Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

Decadent Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe, featuring rich layers of dark and white chocolate mousse atop a moist chocolate cake base.

Decadent Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake is the perfect dessert for chocolate lovers with dark chocolate mousse layers, white chocolate mousse layers, and moist chocolate cake.

You can make this for a family dinner or celebration of any kind because it is easy to make and looks fancy too.

With the fluffy cake, creamy layers of chocolate mousse, and thick, rich chocolate fudge sauce, everyone will love this dessert.

A piece of chocolate cake on a plate.

Ingredients needed:

Take a look at this section before changing anything in this decadent chocolate cake recipe. Each ingredient is important in making such a delicious and moist chocolate cake. 

For the chocolate cake:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Granulated sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Vegetable oil
  • Whole milk
  • Large eggs
  • Baking soda
  • Baking powder
  • Hot water
  • Salt

Chocolate fudge:

  • Dark chocolate chips
  • Unsalted butter
  • Heavy whipping cream
  • Corn syrup

For the dark chocolate mousse:

  • Dark chocolate, chopped
  • Vanilla extract
  • Heavy whipping cream

For the white chocolate mousse:

  • White chocolate, chopped
  • Vanilla extract
  • Heavy whipping cream
Ingredients for a chocolate cake on a white background.

How to make triple chocolate mousse cake from scratch?

Preheat oven: First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prepare three round cake pans with grease and flour. 

Mix dry ingredients: Then, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. 

Add the egg mixture: Next, add eggs, milk, vanilla, and oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Eggs in a bowl with brown powder.

Add water: After, slowly pour in the hot water while mixing on low speed. Keep increasing speed to medium until the chocolate mixture is smooth. 

A bowl of brown liquid with a spoon.

Divide and bake: Now, divide the cake batter into each prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Let the cakes cool completely. 

A bowl of brown liquid.

Make the chocolate fudge: While you wait, heat chocolate chips, butter, corn syrup, and heavy cream in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Let the melted chocolate mixture cool for 15 minutes. 

A bowl of food with a spoon.

Make the chocolate mousse: As that cools, melt dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water, or use a double boiler. Let it cool while you whip the vanilla and cream until soft peaks form. Then, gently fold the melted chocolate mixture into the whipped cream with a wooden spoon. 

A person pouring chocolate sauce into a bowl.

Make the white chocolate mousse layer: For the white chocolate mixture, melt the white chocolate the same way and let it cool while you whip the heavy cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Then, fold remaining whipped cream into the melted white chocolate gently. 

Assemble the chocolate mousse cake: To assemble, put one layer of chocolate cake on a serving plate as a chocolate cake base and spread half of the chocolate fudge on top.

A chocolate cake sitting on top of a cake stand.

Add a chocolate mousse layer, then another layer of chocolate cake middle layer before topping with remaining chocolate fudge.

A chocolate cake with a liquid being poured into it.

Spread a layer of white chocolate layer on next and finish with the last cake layer. 

A cake with a red spatula.

Let it chill: Now, chill the triple chocolate cake in the fridge for at least two hours. 

A chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and nuts on top.

Serve: Finally, serve cooled cake with chocolate curls, shavings, or other chocolate decorations on top, if desired. 

A close up of a piece of cake.

Recipe variations:

  • Another oil: Use whatever oil you like baking with instead of vegetable oil. 
  • Milk chocolate layer: You can use milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate instead of dark chocolate or white chocolate in this recipe.
  • Chocolate ganache: Instead of the chocolate fudge layer, you can use chocolate ganache. It is simple to make with chocolate and hot cream. 
  • Egg yolks: For richer chocolate mousse layers, use two egg yolks in place of one of the eggs. Save the egg whites to use in something else.
  • Make the pie: Instead of using a cake base, you can just make two layers of cake and use a pie crust for the base. Chocolate Oreo crust would be perfect. 
  • Other flavors: Instead of chocolate cake, try using vanilla or yellow cake batter for a different flavor. 
A piece of chocolate cake on a plate.

FAQs

Can I make this a flourless chocolate cake?

You actually can make this a flourless cake. Just use chocolate chips, butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, eggs, and cocoa powder. The trick is to make a foam from the eggs by whipping the whites before adding the yolks. This increases the air content and makes a dense but light cake. 

Can I use melted butter for the chocolate layer?

Yes, it would be fine because you are going to melt it anyway when mixing the ingredients. Because you are not beating your chocolate sauce to make it whipped and fluffy, you do not have to worry about the butter losing its ability to cream when beating. 

How do I make a chocolate mirror glaze for frosting? 

This wonderful cake would look perfect with a chocolate mirror glaze. All you need is water, powdered gelatin, whipping cream, cocoa powder, and caster sugar or finely ground granulated sugar. 

How to store leftovers:

  • Store: Any leftover triple chocolate mousse cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for several days.
  • Freeze: You can also freeze your triple chocolate cake. First, wrap it with plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe container. It will stay good for three months. 
  • Thaw: Thaw your frozen cake in the fridge overnight before serving.

Recipe tips:

To pass the toothpick test, a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean or with a few crumbs.

You can use a springform pan or cake ring instead of a regular cake pan for this recipe too. 

Instead of chopped dark and white chocolate, you can use dark and white chocolate chips.

Alternatively, you could use parchment paper in your cake pans instead of grease and flour. 

If you do not use all the chocolate mousse, use what is left to coat the whole cake. 

In fact, if you want your mousse layers to be thicker and have extra for frosting, double the chocolate mousse recipe.

To thin out the chocolate layers, you can use vegetable oil or cocoa butter. 

Looking for more chocolate recipes or chocolate desserts? There are new ones every day on our food blog. 

Printable Recipe Card

Yield: 8

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

A cake on a plate.

Decadent Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe, featuring rich layers of dark and white chocolate mousse atop a moist chocolate cake base.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup hot water

For the Chocolate Fudge:

  • 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup

For the Chocolate Mousse:

  • 6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the White Chocolate Mousse:

  • 6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1Top with a layer of Chocolate Fudge

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven: First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prepare three round cake pans with grease and flour. 
  2. Mix dry ingredients: Then, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, granulated sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. 
  3. Add the egg mixture: Next, add eggs, milk, vanilla, and oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.
  4. Add water: After, slowly pour in the hot water while mixing on low speed. Keep increasing speed to medium until the chocolate mixture is smooth. 
  5. Divide and bake: Now, divide the cake batter into each prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Let the cakes cool completely. 
  6. Make the chocolate fudge: While you wait, heat chocolate chips, butter, corn syrup, and heavy cream in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Let melted chocolate mixture cool for 15 minutes. 
  7. Make the chocolate mousse: As that cools, melt dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water, or use a double boiler. Let it cool while you whip the vanilla and cream until soft peaks form. Then, gently fold the melted chocolate mixture into the whipped cream with a wooden spoon. 
  8. Make the white chocolate mousse layer: For the white chocolate mixture, melt the white chocolate the same way and let it cool while you whip the heavy cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Then, fold remaining whipped cream into the melted white chocolate gently. 
  9. Assemble the choc mousse cake: To assemble, put one layer of chocolate cake on a serving plate as a chocolate cake base and spread half of the chocolate fudge on top. Add a chocolate mousse layer, then another layer of chocolate cake middle layer before topping with remaining chocolate fudge. Spread a layer of white chocolate layer on next and finish with the last cake layer. Top with a layer of Chocolate fudge.
  10. Let it chill: Now, chill the triple chocolate cake in the fridge for at least two hours. 
  11. Serve: Finally, serve cooled cake with chocolate curls, shavings, or other chocolate decorations on top, if desired.  Trifle cake chocolate mousse chocolate lovers dream.

Notes

Recipe tips:

To pass the toothpick test, a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean or with a few crumbs.

You can use a springform pan or cake ring instead of a regular cake pan for this recipe too. 

Instead of chopped dark and white chocolate, you can use dark and white chocolate chips.

Alternatively, you could use parchment paper in your cake pans instead of grease and flour. 

If you do not use all the chocolate mousse, use what is left to coat the whole cake. 

If you want your mousse layers to be thicker and have extra frosting, double the chocolate mousse recipe.

To thin out the chocolate layers, you can use vegetable oil or cocoa butter. 

Looking for more chocolate recipes or chocolate desserts? There are new ones every day on our food blog. 

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 1330Total Fat 86gSaturated Fat 45gTrans Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 35gCholesterol 201mgSodium 615mgCarbohydrates 128gFiber 6gSugar 99gProtein 14g

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A close up of a piece of cake.

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