This super moist dark chocolate mousse cake combines unsweetened natural cocoa powder and dark cocoa powder for an extra rich flavor. Fill the cake with a simplified chocolate mousse and cover the whole dessert with semi-sweet chocolate ganache. If needed, you can prepare the ganache and mousse ahead of time.
Chocolate mousse is simple divinity in its own right, but when paired with chocolate cake, it’s downright decadent. And then add chocolate ganache to the mix? Have mercy.
This spectacularly rich chocolate cake is such a personal and reader favorite that I knew I had to include it in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101 (which has become a New York Times Best Seller!). The cakes chapter just would not have been complete without it!
It’s actually the first recipe in that chapter, and in the book it’s titled “Chocolate Ganache Cake: 2 Ways,” because I include a second filling option—peanut butter frosting instead of chocolate mousse, just like this recipe for dark chocolate peanut butter cake. Both versions of ganache-topped chocolate layer cakes have received such glowing reviews on my website, I simply couldn’t choose between them… so I found a way to include them both!
This cake basically demands a huge gathering because—trust me—you don’t want to be left alone with its temptation. It WILL call out your name each time you open the refrigerator.
Taunting you.
One reader, Judy, commented: “Don’t make this cake unless you want everyone who has a bite to request that you make it for every special occasion for the rest of time 🙂 I do four layers and follow the recipe exactly, and it has come out perfectly every time. I’ve already made at least ten of these cakes. Fabulous! ★★★★★“
One reader, Cecilia, commented: “OMG! This cake is absolutely divine! It’s a chocolate lover’s dream. The chocolate mousse is heavenly. I made it for my niece’s birthday and ended up making a four-layer cake. There were no leftovers. I don’t need any other chocolate cake recipe. This is it! Definitely the best! ★★★★★“
One reader, Brittney, commented: “This cake turned out amazing! I made it for a birthday party… and it was requested to be the new ‘party cake’! ★★★★★“
3 Parts to Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake
Let’s break down each component of this intensely rich cake:
- Dark Chocolate Cake: This is actually a variation of my tuxedo cake, which originated from my chocolate cake recipe. In recent years, I’ve found that replacing sour cream for some of the buttermilk gives the cake more structure.
- Chocolate Mousse: I researched simplified ways to make a fluffy chocolate mousse filling without the use of eggs or gelatin. This chocolate mousse filling combines real chocolate and homemade whipped cream. Or our whipped frosting would make a wonderful alternative filling if you don’t want to make the chocolate mousse!
- Chocolate Ganache: Top the whole cake with 2 ingredient semi-sweet chocolate ganache. You should be a chocolate ganache pro by now!
Video Tutorial: Chocolate Mousse Cake
Stick-to-the-back-of-your-fork moist. This is every chocolate lover’s dream!
Dark Chocolate Cake
Use this chocolate cake as the starting point. For a sturdier, yet moister crumb, swap some sour cream in for the buttermilk and reduce the hot liquid. The acidity in both sour cream and buttermilk is a must to properly leaven this cake. (If desired, see my posts on Baking Powder vs Baking Soda and Baking with Buttermilk for more information.) This cake has a natural dark chocolate taste, but to deepen that flavor, use a mix of natural cocoa and Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder. A touch of espresso powder and hot coffee further enhances the chocolate flavor. The cake will not taste like coffee. Rather, the two add depth to the cake’s chocolate flavor.
- Why hot liquid? The hot liquid encourages the cocoa powder to bloom and dissolve. If you don’t drink coffee, you can use hot water.
You have options! You can make this cake into 2, 3, or 4 layers. I highly recommend 3 or 4 layers because there’s over 4 cups of chocolate mousse to spread inside. You can use 8 inch or 9 inch pans. The bake times are similar, see recipe notes.
A cup of chocolate chips adds even more chocolate flavor. I used 1 cup (180g) of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips in this pictured cake, but left them out in the video. They’re optional, but definitely worth the addition!!
You can also see this exact cake batter baked as three layers in both my chocolate peanut butter cake and chocolate raspberry cake (try one of those next!).
Simplified Chocolate Mousse
The chocolate mousse adds a creamy and light contrast to the dark chocolate layers. You need 6 ingredients:
- Hot Water
- Cocoa Powder – natural or dutch-process
- Melted Chocolate – use two 4-ounce chocolate baking bars found in the baking aisle
- Heavy Cream
- Confectioners’ Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
Whisk the hot water and cocoa powder together. Pour into melted chocolate. The hot water breaks up the chocolate, adding to the airy mousse consistency. Cocoa powder creates additional chocolate flavor. Fold this chocolate mixture into whipped cream—a combination of heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract.
Whipped cream + our chocolate mixture. ↑
Fold them together to make our chocolate mousse filling. ↓
Baker’s Tip: The chocolate mousse must chill in the refrigerator before using, so it’s a good idea to make it ahead of time or as the chocolate cake layers are cooling. The mousse is best cold, so I actually recommend serving the cake cold. (Additionally, the cake is much easier to assemble if the mousse is cold!)
By the way, this chocolate mousse also makes for a wonderful alternate filling in homemade eclairs!
Chocolate Ganache
I won’t go into a lot of detail about the chocolate ganache because I have a complete chocolate ganache tutorial for you! Like the chocolate mousse, it’s imperative to use pure chocolate. Wait about 20 minutes for the ganache to thicken before pouring onto the cake.
How to Assemble & Decorate Chocolate Mousse Cake
Chocolate ganache enrobes 4 cake layers and 3 mousse layers. Place bottom cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Using a large icing spatula, evenly cover the top with about 1.5 cups of chilled chocolate mousse. Top with 2nd cake layer and another 1.5 cups of mousse. Top with the third cake layer, then spread another 1.5 cups mousse evenly on top. (Save a large spoonful of mousse for a thin crumb coat.) Top with final 4th cake layer. Spread any remaining mousse around the sides as a crumb coat. Run a bench scraper around the cake to smooth it out. Refrigerate cake for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Chocolate mousse is pretty fluffy, so the cake won’t hold its shape unless it’s properly chilled.
Pour ganache on top then run a bench scraper around the sides to smooth it out. You can serve the cake immediately or wait for the chocolate ganache to set. 🙂
What About Cupcakes?
Instead of a big cake, you can make chocolate mousse cupcakes. Use my chocolate cupcakes recipe and halve the chocolate mousse and chocolate ganache recipes below. Fill the cupcakes with chocolate mousse using my Sugar Plum Fairy Cupcakes as an example. Drizzle cooled cupcakes with ganache. Eat your heart out!
You can also use the chocolate mousse instead of pastry cream in homemade mille-feuille!
More Indulgent Chocolate Desserts
- Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding
- German Chocolate Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Black Forest Cake
- Chocolate Lava Cakes
- Chocolate Mousse Pie
- Mint Chocolate Cake
Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake
- Prep Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (includes chilling)
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours, 55 minutes (includes cooling)
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This super moist dark chocolate cake combines unsweetened natural cocoa powder and dark cocoa powder for an extra rich flavor. Fill the cake with a simplified chocolate mousse and cover it with semi-sweet chocolate ganache. If needed, you can prepare the ganache and mousse ahead of time (see Notes). This recipe is also in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (64g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder* (see Notes)
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)*
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (180g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113g/120ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g/ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120g/ml) hot water or black coffee*
- 1 cup (170g) semi-sweet mini chocolate chips tossed in 1 Tbsp flour (optional)
Chocolate Mousse
- 1/2 cup (120g/ml) hot water
- 1/4 cup (21g) unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 8 ounces (226g) quality semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped*
- 2 cups (480g/ml) heavy cream, cold
- 2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 8 ounces (226g) quality semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup (240g/ml) heavy cream
- optional, for garnish: fresh berries and/or chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease four 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
- In another large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or you can use a whisk) mix the sour cream, oil, and eggs together on medium-high speed until combined. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and mix until combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add the hot water/coffee, and whisk or beat on low speed until combined. Fold in the floured mini chocolate chips, if using. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.
- Bake for 19–23 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans set on a cooling rack for 1 hour. Run a knife around the edges to help loosen the sides, remove the cakes from the pans, peel off the parchment, and place on the rack to finish cooling. The cakes may slightly sink in the middle as they cool—that’s expected.
- Make the chocolate mousse: In a small bowl, whisk the hot water and cocoa powder together until smooth. Melt the chopped chocolate in a double boiler or use the microwave. If using the microwave: place the chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Microwave for 20-second increments, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Pour hot water/cocoa mixture into the melted chocolate and stir until thick and smooth. Set aside. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract together on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3 minutes. Medium peaks are between soft/loose peaks and stiff peaks. Pour in the chocolate mixture and gently fold together with a spatula. Do not overmix, as this could deflate it. Cover the mousse and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Makes about 4.5 cups (about 900g).
- Assemble the cake before preparing chocolate ganache: First, level the cakes (if needed): using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Using a large icing spatula, evenly cover the top with about 1.5 cups (200g) of chocolate mousse. Top with the second layer, upside down, and evenly cover the top with the same amount of chocolate mousse. Top with the third cake layer, right side up, and again cover with the same amount of mousse. Top with final cake layer. Spread the remaining mousse on top and around the sides of the cake as a crumb coat. Run a bench scraper around the cake to smooth out the sides. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Prepare the ganache while the cake is chilling.
- Make the chocolate ganache: Place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat just until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil—that’s too hot!) Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2–3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. With a metal spoon or small spatula, slowly stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. The finer you chopped the chocolate, the quicker it will melt with the cream. If it’s not melting, do not microwave it. If needed, see Troubleshooting Chocolate Ganache. Refrigerate the ganache for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour to thicken.
- Pour/spoon the thickened ganache on the chilled cake. Smooth the top and sides with an icing spatula. Top with optional garnish such as fresh berries and/or chocolate shavings. Serve cake immediately or chill, uncovered, for up to 4–6 hours before serving. Cake can be served at room temperature or chilled.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare cake through step 4. Wrap the individual baked and cooled cake layers tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature, make mousse filling, then continue with step 6. You can prepare the chocolate mousse in advance. See step 5. You can also prepare the chocolate ganache ahead of time too. Refrigerate prepared ganache for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before spreading onto cake. You can freeze cake for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or serve cold. See How to Freeze Cakes for more information.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 8-inch Round Cake Pans or 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack | Double Boiler | Cake Stand or Cake Turntable | Large Icing Spatula | Bench Scraper | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- 3-Layer Cake: You can also prepare this as a 3-layer cake. Divide batter between three 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans in step 1 and bake for 24–26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Use about 2 cups of chocolate mousse between each layer.
- Espresso Powder/Coffee: Espresso powder and coffee will not make the cake taste like coffee. Rather, they deepen the chocolate flavor. I highly recommend them both. You can find espresso powder in the baking aisle at many grocery stores or online. If coffee isn’t your thing, you can leave out the espresso powder and use hot water instead of the hot coffee.
- Cocoa Powder: For the best dark chocolate flavor in the cake, I recommend using a blend of unsweetened natural cocoa powder (1/4 cup; 21g) and Hershey’s “Special Dark” cocoa powder (1/2 cup; 43g). Hershey’s Special Dark is actually a mix of natural cocoa powder (an acid) and Dutch-process cocoa powder (a base) and it worked fine in this recipe. This recipe needs acidic natural cocoa powder, so do not use ALL Dutch-process cocoa powder. For best results, use 3/4 cup (64g) natural or the blend of natural/Special Dark I used. For the chocolate mousse, you can use either unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder (or the Hershey’s Special Dark).
- Why Room Temperature? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more about why room-temperature ingredients are important. Instead of sour cream, you can use plain yogurt. The cake won’t taste as rich, but it’s a fine substitute.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute if needed. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 cup. (In a pinch, lower-fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Chocolate in Mousse & Ganache: Mousse & ganache will only set if the correct chocolate is used. You can use high-quality chocolate chips if needed (I prefer Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips), but I recommend using pure chocolate baking bars. You can find them right next to the chocolate chips in the baking aisle. They are sold in 4-ounce (113g) bars. I like Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally
Thinking of making this for Christmas this year and just wanted to ask about the hot water in this recipe, how hot should it be?, to almost boiling or would you say Luke warm/ hot?. I only ask as I’ve made a cake before using hot water and it was a big fail.
Hi Ashley! It should feel hot to the touch, but not close to boiling. Like water for a hot cup of tea 🙂
Thx for the reply and definitely making this looks yummy, funny thing is I usually boil my water for a cup of tea and let it sit for a few minutes so I guess I can just judge by touch ☺️Thx again though.
Hello-
Did you use 2 kinds of cocoa powder or just the Hershey’s brand?
Hi Felinda, we used two different kinds. See recipe note #4 for details on this!
I’m thinking of using all Ghirardelli for this cake. Will the Ghirardelli melting chocolate work for this recipe? Also, can I use cake flour instead of all purpose?
Hi Sally , do you think this recipe (3 9inch sponges) is strong enough to hold up 3 9inch vanilla sponges. The cake would have dowels and cake board in between.Thank you
Hi Aneta! At this time, we don’t have a chocolate cake recipe that we would recommend as the bottom of a tiered cake. You can read more about our recommendations in this post!
I made this last friday for my birthday, it was moist and delicious. Exactly what I was looking for. The combination of the cocoas and coffee made it the perfect chocolate taste. Thanks!Love your recipes.
I made this for a birthday, 3 layers exactly per instructions. Came out perfect!! Thank you so much!!
Can I use chocolate chips instead of chocolate bars?
Hi Keisha, the mousse & ganache will only set if the correct chocolate is used. You can use high quality chocolate chips if needed (we prefer Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips), but we recommend using pure chocolate baking bars for best results.
Hi Sally,
I decided to give your cake a try since every year I buy my son his favorite cake (Godiva cake) from a local bakery. It’s very similar to this cake without the ganache. I am no pro at this but it came out so good. I found some tutorials on ganache drips so I put the ganache on the top and dripped the sides. It was stunning!
Hi Sally, I have just made a chocolate cake with a strawberry mousse filling that contains puréed fruit, whipped cream, mascarpone cheese, and some gelatin. I have stacked my cake layers with the filling into the cake pan and then wrapped it with plastic wrap. As the event is two days away, should I freeze it or just keep it in the fridge for now.? Will freezing my filling now affect the set up and texture when it comes back to room temperature.? Thanks.
Hi Bronny, with the event only two days away, you should be fine to keep the cake tightly covered in the refrigerator. We fear that with freezing, the filling may not thaw out nicely. Hope this helps!
Thanks Sally, that has helped tremendously.
Hello,
If I double the recipe do you think that will be enough to make a 9×13 cake with 3 or 4 layers?
Hi Bell, Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes. We always recommend making multiple batches instead of doubling for best results.
Hi Sally, I’ve made this several times and it is the most delicious chocolate cake I’ve eaten. Everyone raved about it.
Now I would like to make this again and freeze the entire cake icing included until Thanksgiving. Is this possible?
Hi Diane, you can, but keep in mind that the ganache and mousse may change in appearance as they thaw out. If that’s not a concern for you, certainly feel free to go ahead and freeze the entire cake for Thanksgiving!
Hi sally, I have tried many of your cake recipes and they were all a hit . Now I am planning to bake a 2 tier zebra cake for my son’s birthday. Can I substitute the buttercream with mousse and ganache. Please give me your advice
Hi Varsh, thank you so much! You can absolutely use buttercream on this cake recipe or my zebra cake. If you ever need help with a 2 tier cake, here’s a homemade wedding cake recipe. The zebra cake recipe makes a wonderful bottom tier.
Hi, I’m from Indonesia. I really want to make this mousse cake, but it’s hard to find buttermilk in my country, do you have any advice to change the buttermilk with other ingredient?
English isn’t my first language, so please let me know if you don’t understand
Thank you
Hello! You can make your own DIY version of buttermilk if needed. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 cup. (In a pinch, lower fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
Hi, Trina
Thank you so much for your advice!
Hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy
Hi Sally,
I love your recipes, thank you for sharing all your knowledge and talent. Could I please get your advice?
I want to make chocolate mousse cupcakes for my daughter’s 3rd birthday.
I was thinking half cake, half mousse, with the cake on the bottom half and mousse on the top half. Do you think this would work?
Or would I need to pipe the mousse into the middle after removing some cake?
Hi Nikki, you do either way — top the cupcakes with mousse or fill them with mousse like we do with Sugar Plum Fairy Cupcakes. Whichever you prefer! See section titled “What about cupcakes?” for more details. Hope they’re a hit for your daughter’s birthday!
Thank you Lexi, I’m sure they will be, all the recipes I’ve tried from here have been amazing! Thank you
OMG This is the first time i made a cake completely from scratch. I cook and bake a lot but i have never made a cake from scratch Yes… it took a long time.. BUT, well worth it! This is the BEST cake I have EVER eaten! And i have eaten a lot of chocolate cakes! I took some to work and everyone asked me where I bought it! Very thorough easy to follow instructions! I am going to make the pumpkin pie bars next! So happy i found this website i love it!!
One of THE most delicious chocolate cakes I’ve made in a while. The mousse was not too sweet and gave the cake a lightness and the dark rich cake layers…. SO GOOD! I will be definitely adding this to the rotation!
Aloha!! Is it possible to use King Arthur’s Black Cocoa Powder? I’m really trying to get as close as possible to a black cake with black frosting. I also love your triple chocolate layer cake recipe.
Hi Yvette, The black cocoa powder is a dutch process cocoa powder. This cake recipe needs acidic natural cocoa powder, so do not use ALL dutch-process cocoa powder. You can use a mix of both – see recipe notes for details. For the chocolate mousse, you can use either unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder.
If I wanted to make a 6 inch cake with this recipe, how would you recommend I cut it down?
Hi Kristin! We recommend using this chocolate cupcakes recipe as the batter to make a 3 layer 6 inch cake. See our 6 inch cake recipes post as a guide. Halve the chocolate mousse and ganache from this recipe so there’s just enough. Hope this helps!
Hii thank u for this amazing recipe!!!
Can I substitute the eggs with something vegetarian?
Hi Uvi, we haven’t tested an egg-free version of this recipe, but do let us know if you give anything a try.
This looks delicious! Would it be ok to substitute regular cocoa powder with the dark cocoa or would any other adjustments need to be made.
Hi SH, see the recipe notes for cocoa powder.
I want to make this cake for my son’s birthday. Can I make it as a pinata cake or is it not a good idea because of the mousse? I’m looking for something lighter than buttercream.
Hi Camille! This cake is so moist that we’re unsure if it would work as a piñata cake. If you try it be sure to fill up the center to the top with sprinkles or candies so that the top/4th layer has a surface to rest on so it doesn’t cave in. Let us know if you try it!
I would like to make this for my husband’s birthday, but I only have two 9” cake pans. Can I divide the batter between the two pans and cut them in half after cooled to get the 4 layers? Do you know approximately what the baking time would be for this? Thanks!
Hi Alexis, You can divide this batter between three pans (see recipe notes), but there is simply too much batter to bake properly in only two pans. Divide your batter, bake two layers, and whatever batter isn’t in the oven keep loosely covered at room temperature until your pans are ready to be used again. Hope it’s a hit for your husband’s birthday!
Fantastic. Beautiful. Lucious yet…….I used 4 8-inch rounds because I used 9 inch last time and the cake layers were very thin. And the layers again did not look as thick in the picture. I am wondering if the recipe was doubled. And that is what I’ll do the next time I make this because the taste is magnificent.
Hi Elaine, the recipe was not doubled, but the layers are fairly thin in order to use four layers. Be sure that your baking soda and baking powder are fresh (we recommend replacing them every three months for optimal freshness), which should ensure the proper amount of rise. So glad to hear this recipe is a hit for you!
Can I use this mousse recipe to serve in shot glasses? I see a couple of other mousse recipes on the site using egg yolks and egg whites, so was wondering which would work best as a standalone item. Thank you
Hi Harry, absolutely– I can’t see why not.
Hello! Can I use greek yoghurt instead of sour cream? Thanks!
Hi Jo, instead of sour cream, you can use plain, full-fat yogurt. The cake won’t taste as rich, but it’s a fine substitute.
This is my favorite chocolate cake recipe. But I am wondering if I can cook this as a sheet cake and freeze to carve? Or do you have another recipe you recommend? I just love this one so much! thank you for your time and recipes!
Hi Danielle, You can bake this cake in a 9×13 inch baking pan. Same oven temperature, about 35-40 minutes bake time. It’s a very moist cake and we’ve never tried carving it but let us know if you try it!
Hi! I love your recipes and was very excited about this one. However, When I made it something went wrong with the mousse…. The chocolate/cocoa mixture was too dense to incorporate smoothly into the whipped cream. The mousse was grainy and lumpy and pretty much unusable. As far as I can tell, I followed the recipe and weights exactly. Any suggestions for next time? Thanks 🙂
Would it be ok to cut the 4 layers in half to make an eight layer cake, or would there not be enough ganache? Thanks!!
Hi Zuko! Those would be very thin and delicate layers, we haven’t tested it, but let us know if you do.
Best ever cake I have made. I love to bake but am always frustrated due to cake being dry. This was perfect and absolutely bakery quality. Thank you so much for the perfect recipe for my chocolate loving family.
Οh my God!!! One of the most delicious cakes I’ve ever tasted!!! Thank you so much for sharing Sally!!! I ‘ve made it for my dad’ s birthday and it was a hit!!! Everybody loved it!
Now I have some questions…
My daughter who is 10 years old loved the recipe and she wants it for her birthday too. The problem is that she wants a theme birthday cake with fondant covering, fondant figures etc. Will this be stable enough? Maybe instead of ganache it’s better to cover it with chocolate buttercream? She prefers chocolate mousse filling instead of classic buttercream filling. Can I store it in the fridge with fondant? Do you have another proposal? A lot of questions I know, but I ‘m really confused!
Thanks a lot in advance!!!
Hi Anna, this cake should hold up fine under fondant, but fondant covered cakes should not be stored in the fridge. So glad you love this cake!
In the video dark cocoa is added as an extra ingredient. However, its not showing in the recipe.
Please reply how much quantity to be added
Hi Binoy! See recipe notes for details on cocoa powder.
Hi there. Im hesitating between this cake and your triple chocolate cake. I really want to make this one for a friends 40th this weekend but it will need to be made the day before then travel for 3 hours. Will this be ok? (Can be either assembled on arrival or assemble then refrigerated).
Hi Laura! See recipe notes for all our make ahead recommendations and instructions!
This looks great! I want to make it for a friends birthday but it will need to be in the refrigerator overnight. Is that okay? When should I take it out of the fridge before serving?
Hi Laura! You can leave the cake in the refrigerator overnight without issue. The ganache will harden a bit in the fridge, but the cake can be served at room temperature or chilled. Hope it’s a hit!