Name: Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe Easy (3 Dreamy Layers!)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp salt; 2 eggs; 1 cup sugar; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 1/2 cup buttermilk; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup heavy cream (for mousse); 200g dark chocolate (for mousse); 1/2 cup heavy cream (for ganache); 100g dark chocolate (for ganache)

Jump to Recipe

This chocolate mousse cake recipe easy enough to whip up for a dinner party or a Tuesday stress-bake. It’s rich, indulgent, and layered like a chocolatey dream: fluffy cake, silky mousse, and a glossy ganache that glistens like it knows it’s fancy. I’ve made this one for birthdays, potlucks, and once at 2am after a breakup (don’t ask). The beauty of it? You don’t need to be a pastry chef. You just need a sweet tooth, a whisk, and maybe a little patience with folding egg whites. But even if you mess up a bit, it still tastes like something from a bakery. Chocolate mousse cake feels like it should be intimidating. It’s not. We’re keeping it chill, doable, and totally worth licking the bowl for. So go ahead—say yes to cocoa, yes to cream, and yes to the best slice of your week.

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe
3) Ingredients for Chocolate Mousse Cake
4) How to Make Chocolate Mousse Cake
5) Tips for Making Chocolate Mousse Cake
6) Making Chocolate Mousse Cake Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Chocolate Mousse Cake
8) Try these cakes next!
9) Chocolate Mousse Cake
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

This cake features a fluffy cocoa base, rich chocolate mousse, and glossy ganache
It can be made in stages and is great for prepping the night before
Even beginner bakers can pull this off with simple steps and household tools
The recipe balances sweetness with deep cocoa flavor for chocolate lovers

2) Easy Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

Some cakes feel like they’re showing off. This one doesn’t. It’s chocolate mousse cake, and it’s easy, honest, and just plain good. You start with a soft, cocoa-rich base. Then, there’s the middle—chocolate mousse. Light but not too airy. Rich but not heavy. You finish with a ganache so smooth it makes the whole slice look polished. The main keyword chocolate mousse cake recipe easy shows up in searches, but this one deserves the spotlight because it’s reliable and works every time.

I’ve made this for birthdays, date nights, Tuesdays—you name it. Once, I even made it because I bought too much cream. That’s the kind of cake we’re working with. Flexible. Forgiving. And the kind you’ll keep coming back to. If you like chocolate chip pancakes recipe easy, this is your dessert cousin in cake form. It gives comfort but in layers.

So if you’re reading this with a craving in your chest and cocoa in your cabinet, let’s get to it. You don’t need a pastry degree or even a mixer. Just a whisk, a pan, and a love for sweets. We’ll take it one layer at a time, and yes—you can totally lick the bowl.

3) Ingredients for Chocolate Mousse Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour
This is the backbone. It keeps everything grounded, even when the mousse tries to float away.

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Make sure it’s the good kind. Dutch-processed or natural—it all works. Just don’t use hot chocolate mix.

1 tsp baking powder
It gives the cake that gentle lift so the texture isn’t dense like a brownie.

1/2 tsp baking soda
This balances the cocoa and helps everything rise evenly.

1/4 tsp salt
Just enough to round out the chocolate flavor. Don’t skip this. It matters more than it looks like it does.

2 eggs
They add structure and hold the crumb together. Room temp is best but don’t sweat it.

1 cup sugar
This gives sweetness and helps create a soft texture. The cake won’t taste overly sweet, promise.

1/2 cup vegetable oil
Keeps the cake moist and tender. Use something neutral like canola if you prefer.

1/2 cup buttermilk
Adds tang and softness. If you’re out, a spoon of lemon juice in milk will do the trick.

1 tsp vanilla extract
A dash of depth behind all that chocolate. You’ll taste it, even if it’s subtle.

1 cup heavy cream (for mousse)
Whipped to soft peaks. This brings the mousse to life.

200g dark chocolate (for mousse)
Deep flavor, slightly bitter, and perfect when it melts with cream.

1/2 cup heavy cream (for ganache)
This forms the final layer and gives the cake that glossy finish.

100g dark chocolate (for ganache)
Use a bar or chips. Just melt it gently into the cream and stir till smooth.

4) How to Make Chocolate Mousse Cake

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a round cake pan. You want it ready so you’re not rushing when the batter’s done.

Step 2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. No need to sift unless your cocoa is clumpy.

Step 3. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. Add oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Stir in the dry mix until just combined.

Step 4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Test it with a toothpick. Let it cool completely before anything else.

Step 5. For the mousse, melt 200g chocolate and let it cool slightly. Whip cream till soft peaks form and fold it gently into the cooled chocolate. Chill it while the cake cools too.

Step 6. For the ganache, heat 1/2 cup cream till it’s just about to simmer. Pour it over the chopped chocolate and stir until glossy.

Step 7. Spread mousse over the cooled cake. Top with ganache. Chill for at least an hour. Slice and serve with quiet pride.

5) Tips for Making Chocolate Mousse Cake

Give the cake enough time to cool. If you rush it, the mousse will melt and slide. Trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way more than once.

When folding whipped cream into chocolate, go slow. Use a spatula and mix gently. You want the mousse light and airy. Stir too hard, and it flattens fast.

For extra shine on the ganache, stir in a teaspoon of butter after it’s smooth. It’s an old trick but still works like magic. Also, if you’re using chocolate chips, let them sit in the hot cream for 3 minutes before stirring.

6) Making Chocolate Mousse Cake Ahead of Time

One of my favorite things about this cake is that it actually tastes better after a night in the fridge. The layers firm up, the flavors settle, and the mousse holds like a dream.

Make the cake the night before your event or dinner. You can bake the base, whip the mousse, and even pour the ganache ahead of time. Cover it gently and chill it.

If you’re baking the layers separately, you can wrap the base in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days. The mousse and ganache can both be made the day before and assembled the next morning.

7) Storing Leftover Chocolate Mousse Cake

Got leftovers? Lucky you. Cover the cake with plastic wrap or place slices in a sealed container. Keep it chilled and it’ll stay fresh for up to 4 days.

If the ganache gets too firm, let your slice sit at room temp for 15 minutes before eating. The texture softens and tastes like it’s fresh again.

I don’t recommend freezing this one. The mousse loses its texture after thawing and that’s kind of the best part, isn’t it?

8) Try these cakes next!

9) Chocolate Mousse Cake