Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

It’s just a week until Valentine’s Day! What are your plans?

If you’re anything like me, you might be working, going to the gym… and not doing a single romantic thing that day.

But! The best part of Valentine’s Day, whether you’re in a relationship or not, is that it’s the perfect excuse to make something decadent and delicious – even if you’re keeping it all to yourself!

So this week, I’ve got our top ten most amazing Valentine’s Day sweets. Make one, make ’em all, have a sweet day!

These pretty pink Valentiene’s cookies from Claire of The Simple Sweet Life will bring out the artist in you!

Love doughnuts but hate frying? Justine’s chocolate-glazed baked doughnuts, from her blog Cooking and Beer, are the perfect easy alternative!

These gorgeous chocolate rose cupcakes from Elizabeth of Sugar Hero!, are ever so romantic!

Stacie of Simply Stacie keeps it simple with store-bought cupcake toppers for her Valentine’s Day cupcakes.

If it’s decadence you’re looking for, Liz’s ‘La Vie en Rose’ chocolate cherry cake from her blog The Red Bistro fits the bill perfectly.

These cute Valentine’s Day mini cakes, that Elizabeth of Sugar Hero! made for the Oh! Nuts blog use store-bought wafers, so they’re super easy to put together!

These chocolate-covered strawberry hearts from Jen of Pink When are a fun take on a Valentine’s Day classic!

This gorgeous romantic Valentine’s Day cake from Giustina of Domestically Blissful is a beautiful edible take on the traditional heart-shaped box of chocolates.

Laurie’s chocolate champagne cupcakes, from her blog Frosting and a Smile, are perfect for any celebration!

And our number one most popular, most amazing, and most decadent Valentine’s Day sweet on Fridgg… is this chocolate raspberry mousse cake, also from Elizabeth of Sugar Hero!

I have never been so excited to have an excuse to make a recipe from Fridgg. I’ve drooled over her photos of this cake for years, but never thought I’d actually make it.

It’s even more perfect, because my mom is a huge (huge!) fan of anything chocolate-raspberry. So… guess who got most of the leftovers of this cake? 😉

Now, I know this recipe looks intimidating. Lots of ingredients, and a long, long list of directions.

But don’t be fooled! I actually found this recipe to be surprisingly easy to make. Most of the cook/prep time is actually just waiting for things to cool or chill, so you have plenty of time in-between layers to do whatever you please. And all three of the mousse layers are pretty similar, so once you’ve mastered one, the other two are a breeze.

And OH MY GOOD GOSH this cake is so amazingly delicious. You’d think it would be really rich and super heavy, and while yes it is a surprisingly heavy cake when you try to carry it around, when you eat it every bite is like eating a cloud. It’s sweet from the chocolate layers and tart from the raspberries, with a moist brownie base and a decadent ganache topping. Perfect for a Valentine’s Day party!

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

Recipe from Sugar Hero!.

Ingredients

Brownie cake:

• 4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 7 3/4 oz (1 cup + 2 tbsp) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 1/3 oz (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour
• 2 oz (2/3 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Chocolate mousse:

• 9 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream, divided
• a pinch of salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin (about 1 envelope)
• 2 tbsp water

Raspberry mousse:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
• 9 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
• a pinch of salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin (about 1 envelope)
• 2 tbsp water
• a few drops of pink food coloring, optional

Honey-vanilla mousse:

• 9 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 4 tbsp honey
• a pinch of salt
• 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin (about 1 envelope)
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (can substitute vanilla extract)

Ganache/decorations:

• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 oz heavy cream
• 1 pint fresh raspberries
• chocolate curls or other decorations

Cooking Directions

Brownie cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cube the butter and place it in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally as the butter melts. Add the sugar, and stir until well mixed-in. The mixture will be grainy. Do not allow the mixture to come to a boil.
3. Remove the pan from the heat, and let it cool to lukewarm. Once it has cooled, add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. As you add the eggs, the grainy sugar/butter mixture will become shiny and smooth. Whisk in the vanilla.
4. Stir in the remaining brownie ingredients.
5. Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 22-24 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool completely. (Your cake may come out pretty flat-looking, but do not be concerned! Mine didn’t rise at all, but that was perfectly fine and turned out totally delicious.)
6. Prepare either a 9-inch cake pan with a removable bottom, or a 9-inch springform pan. Line the inner wall of the pan with a 4-inch tall acetate cake collar or a 4-inch tall strip of aluminum foil or waxed paper. Make sure your lining is long enough so that it overlaps itself.
7. Once the brownie cake has completely cooled, carefully place the baked brownie cake in the bottom of the prepared pan.

Chocolate mousse:

1. To prepare the chocolate mousse layer, combine the chocolate, 3/4 cup of cream, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring very well every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. (If you overheat the mixture, the cream will break and the mixture will look lumpy and greasy – if this happens, don’t worry! Just proceed with the recipe – once you mix in the other ingredients it will come together and smooth out just fine.) Let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
2. While you wait for the chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and the cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. Make sure all the gelatin looks wet. When the chocolate has cooled to room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin into the chocolate mixture.
3. Whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate. Scrape the mousse on top of the brownie cake, and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 25 minutes, until the mouse has started to set and is firm enough that a second layer can be added.

Raspberry mousse:

1. For the raspberry mousse, make a quick puree by blending 1/2 cup fresh raspberries in a blender or food processor. Pour them through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds, and measure out 1/4 cup raspberry puree. (If you have extra puree, save it for another use.)
2. Combine the white chocolate, raspberry puree, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Very carefully microwave in 15-second increments, stirring very well every 15 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Be very very careful not to overheat the mixture, as white chocolate can easily scorch or burn if microwaved for too long (ask me how I know). Let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
3. While you wait for the white chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and the cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. Make sure all the gelatin looks wet. When the chocolate has cooled to room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin into the chocolate mixture.
4. Whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the white chocolate mixture. Add a few drops of pink food coloring for a more vibrantly pink color, if desired. Once the whipped cream and food coloring is mixed in, stir in the remaining 1 cup of fresh raspberries.
5. Pour the raspberry mousse on top of the chocolate mousse layer, and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 25 minutes, until the mouse has started to set.

Honey-vanilla mousse:

1. Finally, prepare the vanilla bean layer. Combine the white chocolate, 1/2 cup heavy cream, honey, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Very carefully microwave in 15-second increments, stirring very well every 15 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Be very very careful not to overheat the mixture, as white chocolate can easily scorch or burn if microwaved for too long. Let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
2. While you wait for the white chocolate mixture to cool, prepare the gelatin. Whisk together the gelatin and the cold water in a small bowl, and set it aside to let the gelatin absorb the water. Make sure all the gelatin looks wet. When the chocolate has cooled to room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin into the chocolate mixture.
3. Whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the white chocolate mixture. Stir in the vanilla bean paste.
4. Pour the honey-vanilla mousse on top of the raspberry mousse layer, and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate to set the mousse layers very well, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Ganache/toppings:

1. To finish the cake, push the bottom out from the pan, or unhinge the sides, and unwrap the acetate strip. Transfer the cake to your serving platter.
2. Make a quick chocolate ganache by putting the chopped chocolate in a small bowl and heating the cream to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and whisk gently until the chocolate melts and you have a smooth, shiny mixture.
3. Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, and use a spatula to nudge it right to the edge and over in evenly spaced drizzles. Don’t worry if the top is not smooth — it will be covered up! Add the fresh raspberries and chocolate curls on top of the cake. Refrigerate to set the ganache.
4. For the cleanest slices, cut the cake when it is well chilled. Use a large sharp knife, and wash it frequently between cuts. For the best taste and texture, allow the cake slices to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
5. Enjoy!
6. The Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake can be stored well-wrapped in the refrigerator for up to a week.