Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake (2024)

🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe

• It is super light and creamy. This dessert is not heavy at all which makes it an absolute dream to eat. Both the sponge and mousse are refreshingly light and airy.
• Fruity and flavourful. The raspberry flavour shines through in this cake, and the chocolate is the supporting act but balances it out perfectly.
• Dressed to impress. There are no two ways about it, this is a stunning cake and will totally wow the socks of your Valentine! But this makes a perfect birthday cake or celebration cake for any time of year too!

👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make this Raspberry Mousse Cake

Okay, so when scrolling through this section, it may look like there are a lot of images and words. This is a little more complicated than your average cake with the two different layers- one baked and one set.

But you'll soon see that each one is simple in its own right. I help you along with lots of visuals and tips.

*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*

Chocolate Sponge

STEP 1.Prepare your pan.Grease with butter the base and sides of your springform pan and line with parchment paper. The paper should overhang the top of the springform tin slightly as the level of the mousse comes up to the top of the pan(Image1). If you prefer not to line the sides of the pan with paper then read on and I'll give you a tip as to how to release the cake successfully.

STEP 2.Whip the eggs & sugar. Add the egg, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract into a bowl and, using an electric hand-held whisk (or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), whip for 4 minutes until they are pale and thick (Image 2).

STEP 3.Add the dry ingredients and fold through.Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt directly onto the egg yolk mixture into the bowl and mix at low speed until just a few flour streaks remain (Images 4 & 5).

STEP 4. Add in the melted chocolate. Before the flour is fully incorporated, pour in the melted chocolate and fold until combined and smooth (Images 6 & 7).

STEP 5. Pour batter into the baking pan and bake.Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Tap the pan firmly on the work surface a couple of times to release any air bubbles.Use an offset spatula if needed to smooth out the surface(Image 8).

Bakefor 15-20 minutes until the centre springs back.

Remove the pan from the oven place it on a wire rack and leave it to cool to room temperature (Image 9). Don't undo the springform pan sides. It is fine to cool in the pan. Then, cover and refrigerate until ready to use for the next part of the recipe.

• Note: The top of the sponge does look wrinkly. This is normal. It'll be covered by the mousse so we don't need to worry.
• Note: When the sponge is cooled to room temp, use the bottom of a glass or base of a measuring cup to push down the top of the sponge to make it flat. (It's not necessary for taste- it just helps create that even, neat layer when you slice into the cake.

Raspberry Mousse

STEP 6. Bloom gelatine. Add the lemon juice into a small bowl, and sprinkle the powdered gelatine over the top, and give it a mix with a fork. Let sit for a couple of minutes whilst the gelatin softens (Image 10). This essentially activates the gelatine so that it can then be gently heated and mixed into the mixture that it will set.

STEP 7. Blend raspberries. Add the raspberries into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (Image 11).

STEP 8. Pass the blended raspberries through a fine-mesh sieve set over a saucepan, pushing the puree through with the back of a spoon (Image 12). Note: In my image, I have placed the sieve over a glass bowl instead of a saucepan. I did this purely for the photos so that you could see how to sieve the puree. But save the washing up, and place it directly over the saucepan!

Make sure to scrape the puree off the underside of the sieve. Discard the raspberry seeds. You should have 300ml (1 ¼ cups) worth of raspberry pulp, depending on how juicy your raspberries are (Image 13). How unique is that colour!

STEP 9 . Heat and thicken raspberry puree. Place the saucepan with the raspberry puree onto a stovetop on medium-low heat and add the white sugar (Image 14). You want to stir it constantly and bring it to a gentle simmer until the sugar has dissolved. It doesn't take long.

Add in the gelatin mixture which will now look like a jellied lump (Image 15). Heat it gently and stir constantly until the gelatin dissolves. Whatever you do, don't let it boil, as this can inhibit the ability to set later on. You may need to squish the gelatin on the side of the saucepan to help it along.

Remove the pan from the heat and pass the raspberry puree one last time through a sieve set over a bowl to remove any remaining lumps of gelatin. (If you are confident that the gelatin has fully dissolved, then this step is optional.) Set the raspberry puree to one side to cool to room temperature. It takes about 20 minutes for this to happen (Image 16).

STEP 10. Whip cream and mix in raspberry puree. Whilst waiting for the puree to cool, whip the cream. In a separate bowl, using an electric hand-held mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or an electric stand mixer... or by hand for your daily arm workout!), whip the cream until soft peaks form (Image 17). (Refrigerate the cream if you are waiting for the puree to cool).

Mix in the puree by folding the puree into the cream in three parts (Image 18). Fold by scraping the bowl around the sides, scooping from under the cream, and lifting the spatula from under. Fold the two together until combined. The colour of the raspberry mousse is divine!

STEP 11. Set in prepared pan. Pour the raspberry mousse into the prepared springform pan and use an offset spatula to level off and smooth (Images 19 & 20). Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours minimum. I prefer and recommend leaving it overnight in the refrigerator. For this reason, it makes this a great make-ahead dessert!

🥣 How To Serve

STEP 12. Remove the cake from the pan and decorate. When ready to serve, remove the raspberry mousse cake from the fridge and carefully take off the springform pan side. Peel off the baking paper collar (Image 21).

NOTE: The baking paper wrinkled overnight. It wasn't my usual brand that I use and I think the lower quality paper was affected by the moisture in the cream and wrinkled up. Not to worry though. I just gently heated my offset spatula under hot water, wiped it dry, and ran it around the edges of the mousse. This smoothed it off in a jiffy (Image 22).

If you didn't line the sides of the springform pan at the start, then before releasing the clasp, run a butter knife around the inside of the pan. Then, release and neaten up the edges as I did in my note above if you have to.

Slide the baking paper with the cake on it off the springform pan base and onto a serving plate. It's time to decorate with fresh raspberries and chocolate shavings (Image 23) and then slice and serve.

And there you have it. My Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Cake tastes unbelievably delicious with all those sweet raspberries. It has just the right amount of decadence but is balanced with the fresh mousse. I divided this into 16 serving slices, but who am I kidding? It's very easy to enjoy two slices in one sitting!

See Also

Edible Brownie BatterCajun Blackened Tofu Sandwich with Sriracha ColeslawPistachio Cheesecake With Pistachio ToppingVegan Thai Quinoa Salad

💭 Recipe Pro Tips

1. Use the best quality ingredients that you can. This mousse cake hero's raspberries and they can't hide amidst others in the recipe. Get the juiciest, best-looking ones that you can.
2. Whip the eggs and sugar for long enough. You want to see that ribboning on the surface of the mixture when you pull out the whisk. You'll know it's done when you see this.
3. Scrape the base and sides of the bowl. Melted chocolate can sink to the bottom and stick, so scraping down the bowl halfway through mixing ensures it gets fully incorporated.
4. Fold the raspberry puree into the cream with a light touch. You want the cream to hold its shape, even mixed with the raspberry puree. The only way for this to happen is for the cream to keep the air trapped in it from whipping.
5. Don't scrimp on the refrigeration time. My 3 hours recommended time is the absolute minimum time for the mousse cake to set in the fridge. I highly recommend leaving it overnight.

📋Recipe FAQs

What's the difference between mousse and souffle?

Both derive from France originally. The main difference is that souffle is leavened primarily from egg whites and baked in the oven for them to rise. Mousse, on the other hand, is unbaked, and the airiness comes from either whipped egg whites, whipped cream, or whole whipped eggs.

Why did my mousse not set properly?

As this mousse has gelatine in the recipe to set the mousse, the root cause will be down to the ratio of liquid, the puree, to the setting agent, the gelatine. I urge you to weigh all your ingredients using digital scales so that you can get the most accurate amount required. If you measure out too many raspberries then this will create more liquid than recommended. Also, did you chill the mousse for the full 3 hours ... minimum? I recommend an overnight chill.

Can I make this dessert ahead?

Absolutely. It's a perfect make-ahead dessert as the setting time needed to set the mousse benefits from extra time in the fridge. Make this the day before entertaining. When you are ready to serve, it'll take five minutes to plate up from the fridge.

❄️ Storage and Freezer Instructions

To store:Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Cake can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It needs to be kept cold for the mousse to maintain its smooth texture. The cake can be kept in the springform pan and covered in the fridge until ready to serve. The raspberry fruit puree can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

To freeze:Yes! You can freeze this Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Cake! Tightly wrapped in plastic wrap followed by double layers of aluminium foil. Freeze for up to two months. When ready to enjoy, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight; do NOT attempt to heat it in any way.

🍫 More Chocolate Recipes

5 from 28 votes

Metric - US Customary

Chocolate sponge

• ▢ 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ▢ 55 g light brown sugar
• ▢ 65 g granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 65 g plain flour (all-purpose)
• ▢ 15 g cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon espresso powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 75 g Dark Chocolate 75%, melted

Raspberry Mousse

• ▢ 2¼ teaspoon powdered gelatine
• ▢ 45 ml fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 400 g fresh raspberries, Frozen raspberries can be substituted; see note.
• ▢ 100 g granulated sugar
• ▢ 480 ml double cream (heavy cream), cold

Decoration

• ▢ 125 g fresh raspberries
• ▢ 50 g Dark Chocolate shavings, shavings

Chocolate Sponge

• Prepare a pan and preheat the oven. Grease and line the base and sides of a 23cm (9-inch) springform pan. Preheat your ovento 180°C (350°F).

• Whip the eggs & sugar. Add the eggs, sugar, light brown sugar and vanilla extract into a medium-sized bowl. Using a hand-held electric whisk, whip on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and creamy, about 4 minutes. When lifting out the whisk, you want to see trails of the mixture for a few seconds.

• Add the dry ingredients and fold through. Sift into the egg bowl the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and espresso powder and add the salt. Mix at low speed until just a few flour streaks remain.

• Add the melted chocolate.Add the melted chocolate into the batter and fold through with a rubber spatula. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl as you fold until the ingredients are combined and smooth.

• Pour batter into baking pan and bake.Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Tap the pan firmly on the work surface a couple of times to release any air bubbles.Use an offset spatula if needed to smooth out the surface.

  Bakefor 15-20 minutes until the centre springs back.

  Remove from the oven and place pan on a wire rack and leave to cool to room temperature. The top of the sponge will look wrinkly. Use a flat based glass or the base of a measuring cup and press the top of the cake down to form a flat surface. Then cover and refrigerate until ready to use for the next part of the recipe.

Raspberry mousse

• Bloom gelatine. Add the lemon juice into a small bowl and sprinkle the powdered gelatine over the top and give it a mix with a fork. Let sit for a couple of minutes whilst the gelatin softens.

• Blend raspberries. Add the fresh raspberries into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

  Pass the blended raspberries through a fine-mesh sieve set over a saucepan, pushing the puree through with the back of a spoon. Make sure to scrape the puree off the underside of the sieve. Discard the raspberry seeds. You should have about 300 ml (1¼ cups of raspberry pulp).

• Heat and thicken raspberry puree. Place the saucepan with the raspberry puree onto a stovetop on medium-low heat, add the granulated sugar and bring the puree to a simmer, stirring often.

  Add in the gelatin mixture and heat gently (don't let it boil), stirring constantly until the gelatin dissolves. You may need to squish the gelatin on the side of the saucepan.

  Remove the pan from the heat and pass the raspberry puree one last time through a sieve set over a bowl to remove any remaining gelatin lumps. (This step is optional if you are confident that the gelatin has fully dissolved.) Set the raspberry puree to one side to cool to room temperature; this can take about 20 minutes.

• Whip Cream and mix in raspberry puree. In a separate bowl, using an electric hand-held mixer fitted with the whisk (or an electric stand mixer), whip the cream on medium to high speed until soft peaks form, and then slowly fold through the cooled puree in 3 parts until fully combined.

• Set in prepared pan. Pour the raspberry mousse into the prepared springform pan over the top of the chocolate sponge. Use an offset spatula to level off and smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours minimum, preferably overnight.

To serve

• Remove the cake from the pan and decorate. When ready to serve, remove the raspberry mousse cake from the fridge and carefully remove the springform pan sides. Peel off the baking paper collar and smooth the edges of the raspberry mousse with a warmed offset spatula if necessary.

  Slide the baking paper with the cake onto a serving plate and decorate with fresh raspberries and chocolate shavings.

  Slice raspberry mousse cake with a warm, dry, sharp knife into slices and serve immediately.

  See Also

  Fluffy Doughnuts Recipe (The Best Fried Doughnuts Recipe) | MerryBoosters

Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.

Update: The chocolate sponge recipe has been updated in July 2022 with a slightly easier method and tweaks on ingredient quantities.

To store: Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Cake can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It needs to be kept cold for the mousse to maintain its smooth texture. The cake can be kept in the springform pan and covered in the fridge until ready to serve. The raspberry fruit puree can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

To freeze: Yes! You can absolutely freeze this Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Cake! Tightly wrap in plastic wrap followed by double layers of aluminium foil. Freeze for up to two months. When ready to enjoy, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight; do NOT attempt to heat it in any way.

Raspberries:This recipe hero's raspberries, but when out of season they can be incredibly expensive to buy. For the raspberry mousse and coulis, you can use frozen raspberries instead. Thaw them in a colander allowing any moisture to drip away.

TIP 1: Use the best quality ingredients that you can. This mousse cake heros raspberries and they can't hide amidst others in the recipe. Get the juiciest, best-looking ones that you can.

TIP 2: Whip the yolks and sugar for long enough. You want to be able to see that ribboning on the surface of the mixture when you pull out the whisk. You'll know it's done when you see this.

TIP 3: Scrape the base and sides of the bowl. Melted chocolate can sink to the bottom and stick, so scraping down the bowl halfway through mixing ensures it gets fully incorporated.

TIP 4: Fold the raspberry puree into the cream with a light touch. You want the cream to hold its shape, even mixed with the raspberry puree. The only way for this to happen is for the cream to keep the air trapped in it from whipping.

TIP 5: Don't scrimp on the refrigeration time. My 3 hours recommended time is the absolute minimum time the mousse cake should be in the fridge to set. I highly recommend leaving it overnight.