Raspberry Chocolate Cloud Cake

Prepare to be enchanted by a dessert that perfectly marries the rich intensity of chocolate with the bright, tangy sweetness of raspberries: the Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake. This isn’t just any cake; it’s a culinary masterpiece featuring an incredibly moist chocolate cake base, a feather-light raspberry mousse, and a decadent chocolate whipped cream topping. Designed to be approachable for home bakers, this recipe proves that you don’t need to be a pastry chef to create a show-stopping dessert that tastes as divine as it looks.

This cake offers a sublime balance of flavors and textures, making every bite a truly satisfying experience. The deeply flavored, moist chocolate cake provides a robust foundation, which is beautifully complemented by the delicate, fruity raspberry mousse. This mousse, crafted with vanilla pudding, freeze-dried raspberries, and whipped cream, is surprisingly easy to make and achieves a perfect airy consistency. To crown this symphony of flavors, a smooth chocolate whipped cream adds another layer of indulgence, ensuring a dessert that literally melts in your mouth. If you’ve enjoyed classic chocolate raspberry cakes, this mousse version elevates the experience with its lighter, fluffier profile, making it a truly unforgettable treat. We’re here to guide you through every step, with expert tips, tricks, and detailed process photos to ensure your baking success.

Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

Beyond its undeniable visual appeal, this Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake offers a multitude of reasons to become your new favorite dessert. It combines classic flavors in a sophisticated yet accessible way. Here’s why this recipe truly shines:

• Decadent Flavor Harmony: The timeless pairing of rich chocolate and tart raspberries is elevated to new heights. The deep cocoa notes are perfectly balanced by the vibrant, fresh taste of raspberries, creating a dessert that is neither too sweet nor too tart.
• Unforgettable Texture Contrast: Experience a delightful interplay of textures with every forkful. The moist, tender chocolate cake provides a satisfying chew, while the light-as-air raspberry mousse glides effortlessly, and the silky chocolate whipped cream adds a final touch of creamy bliss. This multi-textured experience makes it truly melt-in-your-mouth.
• Surprisingly Simple Mousse: Don’t be intimidated by the idea of making mousse! Our recipe utilizes a genius shortcut with vanilla pudding, making the raspberry mousse incredibly easy to prepare without compromising on that luxurious, airy quality. It’s a trick that saves time and guarantees success.
• Visually Stunning: With its distinct layers of dark chocolate cake, vibrant pink mousse, and elegant chocolate topping, this cake is a feast for the eyes. It’s the perfect centerpiece for any special occasion, from birthdays to holiday gatherings, or simply to impress your loved ones.
• Perfect for Any Occasion: While it looks and tastes gourmet, this cake is versatile enough for casual indulgence or grand celebrations. It’s a crowd-pleaser that appeals to all ages and palates.

Essential Tips for Baking a Perfect Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

Achieving a bakery-quality mousse cake at home is entirely possible with a few key insights. Follow these expert tips to ensure your Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake turns out absolutely perfect, with flawless layers and incredible flavor:

• Tip 1: Invest in a High-Quality Springform Pan. This is crucial for successful assembly and presentation. Cheaper springform pans often have larger gaps at the base, which can lead to leaks, especially with a liquid-y cake batter like ours. A good quality, tight-sealing springform pan will prevent any batter from escaping, ensuring your cake layer bakes perfectly without mess or waste. Ensure the latch mechanism is sturdy and reliable.
• Tip 2: Always Use Room Temperature Dairy Ingredients for the Cake. This tip cannot be stressed enough for cake baking. Cold ingredients, especially dairy like buttermilk, sour cream, and eggs, don’t emulsify properly with the other ingredients, particularly fats. When dairy is at room temperature, it mixes more evenly, creating a smoother, more uniform batter. This leads to a finer crumb structure and, ultimately, a much moister, more tender chocolate cake. Plan ahead and take these ingredients out of the refrigerator at least 1-2 hours before you start baking.
• Tip 3: Prepare Your Whipped Cream Before Mixing the Mousse Base. For the raspberry mousse, efficiency is key. Once you start mixing the vanilla pudding with the freeze-dried raspberries and milk, it will begin to thicken quite quickly. Having your heavy cream already whipped to stiff peaks beforehand means you can swiftly fold it into the pudding mixture, preserving its airy texture. This prevents the pudding from becoming too stiff to incorporate the whipped cream gently, which could result in a denser mousse.
• Tip 4: Fold the Whipped Cream Gently and Patiently into the Mousse. The raspberry pudding mixture, due to the ground freeze-dried raspberries, will be thicker than a standard pudding. When incorporating the delicate whipped cream, it’s essential to be patient and gentle. Use a rubber spatula and a folding technique (cutting through the middle, sweeping to the side, and lifting) to combine. This process may take a couple of minutes to ensure everything is thoroughly mixed without deflating the air from the whipped cream. Losing that air means your mousse won’t set as light and fluffy, impacting its signature melt-in-your-mouth texture. Gentle handling is the secret to a perfectly airy mousse.
• Tip 5: Proper Flour Measurement is Key. When measuring flour, always use the “spoon and level” method. Lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it’s overflowing, then level it off with the back of a knife. Never scoop flour directly from the bag, as this compacts it, leading to too much flour and a dry, dense cake. Better yet, use a kitchen scale for precise measurements.
• Tip 6: Don’t Overmix the Cake Batter. Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined and a smooth batter forms. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, resulting in a tough, chewy cake rather than a tender, moist one. A few small lumps are acceptable.

Assembling Your Masterpiece: The Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

Once your cake layers are cooled and your mousse is ready, the assembly is where the magic truly comes together. Follow these steps for a beautiful, perfectly layered cake:

We’d love to hear your thoughts! If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave astar review below. Share your creations on Instagram and tag us @stephaniesweettreats. For more baking inspiration, be sure to follow us on Pinterest.

Recipe Video Guide

For a visual walkthrough of each step, watch our detailed recipe video. It’s an excellent resource to see the techniques in action and ensure your cake comes out perfectly.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (based on 1 review)

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

By Stephanie Rutherford

This exquisite chocolate raspberry mousse cake is a delightful blend of a moist chocolate cake, a light and airy raspberry mousse, and a silky chocolate whipped cream topping. The mousse is made with an easy vanilla pudding base combined with vibrant freeze-dried raspberries and whipped cream.

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Prep Time: 1 hr

Cook Time: 32 mins

Chilling Time: 6 hrs

Total Time: 7 hrs 32 mins

Servings: 16 slices

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake

• 1 cup All-purpose flour
• 2 TBSP Cornstarch
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch process recommended for deep color)
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Oil (canola or vegetable oil)
• 1/2 cup White granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup Brown sugar (packed, light or dark)
• 2 Large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp White vinegar
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk (room temperature)
• 1/3 cup Sour cream (room temperature, or Greek yogurt)
• 1/2 cup Hot water (steaming)

For the Raspberry Mousse

• 3.4 oz Vanilla pudding mix (one box)
• 1 cup Cold milk
• 1/3 cup Ground freeze-dried raspberries (from a 1 oz bag)
• 2 cups Heavy cream
• 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Whipped Cream

• 1 cup Heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Powdered sugar
• 2 TBSP Unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Making the Chocolate Cake Layer

1. Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175°C). Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray. Line the bottom with a parchment paper circle and spray it again.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
3. In a separate large bowl, combine the oil, white granulated sugar, brown sugar, large eggs, pure vanilla extract, white vinegar, buttermilk, and sour cream. Whisk until well blended.
4. Slowly whisk in the hot water until fully incorporated into the wet ingredients. Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a smooth batter forms. Be careful not to overmix.
5. Pour the prepared chocolate cake batter into the springform pan. Bake for 30-37 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Allow the cake to cool in the hot pan for 10 minutes before carefully transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Ensure the cake is entirely cool before proceeding to the mousse step.

Preparing the Raspberry Mousse

1. Once the cake is cooled, clean your springform pan thoroughly. Spray it again with baking spray. Place a new parchment paper circle on the bottom. To create a collar for the mousse, cut a 9×16-inch sheet of parchment paper in half lengthwise. Place both halves around the inside perimeter of the pan, overlapping slightly to form a taller edge. You may need to trim the top if it extends too far. Spray the parchment paper collar again. (Refer to the process photos in the post for a visual guide).
2. In a chilled metal bowl using a whisk attachment (or a hand mixer), beat the heavy cream and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator.
3. In a separate bowl, using a mixer, beat the vanilla pudding mix and cold milk on high speed for 1 minute. Add the grounded freeze-dried raspberries and mix on high until fully combined. This mixture will become very thick.
4. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Gently fold in the prepared whipped cream using a baking rubber spatula. This step requires patience due to the thick raspberry mixture. Continue to fold gently until all the whipped cream is thoroughly incorporated and the mousse is light and uniform.
5. Using a serrated knife, carefully level the chocolate cake by cutting off any domed top. Place the leveled cake layer back into the prepared springform pan.
6. Pour the raspberry mousse over the cake layer in the springform pan. Use an offset icing spatula to spread the mousse evenly across the top, creating a smooth, flat surface.
7. Cover the cake and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or ideally, overnight. This chilling time is essential for the mousse to set properly. A cake carrier works well for chilling.

Finishing with Chocolate Whipped Cream

1. In a clean, chilled metal bowl with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract on high speed until medium peaks form.
2. Once the cake has fully chilled and the mousse is set, carefully remove the springform pan ring and gently peel away the parchment paper collar.
3. Spread the chocolate whipped cream over the top of the set raspberry mousse. For an elegant finish, consider garnishing with fresh raspberries and a sprinkle of chocolate pearls or shavings.

Baker’s Notes

Flour Measurement: Always spoon and level your flour, or use a kitchen scale for the most accurate results. Compacted flour can lead to a dry cake.

High Altitude Baking: If you are baking at high altitude, consider adding an extra 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour to the cake batter.

Room Temperature Dairy: For the best cake texture, remember to pull out all dairy ingredients at least 2 hours before you plan to start baking.

Freeze-Dried Raspberries: Ensure your freeze-dried raspberries are finely ground to a powder consistency for a smooth mousse. A food processor or blender works best for this.

Nutrition Information

(Per serving, approximate)

• Calories: 321kcal
• Carbohydrates: 24g
• Protein: 4g
• Fat: 25g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g
• Monounsaturated Fat: 9g
• Trans Fat: 0.03g
• Cholesterol: 56mg
• Sodium: 163mg
• Potassium: 148mg
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 13g
• Vitamin A: 723IU
• Vitamin C: 0.3mg
• Calcium: 86mg
• Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer: Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.

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