Gordon Ramsay Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

Layers of moist chocolate cake with a light, silky chocolate mousse in between, topped with whipped cream. The soft cake and airy mousse give it a refined texture without any advanced pastry skills, and most of the work can be done the day before. Chocolate mousse is a dessert Gordon Ramsay often makes; this cake is my celebration-sized version of that idea. The full quantities are in the recipe card below.

Making the mousse light

The mousse is melted chocolate folded into whipped cream, so the whole trick is keeping the air in.

• Cool the chocolate first. If it’s hot when it meets the cream, the cream melts and the mousse goes flat and dense. It should feel just warm to the touch.
• Whip the cream to soft peaks only. Stiff cream is hard to fold in and makes a grainy mousse.
• Fold gently. Stir in a spoonful of cream to loosen the chocolate, then fold in the rest with a spatula, cutting down through the middle and turning the bowl, until no streaks remain.
• Use good chocolate. 60–70% cocoa gives the best depth. Milk chocolate makes a milder mousse; darker chocolate makes it more intense.

For neat slices

Without gelatin the mousse is softer and more spoonable. For a cake that slices cleanly, especially in a warm kitchen, dissolve 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin in 2 tablespoons of cold water, warm it until clear, and stir it into the melted chocolate before folding in the cream. Either way, chill the assembled cake overnight so the mousse sets fully.

Pan and ingredient notes

• Pan: a 9-inch springform pan or two 8–9-inch round pans. Keep the layers even, and adjust the baking time slightly for thinner or thicker layers.
• Cream: use fresh heavy cream. Whipped topping works in a pinch, but it’s sweeter and sets differently.
• Gluten-free: use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend plus 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum in the cake.

Recipes

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Moist chocolate cake layers sandwiched with silky chocolate mousse and finished with whipped cream for an elegant, make-ahead dessert.

Chef Gordon Ramsay Recipes

Prep
30 minutes

Cook
25 minutes

Total
4 hours (includes chilling)

Serves
10 servings

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Ingredients

1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour, sifted3/4 cup (65 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar1 1/2 tsp baking powder1 1/2 tsp baking soda1 tsp salt2 large eggs, room temperature1 cup (240 ml) whole milk1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil2 tsp vanilla extract1 cup (240 ml) hot brewed coffee12 oz (340 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream, divided (1 1/2 cups for mousse, 1/2 cup for garnish)2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, room temperature2 tbsp granulated sugar (optional, for mousse)1 tsp unflavored gelatin + 2 tbsp cold water (optional for stability)Whipped cream for decorating

Instructions

01

Preheat oven

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans with parchment; set aside.

02

Mix dry ingredients

In a large bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.

03

Whisk wet ingredients

In a separate bowl whisk eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth and slightly frothy.

04

Combine batter

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined, then stir in the hot coffee until the batter is smooth and thin.

05

Bake layers

Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake 22–28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs; cool 10 minutes in pans, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

06

Melt chocolate

Place chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and melt over a double boiler or in short microwave bursts, stirring until glossy and smooth; allow to cool slightly.

07

Whip cream

Whip 1 1/2 cups heavy cream with sugar to soft peaks, keeping the cream cold and using chilled equipment for best volume.

08

Fold mousse

If using gelatin, bloom and gently warm it then stir into cooled chocolate. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the melted chocolate to lighten, then gently fold in the remaining cream until uniform and airy.

09

Assemble and chill

Place one cake layer, spread half the mousse evenly, top with second layer, spread remaining mousse, garnish with whipped cream and refrigerate at least 3 hours to set firmly.

Chef Tips

• Let melted chocolate cool slightly before folding into cream to keep mousse airy.
• Chill pans and bowls before whipping cream for better volume.
• Use equal-sized cake pans and divide batter by weight for even layers.

Variations

• Mocha: add 1–2 tablespoons of instant espresso to the hot coffee in the cake batter.
• Fruity: spread a thin layer of raspberry jam or sliced strawberries between the cake and mousse.
• No-bake: press crushed cookie crumbs into the pan instead of baking cake layers, then pour over the mousse and chill.

Making it ahead

Bake the cake layers 1–2 days ahead and keep them wrapped at room temperature. Assemble the cake up to 24 hours before serving and chill it. It keeps for 3 days in the fridge. It also freezes for up to a month, well wrapped; thaw it in the fridge and pipe on the whipped cream just before serving. Don’t leave it out for long in warm weather, or the mousse will soften.

For more chocolate desserts, try my Chocolate Lava Cake, the Brownie Sundae or the Marble Cake with Chocolate Ganache.