OK, there are multiple steps to making this cake. But PLEASE don’t let that scare you away! NONE of the steps are complicated and this is the perfect make ahead dessert! I have made it a day or even 2 days in advance and it keeps wonderfully in the freezer!
In a way, I don’t want to call it a cake. The only ‘cake’ is in the joconde imprime that is wrapped around the cake to make it look super fancy. The chocolate paste is a breeze to whip up and you can use any stencil you can find at Michaels or other craft stores! You could also make stripes using a pastry comb or put the paste in a pastry bag and pipe on a design. If you aren’t the greatest artist, just print a design on paper and put the paper under the silicon mat or parchment paper so that you can trace the design underneath.
Inside that beautiful joconde sponge is a layer of rich and fudgey brownie layer topped by raspberry mousse (with or without fresh raspberries – up to you!), then topped by chocolate mousse, then topped with chocolate ganache!
Ummm, can you say decadent??
This cake is rich, and creamy, and fudgey, and heavenly!
Seriously – make this! And I promise to take more pictures in the future to show the process! I was going to take a picture of this once it was cut but it was gone before I knew it! Honestly, went to take a pic and it was GONE!!
Chocolate Raspberry Mouse Cake
Yield: Serves 10-16
There are multiple components to this cake but none of them are difficult! Plan ahead, make each component and then put them together. It does take about 5 to 6 hours to complete but most of that time is chilling time for the mousse. Make this a day or even two days before your event and store in the refrigerator. Prepare to knock the socks off your friends and family!
*Note: I use a scale to weigh my ingredients but I have provided US cup or tablespoon measurements in this recipe. I highly recommend a scale, though! So much easier and more precise! Scales are not expensive and you will love it once you start to use one!
**Additional note: I use an acetate sheet wrapped around the outside of this cake to ensure that nothing sticks to the pan. You can use parchment paper instead or do without either and you should be fine.
For the Brownie Base layer, use my recipe for Heavenly Brownies. Once baked, let cool completely. Once cool, place the bottom of the spring form pan on top of the brownies and cut out a circle with a knife. Remove the pan and trim about ¼ inch more off to ensure your brownies will fit inside the pan with the cake wrapped around it. Set the brownie layer aside.
For the Joconde Imprime (patterned cake wrapped around mousse)
For the decorative chocolate paste:
- 12 Tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (70g) icing sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 1/3 cup (40g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 5 ½ Tablespoons (40g) cocoa powder, sifted
For the joconde sponge
- 2 eggs whites, room temperature
- 2 ½ tsp (10g) granulated sugar
- 10 tablespoons (60g) ground almond flour
- Scant ½ cup (60g) icing sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 2 ½ tablespoons (20g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 ½ tablespoons (20g) unsalted butter, melted
- Acetate cake collar
- Grease a 13in x 9in swiss roll pan and line with baking parchment. Cut a sheet of silicon to fit the base of the Swiss roll pan or fold to fit – I used a 13×19 sheet, folded in half. If using a stencil, place stencil on top of silicon.
- Make the decorative paste by creaming the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy and then gradually add the egg white, beating continuously. Fold in the flour and cocoa powder until incorporated. Spread the paste thinly and evenly over the stencil/silicon mat with an offset spatula. If using a stencil, gently lift the stencil to review the pattern. If making stripes, drag a pastry comb or a fork diagonally through the paste to form a stripe pattern, scraping off the excess mixture off the pastry comb after each drag through the paste. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 15 mins.
- To make the joconde sponge, preheat the oven to 400F. Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Add the granulated sugar, one teaspoon at a time, whisking between each addition to make a glossy meringue. Cover with cling film and set aside.
- Whisk together the almond flour and icing sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and add the whole eggs. Whisk together for 3-5 minutes, or until doubled in volume. Fold in the flour, and then gently fold in the meringue in three separate batches. Pour the melted butter down the side of the bowl and fold in, just until incorporated.
- Remove the silicon sheet from the freezer and place into the base of the lined swiss roll pan. Tip the joconde sponge mixture over the paste design and level the surface with an offset spatula. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until pale, golden-brown and springy to touch.
- Place a sheet of baking parchment over a cooling rack and turn the cake out onto it. Peel off the baking parchment and silicon sheet from the base of the cake and leave to cool completely.
- When the sponge is cool, trim the edges and cut out stripes that are the same height as your spring form pan – my pan was 3” high. Wrap the sheet of acetate that was cut to fit your pan and line the pan. Wrap the cake strips inside the spring form pan, patterned side facing out. Gently push and press the ends to meet together to make a seamless You want the joconde to fit very tightly pressed up to the sides of the spring form pan.
- Once the cake is fitted tight around the sides, place the brownie layer in the bottom of the pan and press gently to ensure the brownie and the cake meet all the way around. We don’t want the mousse to leak out the bottom!
For the Raspberry Mousse:
- 2½ cups fresh raspberries
- 9 oz white chocolate, chopped finely
- 1½ cups heavy cream, divided
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
- 2 tbsp water
- Pink food coloring, optional
- Make a raspberry puree by blending 1 cup fresh raspberries in a blender or food processor. Pour them through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds, and measure out 1/2 cup raspberry puree.
- Combine the white chocolate, raspberry puree, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a large bowl, and let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Add a few drops of pink food coloring to boost the pink color, if desired.
- 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. When the chocolate is at room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and chocolate together.
- Whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the raspberry mixture, and once it’s incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. If desired, gently fold in up to 1 ½ cups fresh raspberries. Spread the mousse on top of the brownie, making sure that the layer is level. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to an hour for the mousse to set.
For the Chocolate Mousse:
- 9 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped finely
- 1¾ cups heavy cream, divided
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
- 2 tbsp water
- When the raspberry mousse has set, combine the chocolate, 3/4 cup of cream, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour it into a large bowl, and let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
- 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. When the chocolate is at room temperature, microwave the bowl of gelatin for 15 seconds, until it is melted. Whisk the melted gelatin and chocolate together.
- Whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream into the chocolate, and once incorporated, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Spread the mousse on top of the raspberry layer, and spread it into an even layer. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes,
For the Chocolate Ganache top layer:
- ¾ cup (200g) heavy cream
- 4 teaspoons (25 g) light corn syrup
- 8 ounces (227g) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- Heat the cream and light corn syrup in a small pan over medium heat until very hot but not boiling.
- Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Add about 1/3 of the hot cream mixture to the center of the bowl with the chocolate and stir the chocolate and cream in the center together until smooth. Add 1/3 more of the hot cream and stir more chocolate into the cream until smooth. Add the remaining hot cream and stir all of the chocolate and cream together until completely smooth.
- Let stand until cool. Once it is thickened and cooled to room temperature, pour on top of the chocolate mousse and spread evenly.
Decorate cake as desired but, trust me, it is perfect without anything on top!
Global Bakes 