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Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 12 servings
Calories 450 kcal

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.