This Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake is an elegant dessert, perfect for the chocolate lovers. It features a layer of chocolate/hazelnut cake base topped with 3 layers of creamy and soft chocolate mousse: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate.
The Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake is a truly decadent chocolate cake and will be a huge hit for any special occasion. If you are looking for simple but stunning desserts, this beautiful cake will tick the box.
The Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe is easier than it might lead to think. The cake itself requires a bit of time as you must wait between each layer to set, but each layer is easy to prepare and takes about 10 minutes each. If you’ve already made an entremets cake, this one will be easy-peasy.
Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake, in a nutshell:
A make-ahead cake: you can split the preparation over several days
If you are looking for freezable desserts, you can store this triple chocolate mousse cake in the freezer for up to 1 month
The true recipe from a French bakery-the dessert from my childhood.
It’s almost a No-Bake Cake
Equipment needed
Cake ring: 8 inch (20cm) diameter and minimum height: 3 inch (7.5 cm): You can use a springform cake tin; just make sure it’s high enough.
Can Pan for the base : 9 inch (23cm), I use an aluminum cake pan
A cake collar, also called an acetate sheet: it helps make the sides of the mousse cake smooth and makes it much easier to remove the cake ring. If you don’t have one, you can use parchment paper—just make sure it fits properly.
Cake board
Stand mixer or electric mixer with the whisk attachment
Note about the ingredients
For best results, use good quality chocolate:
Dark chocolate: between 60 to 70% cocoa content (I use 60%)
Milk chocolate: 35% cocoa content
White Chocolate
Heavy cream (= called double cream in the UK) : 30-36% milk fat minimum. It’s even better if you can find one with a higher fat content.
Milk: whole milk or 2% milk fat.
Gelatin: I use gelatin powder, 200 bloom, Gold strength. Use the same bloom (= strength); otherwise, adapt the quantity. I have a kitchen scale with readabilities of 0.01g to get precise weighing.
If you’re new to working with gelatin or need to adjust it, please read the complete guide on gelatin. You’ll find all the information you need.
How to make this Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
This summary captures the key steps for a quick and easy understanding of the process.
Step 1: Prepare the cake base. It’s an easy cake with no special equipment. Use a cake pan slightly larger than your cake ring.
Step 2: the dark chocolate mousse: it’s simply melted chocolate with milk, and then we add gelatin (previously bloomed). Let it slightly cool for a few minutes. In the meantime, whip the heavy cream. Then, fold the chocolate mixture in whipped cream.
Pour over the cake base and let it set.
Step 3: Prepare the milk chocolate mousse, repeat the same process.
Step 4: Prepare the white chocolate mousse, repeat the same process.
Step 5: Remove from the cake ring and add decoration, feel free to decorate as you wish. For me: chocolate curls.
Full instructions at the end of this post.
Tips
This triple chocolate mousse cake is composed of different layers that need to be set, so I recommend starting at least 1 or 2 days before you plan to serve it.
Don’t try to speed up the process. Each layer requires time to set before processing the next one. The layers will mix if you don’t wait for the chocolate mousse to set.
For a professional look, use a cake collar, the side of the mousse cake will be smooth, and it will be so much easier to remove the cake ring. For best results, freeze the cake and remove the cake collar when the cake is still frozen. Then let it thaw in the fridge. However, if you need to carry the cake, I recommend letting the cake collar until the destination.
To whip the heavy cream, place the bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. It helps to whip.
When placing the cake in the freezer, ensure the place is level.
Plan to add chocolate decorations a few minutes before serving the cake. Avoid adding them too long in advance or they might absorb humidity. Not a real issue, just for aesthetic.
For a nice cut and slice, pour hot water on the blade of your knife and wipe it off after every slice.
FAQs
How to store the Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake?
Store this cake for up to 4 days in the fridge under a cake dome.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. I recommend starting at least the day before or even 2 days in advance. This triple chocolate mousse cake need 8 hours to set, not to mention 30 minutes between each layer.
You can also split the preparation over several days and let the cake in process in the freezer until ready for the next step.
Or You can freeze the cake for up to 1 month (without chocolate curls for decoration).
Can I leave the cake on display during a party?
No, this cake is a cold dessert, that must be kept in the fridge.
This Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake is an elegant dessert, perfect for the chocolate lovers. It features a layer of chocolate/hazelnut base topped with 3 layers of creamy and soft chocolate mousse: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Base
25 g (0.9 oz) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 eggs
50 g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
30 g (2 tbsp) runny honey
65 g (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
40 g (1/2 cup) ground hazelnuts
10 g (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
60 ml (1/4 cup) heavy cream- 36% milk fat minimum
30 g (3 tbsp) vegetable oil
Dark Chocolate Mousse
2 g gelatine powder, 200 Bloom (Gold strength)
12 ml (1 tbsp) cold water
100 g (3.5oz) Dark Chocolate, 60% cocoa content
80 ml (1/3 cup) milk
150 ml (½ cup + 2 tbsp) heavy cream - 36% milk fat minimum
Milk Chocolate Mousse
3 g gelatine powder, 200 Bloom (Gold strength)
18 ml (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) cold water
115 g (4oz) Milk Chocolate, 35% cocoa content
80 ml (1/3 cup) milk
150 ml (½ cup + 2 tbsp) heavy cream - 36% milk fat minimum
White Chocolate Mousse
3 g gelatine powder, 200 Bloom (Gold strength)
18 ml (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) cold water
145 g (5.1 oz) White Chocolate
80 ml (1/3 cup) milk
150 ml (½ cup + 2 tbsp) heavy cream - - 36% milk fat minimum
Decoration
chocolate curls
Info
recipe for ring cake of 8 inch (20cm) diameter, minimum height: 3in (7.5cm)
Method
Chocolate Cake Base
1)
Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F), fan off. Line a 9-inch round cake pan. Make sure to use a cake pan slightly larger than your cake ring. It helps to cut the cake to fit perfectly with no loose on the sides.
2)
Chop the chocolate finely and place it in a microwave-proof bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring after each time. Once the chocolate is almost melted, stop microwave and stir the chocolate until it is completely smooth. Set aside.
3)
In a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar and honey. With a whisk, mix until well combined.
4)
Over the egg mixture, sift the flour, ground hazelnuts, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Combine until fully incorporated.
5)
Add the heavy cream, and mix.
6)
Add the vegetable oil and melted chocolate and stir until fully incorporated
7)
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs and the top springs back when touched.
8)
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, transfer to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely.
9)
Once the cake is cooled, cut the dome if needed to have an even surface. Next, cut the cake to fit perfectly in your cake ring. Use your cake ring like a cookie cutter.
10)
Place the cake ring on a cake board / or cake serving plate. Place the chocolate cake base in the cake ring and then line the side with a cake collar. Alternatively, use baking paper, but make sure it goes about 2 inches above the top edge of the pan.
Proceed to the first layer of dark chocolate mousse.
Dark Chocolate Mousse
1)
Start to bloom the gelatine: In a small bowl, pour the cold water, sprinkle the gelatine, stir and let it sit for a few minutes until the gelatine absorbs all the liquid.
2)
Chop finely the dark chocolate. In a heat-proof bowl, add the dark chocolate and the milk. Place the bowl over a double boiler, over low-medium heat, and with a rubber spatula, stir until all the chocolate is melted. Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the simmering water.
3)
When the chocolate is fully melted, remove it from the heat, and add the gelatine. Stir until the gelatine is completely dissolved. Set aside.
4)
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream until medium-stiff peaks form.
5)
Add the melted chocolate mixture to the whipped cream. Please ensure the chocolate has cooled before adding it to the whipped cream.
With a rubber spatula, fold until well combined. You should have a runny consistency.
6)
Pour the chocolate mousse (still runny at this stage) over the cake base and place it in the freezer for 30 minutes until the layer is set. (Alternatively, place in the fridge for 1h30). Ensure, it’s level in your freezer.
Milk Chocolate Mousse
1)
Proceed when the dark chocolate mousse cake is set. Repeat the same process with:
– 115g milk chocolate (4 oz)
– 3g of Gelatine powder, 200 Bloom
Note: You need different quantities due to the different cocoa content in each type of chocolate
2)
Again, let the cake sit for 30 minutes in the freezer until the milk chocolate layer is set before proceeding to the white chocolate mousse.
White Chocolate Mousse
1)
Proceed when the milk chocolate mousse cake is set. Repeat the same process with:
– 145g milk chocolate (5.1 oz)
– 3g of Gelatine powder, 200 Bloom
2)
Place the cake in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight to set or alternatively freeze the cake.
Decoration
1)
Gently remove the mousse cake out of the cake ring.
Pell off the cake colar.
Decorate with chocolate curls.
Notes
– Store this cake for up to 4 days in the fridge under a cake dome.
– Don’t try to speed up the process. Each layer requires time to set before processing the next one. The layers will mix if you don’t wait for the chocolate mousse to set.
– For a nice cut and slice, pour hot water on the blade of your knife and wipe it off after every slice.
– Scroll back to read tips and frequently asked questions within the blog post that you might find helpful
The mousse came out perfect with those ratios – firm, but not rubbery, and still soft enough to practically melt in your mouth. I am 100% making this again in the future, thanks!
Yes, for a double batch, double all the ingredients, including the gelatine. Make sure to measure everything accurately to achieve the perfect texture for your cake.
I don’t know if you plan to make two cakes or a larger cake with a bigger ring, so adjust the setting time between each layer if the ring size is bigger to ensure each layer sets properly.
This recipe was fantastic! The clear step-by-step instructions made it a breeze to follow. The cake turned out beautifully and disappeared quickly – not a single fork-full remained!
Here are a few issues I had:
I used packets of Knox gelatin, but converting ounces to grams was tricky. I suspect I underused the gelatin because while the cake was nearly perfect, it could have been slightly firmer. My math skills definitely failed me there!
I opted for white chocolate instead of milk chocolate for the “white chocolate” layer. And even though I used a mix of 65% and 35% cocoa chocolates, the dark and milk chocolate layers looked almost identical. Next time, I’ll find a much darker chocolate for better contrast. And, there definitely will be a next time- I can’t wait to try this recipe again!
Hi Keira, thank you so much for taking the time to review the recipe; I truly appreciate it. Regarding the issues, here are some answers that may help you next time: Converting grams to ounces in such a small quantity can be a bit tricky because you end up with 2g = 0.07 oz, which is very difficult to achieve if you don’t have a precision scale.
Knox gelatin is supposed to be stronger than gold gelatin, but from one batch to another, some people find Knox gelatin to be not accurate enough. So, if you can find gelatin that mentions the strength on the packaging, it’s better. Otherwise, it’s still okay to use Knox gelatin, as it is easy to find in supermarkets, just keep in mind that it may affect the firmness of the cake and conversion is required.
Mixing chocolate with 65% and 35% cocoa content for the “milk chocolate” layer results in a mixture similar to using a 50% cocoa content, which is indeed very close to the 65% cocoa content for the dark layer. That’s why there isn’t much contrast. I will keep a 35% cocoa content for the milk chocolate and 65% for the dark chocolate to ensure a good contrast, or you could choose a 75-80% cocoa content for the dark layer if you prefer mixing chocolates for the milk layer. However, some people don’t like such dark chocolate, depending on personal taste.
Don’t hesitate to let me know how it goes with these adjustments. Thanks again.
Hi there, I’m just about to try to make this – so excited! It will be our Christmas Day dessert. Just wondering…. in the ‘white chocolate mousse’ instructions, you say to use *Milk* chocolate. Is that correct? Or should it say White chocolate? Thank you.
Hi Rebecca, thanks so much for pointing it out. I really appreciate it, and it fixed now. It’s white chocolate for the white chocolate mousse layer. Don’t hesitate to give me feedback when the cake is done and Happy Christmas.
10 Comments
Jay
June 11, 2023 at 1:14 pm
The mousse came out perfect with those ratios – firm, but not rubbery, and still soft enough to practically melt in your mouth. I am 100% making this again in the future, thanks!
Helene
June 13, 2023 at 9:08 am
Thank you for taking the time to give me your feedback, I truly appreciate it. I’m glad you enjoyed the cake.
Hanna
July 11, 2023 at 3:39 am
If I want to make a double batch, should I just double the amounts, including gelatine? Or will it be too much gelatine then?
Helene
July 11, 2023 at 5:24 am
Yes, for a double batch, double all the ingredients, including the gelatine. Make sure to measure everything accurately to achieve the perfect texture for your cake.
I don’t know if you plan to make two cakes or a larger cake with a bigger ring, so adjust the setting time between each layer if the ring size is bigger to ensure each layer sets properly.
Happy baking.
Maha
December 9, 2023 at 8:24 pm
This was so good! It was very well-balanced and the ground hazelnuts really bring it altogether. It was a huge hit with my family.
Helene
December 11, 2023 at 2:21 pm
Thank you for your feedback! So glad you enjoyed it and that your family loved it too!
Keira
June 26, 2024 at 6:26 am
This recipe was fantastic! The clear step-by-step instructions made it a breeze to follow. The cake turned out beautifully and disappeared quickly – not a single fork-full remained!
Here are a few issues I had:
I used packets of Knox gelatin, but converting ounces to grams was tricky. I suspect I underused the gelatin because while the cake was nearly perfect, it could have been slightly firmer. My math skills definitely failed me there!
I opted for white chocolate instead of milk chocolate for the “white chocolate” layer. And even though I used a mix of 65% and 35% cocoa chocolates, the dark and milk chocolate layers looked almost identical. Next time, I’ll find a much darker chocolate for better contrast. And, there definitely will be a next time- I can’t wait to try this recipe again!
Thank you for a clear and delicious recipe!
Helene
July 1, 2024 at 3:46 pm
Hi Keira, thank you so much for taking the time to review the recipe; I truly appreciate it. Regarding the issues, here are some answers that may help you next time:
Converting grams to ounces in such a small quantity can be a bit tricky because you end up with 2g = 0.07 oz, which is very difficult to achieve if you don’t have a precision scale.
Knox gelatin is supposed to be stronger than gold gelatin, but from one batch to another, some people find Knox gelatin to be not accurate enough. So, if you can find gelatin that mentions the strength on the packaging, it’s better. Otherwise, it’s still okay to use Knox gelatin, as it is easy to find in supermarkets, just keep in mind that it may affect the firmness of the cake and conversion is required.
Mixing chocolate with 65% and 35% cocoa content for the “milk chocolate” layer results in a mixture similar to using a 50% cocoa content, which is indeed very close to the 65% cocoa content for the dark layer. That’s why there isn’t much contrast. I will keep a 35% cocoa content for the milk chocolate and 65% for the dark chocolate to ensure a good contrast, or you could choose a 75-80% cocoa content for the dark layer if you prefer mixing chocolates for the milk layer. However, some people don’t like such dark chocolate, depending on personal taste.
Don’t hesitate to let me know how it goes with these adjustments. Thanks again.
rebecca
December 21, 2024 at 3:48 pm
Hi there,
I’m just about to try to make this – so excited! It will be our Christmas Day dessert.
Just wondering…. in the ‘white chocolate mousse’ instructions, you say to use *Milk* chocolate. Is that correct? Or should it say White chocolate?
Thank you.
Helene
December 22, 2024 at 4:48 am
Hi Rebecca, thanks so much for pointing it out. I really appreciate it, and it fixed now. It’s white chocolate for the white chocolate mousse layer.
Don’t hesitate to give me feedback when the cake is done and Happy Christmas.