Double Chocolate Mousse Cake #ChristmasSweetsWeek

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Your search for a holiday showstopper ends with this Double Chocolate Mousse Cake! Fluffy chocolate cake topped with dark and white chocolate mousse, ganache, and a festive herb wreath garnished with sugared cranberries. If the holidays are long over, fresh berries would make for an equally beautiful cake!

This post is sponsored in conjunction with ChristmasSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the ChristmasSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

Drumroll, please.

Say OMG HELLO GORGEOUS to what may just be the prettiest, tastiest, show stopping-est holiday cake I’ve ever made.

It looks so simple, but a lot of love went into this beauty. A lot of love – but pretty minimal effort, to be honest.

Time, yeah. Effort = minimal. Win.

You may as well just add this to your holiday menu NOW. I promise that every chocoholic will love you for it!

JUST TAKE ME TO THE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE ALREADY!

If you’d rather skip my (pretty darn helpful) tips and tricks, essential cooking info, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to this deliciously easy chocolate mousse cake recipe, just scroll right on down to the bottom of the page where you can find the printable recipe card!

Every Christmas, I try to find a way to outdo the previous year’s holiday cake.

Last year was another trip into fancy French techniques with the Triple Chocolate Cranberry Mousse Torte.

In 2016, it was the Spiced Chocolate Eggnog Cake (that I’m still obsessed with. Actually made it for Thanksgiving this year!)

2015 was the year of my epic white & dark chocolate Seven Layer Tuxedo Ganache Cake.  (I really just did it so I could use those holiday Oreos.)

Back in 2014, I actually recreated a cake from Southern Living that I didn’t photograph – but it was a huge success! (Maybe a few snaps for next year?)

If you actually click on those and look back, the first thing you’ll probably notice is the change in photography style…especially since 2015.

Of course, you might just notice the chocolate trend.

I admit, Christmastime means chocolate indulgence for me. Just the thought of enjoying a slice of rich chocolate cake while curled up with a handful of nostalgic holiday movies gets me in a baking mood.

And there’s nothing quite like the sense of pride you get when a dessert you worked so hard on gets the audible “wow” you were going for.

This Double Chocolate Mousse Cake may only use two types of chocolate, but it’s definitely four layers of amazing texture and flavor!

1. Layer One – fluffy dark chocolate cake. It’s adapted from my Chocolate Eggnog Cake recipe, but you can definitely use a (half of a) box mix if you prefer. And the remaining cake can be made into cupcakes, trifles, or cake balls!
2. Layer Two – dark chocolate mousse. Most chocolate mousse is just chocolate and whipped cream folded together. This mousse uses a bit of gelatin to create stability, allowing you to add layer after layer of yum. Feel free to use your favorite percentage here – 60% is my go-to, but 70-80% would work very nicely with the other, sweeter layers.
3. Layer Three – white chocolate mousse. White chocolate is much more finicky than chocolate with cocoa, so make sure you follow the recipe when it comes to melting and blending. Always choose high-quality chocolate, especially if you want high-quality results. Skip the chips and go for a bar chocolate with recipes like this.
4. Layer Four – dark chocolate ganache. Essentially a thick hot chocolate, this pourable ganache is the ultimate topping for this cake. Of course, you could skip this and opt for a dusting of cocoa powder instead if you’re looking for a slightly lower-fat dessert. Yeah, SLIGHTLY.
5. BONUS! Layer Five – fresh sage, rosemary, and candied cranberry wreaths. Simple. Decorative. Festively effective.

LOOKING FOR MORE MOUSSE CAKE RECIPES?

• Mint Mousse Brownies
• Salted Caramel Martini Mousse Cake
• Chocolate Cannoli Cheesecake Mousse Torte

TUESDAY #CHRISTMASSWEETSWEEK RECIPES:

Beverages:

Candy Cane Crunch Milkshake from The Redhead Baker
Caramel Hot Chocolate Toddy from Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
Gingersnap Eggnog Shooter from Seduction In The Kitchen
Grumpy Grinch Punch from For the Love of Food
Merry Mistletoe Cocktail from Who Needs A Cape?
Raspberry Thyme Prosecco Punch from Take Two Tapas
Vanilla Milk Punch from Cooking with Carlee

Breakfast:

Cranberry Orange Make Ahead French Toast Bake from With Two Spoons

Candies:

Cookie Butter Balls from The Bitter Side of Sweet
White Chocolate Bark from Family Around the Table

Desserts:

Champagne, Cranberry, and White Chocolate Layer Cake from Cheese Curd in Paradise
Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies from Kate’s Recipe Box
Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle Tart from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
Cranberry Orange Crinkle Cookies from Love and Confections
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake from The Crumby Kitchen
Gingerbread Cookie Cups from Moore or Less Cooking
Gingerbread Cupcakes from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Gingerbread Sprinkle Cookies from Daily Dish Recipes
Grandma’s Chocolate Pie from Tip Garden
Italian Butter Cookies from April Golightly
No Bake Eggnog Pie from Our Good Life
Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Bread from Sweet Beginnings

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Double Chocolate Mousse Cake

Your search for a holiday showstopper ends with this Double Chocolate Mousse Cake! Fluffy chocolate cake topped with dark and white chocolate mousse, ganache, and a festive herb wreath garnished with sugared cranberries. If the holidays are long over, fresh berries would make for an equally beautiful cake!

4.29 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: chocolate mousse cake

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Chilling Time: 12 hours

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 758kcal

Author: Erica

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dark Chocolate Mousse

• 2 teaspoons gelatin powder
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 6 ounces dark chocolate coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream cold

White Chocolate Mousse

• 2 teaspoons gelatin powder
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 6 ounces white chocolate coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream divided; cold

Chocolate Ganache

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate coarsely chopped

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line one 9-inch cake pan with a parchment round, then coat with baking spray. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk until blended. With a spoon, create a well in the middle.
• Add eggs, milk, melted butter, and vanilla and stir until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the boiling water. Whisk until well combined.
• Pour batter in the prepared cake pan and bake for 28-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, with only a few crumbs.
• Allow cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.
• Trim the cake if necessary, then place it on a cake plate. Wrap the cake snugly with a layer of plastic acetate and tape it shut. Alternatively, you can place the cake in a 9-inch springform pan.

Dark Chocolate Mousse

• In a small bowl, combine water and gelatin and set aside to bloom for 8-10 minutes.
• Place the chopped chocolate in a larger glass or metal bowl set over a double boiler. Melt the chocolate, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula to help the process. Set aside to cool.
• Liquify the bloomed gelatin by microwaving it for 10 seconds. Whisk the gelatin into the melted chocolate.
• Use a stand mixer or electric mixer to whip the heavy cream and granulated sugar to soft peaks on medium speed, 2-4 minutes.
• Gently fold the whipped cream into the melted chocolate using a rubber spatula until fully combined.
• Spoon mixture into the prepared pan over the cooled cake layer. Smooth is out and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

White Chocolate Mousse

• In a small bowl, combine water and gelatin and set aside to bloom for 8-10 minutes.
• Place the chopped white chocolate in another glass or metal bowl. Set aside.
• In a small sauce pot, bring 1 cup of heavy cream to a simmer. Add bloomed gelatin and whisk until fully dissolved. Remove from heat and cool slightly, then pour over white chocolate, whisking until melted and smooth. Cool to room temperature.
• Use a stand mixer or electric mixer to whip the heavy cream and granulated sugar to soft peaks on medium speed, 2-4 minutes.
• Gently fold the whipped cream into the melted chocolate using a rubber spatula until fully combined.
• Carefully transfer white chocolate mousse over the set dark chocolate layer. Smooth the top, then chill for 3 hours or overnight.

Chocolate Ganache

• Place the chopped chocolate in a glass or metal bowl. Set aside.
• In a small sauce pot, bring cream to a bare simmer. Pour over the chopped chocolate. Let it stand for 1 minute, then stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
• Allow the ganache to cool and thicken slightly for 10 minutes, while remaining pourable. Pour over the white chocolate mousse layer and smooth.
• Remove the acetate film and allow ganache to drip down the sides of the cake.
• Garnish with rosemary, sage, and sugared cranberries.

Notes

You can use a box mix easily for the cake layer! Mix the box, pour half of it in your 9-inch cake pan, then make some cupcakes with the rest of the batter. You could even make cute festive cake balls with the rest to decorate the cake with!

Nutrition

Calories: 758kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 35g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 422mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 27.7% | Vitamin C: 0.7% | Calcium: 13.7% | Iron: 22.4%

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