Welcome to my kitchen! Today, we’re diving into a dessert that’s as beautiful as it is delicious: Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake. If you’re looking for a show-stopping treat that isn’t too complicated to make at home, you’ve come to the right place. Trust me, you’re going to love making and, even more, eating this amazing cake!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
This Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake is truly special because it perfectly balances rich chocolate flavor with the bright, fruity taste of raspberries. Imagine sinking your fork into layers of moist chocolate cake and light, airy raspberry mousse. It’s a dream come true for dessert lovers! What makes this recipe even better is that it’s totally doable for home bakers. I’ve broken down each step to make it super easy to follow, so you can create a cake that looks and tastes like it came straight from a fancy bakery, but made right in your own kitchen. Plus, the combination of chocolate and raspberry is always a crowd-pleaser, making it perfect for celebrations or just a special treat for yourself.
Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this wonderful Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake. Let’s gather our ingredients:
- For the Chocolate Cake:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk (or ¾ cup milk + ¾ teaspoon lemon juice, let sit for 5 minutes)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup freshly brewed hot coffee
- For the Raspberry Mousse:
- 12 ounces fresh raspberries (or frozen, thawed)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let’s bake this Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake together! Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have a beautiful dessert in no time.
Step 1: Get Ready to Bake the Chocolate Cake
First things first, let’s preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grab two 9-inch round cake pans and grease them well. You can also line the bottoms with parchment paper for extra insurance that your cakes will come out easily. This step is important to prevent sticking!
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make sure everything is nicely combined. This is like our base mix for the cake.
Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients
In another bowl, mix together the buttermilk (or milk mixture), vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk it all up until it’s smooth.
Step 4: Bring Wet and Dry Together
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix everything together with a mixer on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix!
Step 5: Add the Hot Coffee
Slowly pour in the hot coffee while mixing on low speed. The batter will be thin, and that’s perfectly normal! Coffee helps to deepen the chocolate flavor.
Step 6: Bake the Cake Layers
Divide the batter evenly between your prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 7: Make the Raspberry Puree
While the cakes are cooling, let’s make the raspberry part! In a food processor or blender, combine the raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Blend until completely smooth. Then, push the puree through a fine-mesh sieve (a fancy word for strainer) to remove the seeds. You’ll be left with a silky smooth raspberry puree.
Step 8: Whip the Heavy Cream
In a large, cold bowl, pour in the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Use a mixer to whip the cream until stiff peaks form. This means when you lift the beaters, the whipped cream holds its shape. Be careful not to overwhip, or you’ll get butter!
Step 9: Gently Fold in the Raspberry Puree
Take about a cup of the whipped cream and gently fold it into the raspberry puree to lighten it up. Then, gently fold the raspberry puree mixture into the remaining whipped cream until everything is just combined and you have a beautiful pink mousse. Be gentle so you don’t deflate the mousse!
Step 10: Assemble the Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake
Place one chocolate cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread half of the raspberry mousse evenly over the cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top, and then spread the remaining raspberry mousse over the top.
Step 11: Make the Chocolate Ganache
Now for that gorgeous chocolate topping. Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute to soften the chocolate. Then, whisk until smooth and glossy.
Step 12: Frost the Cake with Ganache
Pour the warm chocolate ganache over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. You can use a spatula to smooth it out if needed.
Step 13: Chill and Set
Refrigerate your beautiful Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake for at least 2-3 hours to allow the mousse and ganache to set. This chilling time is important for the cake to hold its shape and for the flavors to meld together.
Serving Suggestions
This Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake is a showstopper all on its own, but here are a few ideas to make it even more special when you serve it. For a simple touch, garnish each slice with a few fresh raspberries. A light dusting of powdered sugar also adds a pretty finish. If you want to get a little fancier, add a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside each slice.
This cake is perfect for so many occasions! It’s wonderful for birthdays, holidays, dinner parties, or any time you want to celebrate. The combination of chocolate and raspberry makes it feel both elegant and comforting, so it’s sure to be a hit no matter when you serve it.
Storage and Reheating
Store any leftover Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh and delicious for up to 3 days. Because of the mousse, this cake is best served chilled and doesn’t require reheating. In fact, you wouldn’t want to reheat it as the mousse would melt! Just take it out of the fridge a little while before serving to soften slightly, if you prefer.
Key Details
- Prep time: About 45 minutes
- Bake time: 30-35 minutes
- Chill time: 2-3 hours minimum
- Total time: Approximately 4-5 hours (including chilling)
- Servings: 12 servings
- Equipment:
- Two 9-inch round cake pans
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer or whisk
- Food processor or blender
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Spatula
- Wire rack
- Saucepan
- Heatproof bowl
Enjoy making and sharing this delightful Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake! I hope you love it as much as I do. Happy baking!
Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup buttermilk or ¾ cup milk + ¾ teaspoon lemon juice, let sit for 5 minutes
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup freshly brewed hot coffee
- 12 ounces fresh raspberries or frozen, thawed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grab two 9-inch round cake pans and grease them well. You can also line the bottoms with parchment paper for extra insurance that your cakes will come out easily.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, mix together the buttermilk (or milk mixture), vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk it all up until it's smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix everything together with a mixer on low speed until just combined. Don't overmix!
- Slowly pour in the hot coffee while mixing on low speed. The batter will be thin, and that’s perfectly normal! Coffee helps to deepen the chocolate flavor.
- Divide the batter evenly between your prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cakes are cooling, let's make the raspberry part! In a food processor or blender, combine the raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Blend until completely smooth. Then, push the puree through a fine-mesh sieve (a fancy word for strainer) to remove the seeds. You’ll be left with a silky smooth raspberry puree.
- In a large, cold bowl, pour in the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Use a mixer to whip the cream until stiff peaks form. This means when you lift the beaters, the whipped cream holds its shape. Be careful not to overwhip, or you'll get butter!
- Take about a cup of the whipped cream and gently fold it into the raspberry puree to lighten it up. Then, gently fold the raspberry puree mixture into the remaining whipped cream until everything is just combined and you have a beautiful pink mousse. Be gentle so you don’t deflate the mousse!
- Place one chocolate cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread half of the raspberry mousse evenly over the cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top, and then spread the remaining raspberry mousse over the top.
- Now for that gorgeous chocolate topping. Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute to soften the chocolate. Then, whisk until smooth and glossy.
- Pour the warm chocolate ganache over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. You can use a spatula to smooth it out if needed.
- Refrigerate your beautiful Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake for at least 2-3 hours to allow the mousse and ganache to set. This chilling time is important for the cake to hold its shape and for the flavors to meld together.
