the white chocolate chips and 1.75 cup of cream in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the salt, lemon extract, and lemon zest, and let it cool to room temperature.
• While you wait for the white chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. When the white chocolate is at room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 10-15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and white chocolate mixture together.
• Whip the remaining 1.75 cups of heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the white chocolate, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream.
• Scoop the mousse on top of the lemon cakes, filling the collars almost to the top. Leave about ½-inch of room at the top. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out the top of the mousse. Refrigerate the tray of mousse cakes until the mousse is firm, at least 3 hours.

To Assemble:

• Carefully unpeel the cake collars from around the outside of the mousse cakes. If you need to re-use these collars for the white chocolate shells, wash and dry them well before using.
• Melt the yellow and white candy coating in separate bowls in the microwave, stirring frequently during melting to prevent overheating.
• Dip a clean paintbrush into the yellow candy coating and paint brush strokes on one of the acetate cake collars. You can paint as many or as few as you’d like, or even create other designs and patterns. When you’re done with the yellow, spoon some of the melted white chocolate onto the acetate in even intervals.
• Using an offset spatula, spread the white chocolate in a thin layer over the entire acetate strip, so that all of the edges are covered. It’s okay if it goes past the edges. Allow the chocolate to sit for about 1-2 minutes, until it just begins to get matte around the edges.
• Lift up the strip of acetate and carefully place one edge against the side of the mousse, pressing the wet white chocolate directly against the edge. Wrap it entirely around the mousse and press the ends together. Tape the outside of the acetate strip to secure it around the sides of the mousse. Place the dessert in the refrigerator to fully set the chocolate for at least 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining mousse cakes.
• Once the white chocolate is firm, peel back the tape and carefully unwind the strip of acetate, peeling it off of the chocolate. Once all of the lemon mousse cakes are unwrapped, add assorted fresh berries on top. Serve chilled, and enjoy!

Video

Notes

This recipe has several different components, so you can assemble it over the course of 2 days to make it easier. Or, to save on time, you can use a boxed cake mix to speed up preparations. You can also omit the white chocolate shell (if you must!) and just assemble the cake and mousse in clear glasses or dessert cups.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 994kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 65g | Saturated Fat: 41g | Cholesterol: 175mg | Sodium: 588mg | Potassium: 481mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 71g | Vitamin A: 1562IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 248mg | Iron: 2mg

Happy World Nutella Day! This  one food holiday I always look forward to. I’ve celebrated it for the past several years, so by now I have a healthy little collection of Nutella-based desserts on the blog, and I’m always looking to top myself and go a little bigger than the year before. Five years from now I’ll be sculpting a life-sized bust of Lionel Richie out of Nutella…just you wait.

That was a little ambitious for this year, though, so I stuck with my original idea: making giant Ferrero Rochers! This idea has been kicking around in my head for months, and I am so thrilled that I finally got to play around with it!

In case your life is sad and devoid of meaning and you aren’t familiar with Ferrero Rochers, they’re a small chocolate candy made with a wafer shell, Nutella filling, and a whole hazelnut in the center. They’re covered in a bumpy, hazelnut-studded chocolate layer and they are, in a word, delightful. They are also, in another two words, freaking addicting, and if I were to use three words, I would say they are way too small. Let’s fix that, eh?

Regular Rochers are about an inch wide and are a solid two-bite snack. My Rochers were closer to 5 inches wide, and easily served two to four people, depending on levels of hunger and the amount of room available in the ole dessert stomach.

Although they’re look-alikes, they’re not quite taste-alikes. Traditional Rochers are mostly filled with Nutella, and while I am on record as being a Nutella fan, the thought of cutting into a giant chocolate ball and having several cups of Nutella ooze out onto the plate was…unappetizing. So while these are Rochers in appearance, once you get past the chocolate shell, they’re actually filled with layers of cake and mousse.

Three layers of moist chocolate cake, to be precise, and three layers of hazelnut-speckled chocolate-hazelnut mousse. Swooning yet? I’ll admit it: I swooned a little too. This is pretty much my dream dessert combination, and the fact that it comes encased in a solid chocolate shell is the icing on the cake…or the chocolate around the cake, if you will.

Making these was a little time-consuming, but it’s not actually difficult. Getting the right equipment is at least half of the battle! I originally bought a silicone half-sphere chocolate mold, but once I really looked at it I realized that having 3-inch chocolate balls just seemed too small. By that point it was too late to order a different chocolate mold online, so I ended up using two 4-inch half-sphere cake pans. They worked fairly well, but if you’re going to be buying something new for this project anyhow, I would recommend getting chocolate molds instead of cake pans—you’ll jut have an easier time unmolding them.

Here’s a cheap 4-3/8-inch chocolate mold, and here’s a more expensive but sturdier 3.9” chocolate mold.

Aaaaand here’s the play-by-play. You’ll make the chocolate half-spheres and bake the chocolate cake in advance. Once the mousse is made, it’s just a matter of layering the mousse and cake in alternating layers in the half-spheres, then gluing them together with chocolate. Paint a layer of chocolate flecked with hazelnuts all along the outside, and you’re done!

For maximum similitude, I wrapped my mega Rochers in gold foil and set them in large paper baking cups. I found the foil at my local cake supply place, which sells it in rolls or by the yard, and it has a nice embossed pattern on it. (I believe this is the same foil I used.) You don’t need specialty foil, though, and if you can’t find gold, you can use regular silver foil or even gold cellophane.

This is such a fun idea, and of course you can use the same technique to fill the chocolate balls with all sorts of different cake, frosting, curd, and mousse fillings!

Merry World Nutella Day to all, and to all a good night.

🤎More Layer Cakes You’ll Love

• Rocky Road Layer Cake
• Chocolate Orange Cake
• Mint Chocolate Chip Layer Cake
• How to Make A Piñata Cake (with video!)
• Cookies and Cream Cake
• Agate Cake

Hazelnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These Hazelnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies are made with hazelnut butter! The soft, slightly crumbly cookies have a strong hazelnut flavor with pockets of bittersweet chocolate.

View Recipe

Chocolate-Hazelnut Mousse Trifle

This Chocolate-Hazelnut Mousse Trifle is made with homemade hazelnut butter! Cubed cake is layered with hazelnut mousse, chopped hazelnuts, and a whipped chocolate ganache that adds an even more intense chocolate flavor.

View Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Giant Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut Mousse Cakes

These Giant Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut Mousse Cakes are incredible! The extra-large chocolate shells are studded with hazelnuts and filled with layers of chocolate cake and rich hazelnut mousse.

Prep Time6 hours hrs

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time6 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Giant Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut Mousse Cakes

Dessert Type: Cake, Mousse

Servings: 16

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake:

• 6 oz unsalted butter at room temperature
• 4.75 oz granulated sugar (2/3 cup)
• 5 oz brown sugar (2/3 cup packed)
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 oz buttermilk (1 cup), at room temperature
• 4 oz sour cream (1/2 cup), at room temperature
• 2 tbsp water or brewed coffee
• 7.8 oz all-purpose flour (1¾ cups)
• 3 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (1 cup)
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt

For the Chocolate Shells and Assembly:

• 2 lbs chocolate candy coating melts
• 4 oz toasted hazelnuts (about 1 cup), skinned, coarsely chopped,
• 4″ spherical chocolate molds can substitute spherical cake pans instead

For the Hazelnut Mousse:

• 9 oz semi-sweet chocolate
• 12 oz heavy cream divided use
• 11 oz Nutella (1 cup)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin (2 1/2 packets)
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 oz toasted hazelnuts (1/2 cup), chopped

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

To Make the Chocolate Cake:

• Line a rimmed 18×13-inch half sheet pan with parchment or foil, and spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Add the butter and both sugars to the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat them together on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix it in.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and water (or coffee, if using). In a different bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running on low, add a quarter of the sifted flour mixture. When the flour streaks have almost all disappeared, add a third of the liquid to the mixing bowl. When that’s incorporated, continue to add the drys and wets in an alternating pattern, ending with the dry ingredients.
• When the dry ingredients are nearly incorporated, stop the mixer. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and finish mixing the cake by hand. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake the cake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool the cake completely before using.
• The cake can be made several days in advance and kept, well-wrapped and refrigerated or frozen, until ready to use. If you freeze it, make sure it’s partially defrosted before you use it so you can cut it easily.

To Make the Chocolate Shells:

• Make sure that your spherical molds are clean and dry. If you are using cake pans instead of actual chocolate molds, it might help to rub a very, very thin layer of nonstick cooking spray into the metal. It shouldn’t be greasy, but a very light coating can help the chocolate release.
• Melt 1 lb of the candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheating. Let the coating sit at room temperature until it it cools down to just slightly warmer than room temperature. It should still be fluid but should have a thicker texture.
• Pour a few spoonfuls of chocolate into the bottom of a mold and swirl it around so that it covers the bottom and the sides evenly. Turn it upside-down and let any excess drip back into the bowl, so you have a thin and even coating on the mold. Place the bowl upside-down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and repeat with your remaining molds. Refrigerate the tray to set the chocolate, for about 15 minutes, then freeze them for 2-3 minutes more to get the chocolate very cold. It contracts when it’s cold, and it should be easy to pop the chocolate spheres out of the molds once they’ve been in the freezer.
• To remove the spheres, gently flex the molds. If you’re using cake pans, it’s easiest to turn them upside down and very gently use one hand to coax the chocolate out. Since it is a thin layer, it can break if not handled carefully, so try to be soft. If it does break, you can always dab some chocolate in the crack and re-chill until set. The chocolate shell will be covered anyhow, so it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t look perfect!
• Repeat this process as many times as necessary until you have 10 half-spheres—this recipe makes 5 Rocher cakes total. If you have extra chocolate, consider making an extra sphere or two in case of breakage during assembly.

To Make the Hazelnut Mousse:

• Combine the chocolate, 3/4 cup of cream, Nutella, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a large bowl, and let it cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.
• While you wait for the chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and the cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. When the chocolate is at room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and chocolate together.
• Whip the remaining 1 1/4 cups of heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the chocolate, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Add the hazelnuts and fold them in last. Use immediately. The mousse will start to set soon after it’s finished, so do not try to make it in advance and then assemble the cakes later.

To Assemble:

• Cut a circle of cake that will fit in the bottom of one of the chocolate half-spheres. Press it into the sphere, then top it with a layer of hazelnut mousse and smooth out the top of the mousse. Cut another circle of cake that will fit on top of the mousse—this one will be a larger size. Press the circle of cake on top of the mousse, and if necessary, trim the top so that it’s level with the top of the shell.
• In a second chocolate shell, reverse the order: spoon some mousse into the bottom of the shell, and top it with a cake round. Place more mousse on top of that round, and smooth it so that it’s flush with the top of this chocolate shell. Now, when the shells are fitted together, they will have three layers of mousse and three layers of cake in alternating order. Melt the remaining 1 lb of chocolate coating and brush a thin layer around the edges of the spheres to seal them together. Rest the assembled ball in a bowl or in the cavity of a muffin tin (so that it is stable and doesn’t move) while you assemble the rest of the mini cakes.
• To finish them off, re-warm the remaining chocolate coating, if necessary, and stir in the coarsely chopped hazelnuts. Set them in the cavities of a muffin tin, and use a pastry brush to brush the nut-studded chocolate on top of the chocolate shells. You will probably only be able to really coat the top half of each shell with chocolate, so once that’s done, refrigerate the cakes to set the chocolate coating, for about 15 minutes. Once set, turn the cakes upside down and brush the bottoms with the chocolate-nut mixture, until the spheres are entirely covered in a layer of bumpy, nut-packed chocolate. If you want, you can scatter a few chopped hazelnuts on top so that a few of them show through the chocolate. Refrigerate the tray again to set the chocolate completely.
• To serve, wrap each cake individually in gold foil, and set in a paper baking cup. These keep very well, because the chocolate coating prevents the cake from getting stale, and the mousse keeps things moist. Well-wrapped, they will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Notes

The chocolate cake recipe is adapted from Ina Garten’s chocolate cupcakes in Barefoot Contessa at Home.

I use chocolate candy coating (like Merckens chocolate wafers) for this recipe, since it’s faster and easier than tempering chocolate, and using untampered chocolate for the shells would not produce good results.

If you want to use real chocolate, I recommend tempering it following these instructions. I do not recommend simply melting regular chocolate and using that, since it will be difficult to release from the molds and is often soft, crumbly, or streaky at room temperature. This recipe yields 5 5-inch Rocher cakes.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Calories: 820kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 75g | Vitamin A: 683IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg

width=”800″ height=”3274″ class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-4014″ />

Stunning Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

I don’t go around calling things “food porn” on a regular basis, so instead, can we just agree that this cake is, for lack of a better term, a sexy beast? It has a moist, fudgy brownie base, three layers of light mousse—chocolate, raspberry, and vanilla, and then a glossy topping of chocolate and a tangle of raspberries and chocolate curls on top. Oh, behave!

I was so obsessed with the honey mousse I made for these Honey Pots with Honey Mousse, I couldn’t stop thinking of ways to use that quick and easy mousse in other recipes. It turns out it’s easy to adapt that mousse for other flavors, so I made a few tweaks and soon found myself with chocolate, raspberry, and vanilla bean variations. You’ll love it—no separating eggs, no whipping whites or yolks, and no stress.

The mousse is firm enough to hold up in layers and cut cleanly when it’s refrigerated, but as it comes to room temperature, it develops the most delicious silky, pillowy texture. It’s the perfect contrast to the chewy, fudgy brownie base, and the juicy berries embedded in the raspberry layer!

Of course I couldn’t let my tart leave the house naked, so it’s covered in a glossy chocolate ganache that drips just a bit down the sides. You could also cover the sides completely in ganache, so the four layers are a fun surprise when you cut the cake open. I can never resist showing off, so I like to put them on display, but perhaps you are less of a braggart than I am.

Finish the tart with a big pile of fresh raspberries and chocolate shavings. The gold decoration (or “doodad,” as we call them in the biz) was made using this Wilton chocolate mold and then dry-brushing it with gold luster dust. Totally unnecessary, totally cute. (That should be the tagline of my site, yes?)

Enjoy!

💡FAQs

Don’t miss our collection of Fun Valentine’s Day Dessert Ideas – see the whole web story here!

Rainbow Mousse Cake

This Rainbow Mousse Cake has seven gorgeous layers of cake and mousse in vibrant, fruity flavors. This rainbow cake recipe is perfect for any party or celebration!

View Recipe

Orange Mousse with Cranberry Sauce

This Orange Mousse with Cranberry Sauce is a light, elegant dessert that showcases the sweet-tart beauty of cranberries! You can use store-bought or leftover cranberry sauce for the topping, so it comes together quickly and easily!

View Recipe

Print Recipe

4.33 from 105 votes

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake – a gorgeous three-layer mousse cake with chocolate, raspberry, and vanilla mousse, all on a chocolate brownie base. 

Prep Time3 hours hrs

Cook Time24 minutes mins

Total Time3 hours hrs 24 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate, mousse cake, raspberry

Dessert Type: Cake

Servings: 20

Author: Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients

For the Brownie Layer:

• 3.33 oz all-purpose flour (3/4 cup)
• 2 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (2/3 cup)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 4 oz unsalted butter
• 7.75 oz granulated sugar (1 cup +2 tbsp)
• 2 large eggs large, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Mousse:

• 9 oz semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream divided use
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 TBSP water

For the Raspberry Mousse:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries see Note below
• 9 oz white chocolate finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided use
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 TBSP water
• pink gel food coloring optional

For the Vanilla Mousse:

• 9 oz white chocolate finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided use
• 4 TBSP honey
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
• 2 TBSP water
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste can substitute vanilla extract

To Finish:

• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
• 4 oz heavy cream
• 1 pint fresh raspberries see Note below
• Chocolate curls or other decorations

US Standard – Metric

Instructions

To Make the Brownie Layer:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment and spray well with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl. Set aside for now.
• Cube the butter and place it in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally as the butter melts. Add the sugar and stir it into the melted butter until combined. 
• Remove the pan from the heat, and let it cool to lukewarm. Once it has cooled, add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well between each addition. The mixture will start out grainy, but as you add the eggs, it will become shiny and smooth. Whisk the vanilla in. Finally, add the dry ingredients, and stir them in with a spatula.
• Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared pan, and bake it for 22-24 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool the brownie layer completely before proceeding.

To Make the Mousse Layers:

• Prepare your pan. You need a 9-inch pan with sides at least 3 inches tall, and the ability to remove the bottom. Either a cake pan with a removeable bottom or a 9" springform will work. Line the inner wall with an acetate cake collar or strip of aluminum foil, parchment paper, or waxed paper. Make sure the acetate collar or other lining is long enough so that it overlaps itself. Also, if you are using foil/parchment/waxed paper, make sure you cut the strip tall enough to extend at least an inch over the pan’s sides, since the cake is about 4 inches tall.
• Place a cake cardboard in the bottom of the pan, then carefully place the baked brownie on top of the cardboard.
• Prepare the chocolate mousse layer: combine the chocolate, 3/4 cup of cream, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a large bowl, and let it cool to slightly above room temperature, stirring occasionally.
• While you wait for the chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and the cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. When the chocolate is sufficiently cooled, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Then whisk the melted gelatin and chocolate together.
• Whip the remaining 1 cup heavy whipping cream to just before firm peaks form (see FAQ for more tips). Fold half of the whipped cream into the warm chocolate. Once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Scrape the mousse on top of the brownie, and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate the cake for 25 minutes, until the mouse has started to set and is firm enough that a second layer can be added.
• Prepare the raspberry mousse layer: make a quick puree by blending 1/2 cup fresh raspberries in a blender or food processor. Pour them through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds, and measure out 1/4 cup raspberry puree. Extra puree can be saved and used for other purposes.
• Combine the white chocolate, raspberry puree, 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Continue to make the raspberry layer the same way you made the chocolate layer, by melting and cooling the chocolate mixture to about 95-100 degrees C, whisking in melted gelatin, and folding in whipped cream. Add a few drops of pink food coloring to boost the pink color, if desired. At the very end, stir in the remaining 1 cup of fresh raspberries and pour the mousse over the chocolate mousse layer. Spread it into an even layer, and refrigerate again for about 25 minutes.
• Prepare the vanilla bean layer: combine the white chocolate, 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, honey, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Continue to make this layer the same way you made the previous two layers by allowing the chocolate mixture to cool, whisking in the gelatin, and folding in the whipped cream. After completing those steps, stir in the vanilla bean paste and pour the vanilla mousse over the raspberry mousse layer. Refrigerate to set the mousse layers very well, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• To finish the cake: push the bottom out from the pan, or unhinge the sides, and unwrap the acetate strip. Transfer the cake to your serving platter. Make a quick chocolate ganache by putting the chopped chocolate in a small bowl and heating the cream to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and whisk gently until the chocolate melts and you have a smooth, shiny mixture.
• Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, and use a spatula to nudge it right to the edge and over in evenly spaced drizzles. Don’t worry if the top is not smooth—it will be covered up! Add the fresh raspberries and chocolate curls on top of the cake. Refrigerate to set the ganache.
• For the cleanest slices, cut the cake when it is well chilled. Use a large sharp knife, and wash it frequently between cuts. For the best taste and texture, allow the cake slices to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
• Store Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Notes

If you can’t find quality fresh raspberries, you can use frozen berries to make the puree. Don’t use frozen berries in the mousse layer or to decorate on top. They won’t look pretty and will change the texture of the mousse.

Another solution would be to substitute fresh strawberries in place of fresh raspberries.

Measuring Tips

Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.

Nutrition

Serving: 20g | Calories: 604kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 342mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 1105IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 2.2mg

THE BEST VALENTINE’S DAY CAKES

Check out our collection of the 27 best Valentine’s Day cake ideas — click here to get all the recipes!