Baked Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

By
Yvonne Ruperti
A photo of Yvonne Ruperti, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and cookbook author. She is also an adjust professor of baking at the Culinary Institute of America in Singapore.
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Updated May 15, 2019
. Yvonne Ruperti

This flourless chocolate souffle cake is so creamy-chocolatey, it's practically a mousse in cake form.

Notes: When served at room temperature, the texture of this cake is soft and creamy. Served chilled, the texture is more firm. Use a hot, wet, knife to cut slices of cake. Be sure to use a high quality bittersweet chocolate here.

Recipe Details

Baked Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 5 hrs
Serves 10 to 12 servings
Makes 1 cake

Ingredients

  • Cocoa to dust pan and over top of cake

  • 14 tablespoons (7 ounces) unsalted butter

  • 16 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

  • 10 large eggs, separated

  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

  • 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan and dust with cocoa. Set pan on baking sheet.

  2. Place butter, chocolate, and salt in very large heatproof bowl. Heat over saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

  3. In mixer fitted with whip attachment, beat whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed to medium-high and continue to beat until whites have turned opaque. While whites are beating, slowly add 2 tablespoons sugar and continue to beat to stiff but not dry peak. Transfer beaten whites to a bowl.

  4. Using same unwashed mixing bowl and whip, beat yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar on medium-high speed until light lemon color, 3 to 5 minutes.

  5. Gently whisk yolks into chocolate mixture until combined (trying not to deflate yolks). Gently fold whites into chocolate mixture in three batches, until just combined and no streaks of white remain.

  6. Pour batter into pan and bake until cake is puffed, edges feel set, center is jiggly set, and temperature in center reads 150°F, about 40 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool 1 hour. Chill until set, about 3 hours. Run knife along inside edge of pan to release cake. Let cake come to almost room temperature before serving, about 30 minutes (see note).

Special equipment

9-inch springform pan

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
465Calories
37gFat
22gCarbs
11gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories465
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 37g48%
Saturated Fat 22g109%
Cholesterol 191mg64%
Sodium 91mg4%
Total Carbohydrate 22g8%
Dietary Fiber 6g23%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 66mg5%
Iron 8mg42%
Potassium 386mg8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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