Dark Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

If you love chocolate, then you’ll love this recipe. It’s nothing, but chocolate! Pair it with the tart sweetness of raspberries and this cake is amazing.

Dark Chocolate Mousse Recipe

Prep Time: 2 hours, 30 mins

Cook Time: 55 mins

Serves: 10-12 people

Ingredients

• 1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsps baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup full fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup hot coffee
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Raspberry Compote

•  3 cups frozen raspberries
• 2 tbsps sugar
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Chocolate Mousse

• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• two 4-ounce quality semi-sweet chocolate bars, finely chopped (I use Ghirardelli)
•  2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp confectioners sugar
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache

• two 4- ounce quality semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line four 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper, then grease the pan and parchment paper. The parchment paper is essential to this recipe. This cake is very moist and will stick to the bottom of the pan even if you grease it.
2. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, mix the oil, eggs, and sour cream together on medium-high until combined. I use my Kitchen Aid mixer for all my baking and mixing needs. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and mix until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk together. Once whisked together add the hot coffee and combine until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips.
3. Divide the batter into the four cake pans and bake for 19-23 minutes. Keep an eye on the cake as it bakes. Use a tooth pick of fork to see if the cake is finished. Stick the toothpick into the center of the cake and if comes out clean, its done.
4. Take the cake out once it’s finished and set aside to cool.
5. While the cake is cooling, it’s time to make the mousse. You can also make the mousse 1-2 days ahead of time and keep covered in the fridge. Whisk the hot water and cocoa powder together and set aside. Melt the chocolate bars over a double boiler or in the microwave. Once the chocolate is melted, whisk in the hot water/cocoa mixture until smooth. Set aside. Using a stand mixer or hand held mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla until it has the consistency of whip cream. Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and fold it into the whip cream, Make sure not to over fold the mixture, or else it will become flat. Once the chocolate is completely folded into the whip cream, put in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
6. Time to make the raspberry compote. Add the raspberries, lemon juice, and sugar to a pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the raspberries become a jam consistency. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use. This can be done the night before.
7.  Now it’s time to layer the cake. Make sure all of the cake layers have a smooth top by slicing off the dome that has formed on top of the cake. This can be done with something as simple as a butter knife. Once all your cake layers are even and flat, start with a cake layer on bottom. On top of the cake layer add about a cup and half of the chocolate mousse. Use a rubber spatula to smooth out the mousse around the cake layer. Once the mousse layer is down, add the raspberry compote on top of the mousse and lightly spread it around. Repeat those layers until all your cake, mousse, and raspberry filling are gone. Put the cake in the fridge while you make your ganache.
8.  Add your finely chopped chocolate to a bowl and set aside. Put your heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until its about boiled. Don’t let the cream boil. Take it off and pour it over the chocolate. Let that sit for about 5 mins and then whisk until creamy and smooth. Once the mixture is smooth set aside and wait 20 minutes until you add it to the cake.
9.  Pour the ganache over the cake and let it flow over onto the sides. I used an icing spatula to smooth the ganache over the cake. You can use anything you have at home to help you smooth out the ganache. Don’t feel that it has to be perfect. It will just have that rustic vibe to it. 🙂 Top with berries or anything you want to use to decorate your cake.

Tips

For the love of all that is holy, please, use quality chocolate! This cake is basically all chocolate, so if you use crap chocolate, guess whose cake is going to taste like crap? I use Nestle and Ghirardelli.

The parchment paper is so important you guys. Please, don’t skip this step. If you skip this step you are going to have a cake that won’t come out of the cake pan. Lay the parchment paper down and put the cake pan onto of it. Trace the cake pan on the parchment paper and cut it out. Add the round piece of parchment to the bottom of your cake pan and then use PAM to grease around the pan and the parchment paper.

If you can’t get the parchment to lay flat in the bottom of the cake pan, try using a little butter on the bottom of the parchment. I put four dots all around the edge of the parchment and lay it flat. It won’t have any problem sticking.

I hope you guys enjoy!

I have to thank Sally’s Baking Addiction for the base of this recipe. Her chocolate cake recipe, mousse, and ganache were delicious!