Chocolate Mousse Filling

Chocolate Mousse Filling is the dreamiest way to fill a layer cake! With just four simple ingredients – chocolate, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla, you’ll have bakery-quality filling in about 20 minutes. Whether you’re filling cupcakes, frosting a cake, or spooning it into dessert glasses, this chocolate mousse is pure magic!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Only 4 Ingredients – Seriously! That’s all you need for this incredible filling
• No Gelatin Needed – Real chocolate contains cocoa butter, so it firms up naturally when chilled
• Light & Fluffy – Tastes like ganache got a breath of air (in the best way!)
• Versatile – Works as filling, frosting, or standalone dessert
• Stable – Holds up beautifully between cake layers without weeping

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Ingredient List

Main Ingredients:

• 200g (7 oz) semi-sweet chocolate (55-65% cocoa), chopped
• 1 cup (240ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt (optional, only if using unsalted chocolate)

Chocolate Note: I use semi-sweet chocolate between 55% and 65% cocoa. Anything darker gets too stiff when chilled, and anything lighter tastes flat!

Why These Ingredients Work

Let me break down why this simple ingredient list creates such perfect results:

Semi-Sweet Chocolate is the foundation! Real chocolate (not cocoa powder) contains cocoa butter, which naturally firms the mousse when chilled without needing gelatin or cornstarch. I always go for 55-65% cocoa – darker chocolate gets too stiff, and milk chocolate can feel too sweet and loose.

Heavy Whipping Cream provides all that airy, fluffy texture we love in mousse! The fat content in heavy cream (at least 36%) is crucial – lower fat creams won’t whip properly or hold structure. Make sure it’s ICE COLD straight from the fridge!

Powdered Sugar dissolves instantly into the cream (unlike granulated sugar) for a smooth, silky finish. It also stabilizes the whipped cream slightly. I use 2 tablespoons, but you can adjust based on your chocolate’s sweetness.

Vanilla Extract adds warmth and depth to the chocolate flavor. Just 1 teaspoon makes everything taste more complex and rich.

Salt (optional) is my secret weapon! If I’m using unsalted chocolate or want a more intense chocolate flavor, that tiny pinch of salt makes ALL the difference.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Heatproof Bowl – For melting chocolate (metal bowl works great!)
• Double Boiler or Microwave – For gentle melting
• Large Chilled Bowl – Metal bowls hold the chill better for whipping cream
• Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer – With whisk attachment
• Rubber Spatula – For gentle folding
• Sharp Knife – To chop chocolate evenly

How To Make Chocolate Mousse Filling

Step 1: Melt the Chocolate

Place your chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt it gently over a double boiler, stirring until completely smooth. (Alternative: microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between bursts.) Once melted, set it aside and let it cool to room temperature

Step 2: Whip the Cream

In a large chilled bowl, combine your cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip until soft peaks form.

Step 3: Combine Chocolate and Cream

This is where the magic happens! Once your melted chocolate has cooled to room temperature (but is still pourable), add one spoonful of whipped cream to the chocolate and stir gently to loosen its texture.

Now add the remaining whipped cream to the chocolate bowl in 2-3 additions. Using a rubber spatula, fold carefully to maintain all that beautiful volume you just whipped in. Work gently and patiently – aggressive mixing deflates the mousse! Keep folding until the mousse is smooth and evenly colored with no visible streaks.

Step 5: Chill to Set

For the best texture as a cake filling, transfer your mousse to a container and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. This firms it up just enough to spread without sinking into cake layers.

You Must Know

CRITICAL: The chocolate MUST be fully cooled to room temperature before you add the whipped cream! If it’s even slightly warm, it will melt the cream and cause everything to seize up into a grainy mess. Be patient with this step!

Soft Peaks Matter: Whip your cream to soft peaks, NOT stiff peaks. Soft peaks droop slightly when you lift the beater – that’s perfect! Stiff peaks will make your mousse dense instead of light and airy.

Personal Secret: I always clean my spatula between folds! It sounds picky, but getting those chocolate streaks off the spatula before going back in makes for a more evenly colored, professional-looking mousse.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Use a Metal Bowl for Whipping – It holds the cold better than glass or plastic
• Chop Chocolate Small & Even – Uneven chunks melt poorly and create lumps
• Test Chocolate Temperature – Touch the bottom of the bowl – it should feel cool, not warm
• Don’t Rush the Folding – Take your time to preserve those air bubbles!
• Taste Before Chilling – Some chocolates need an extra touch of sugar or salt

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Using warm chocolate (seizes the cream – game over!)
• Overwhipping the cream (grainy mousse)
• Stirring instead of folding (deflated mousse)
• Using chocolate that’s too dark (mousse too stiff and bitter)

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Want to customize your chocolate mousse? Try these delicious twists!

Mocha Mousse: Add 2 tablespoons of espresso powder to the melted chocolate. Stir until dissolved!

Milk Chocolate Mousse: Use 100g milk chocolate + 100g semi-sweet for a sweeter, softer version. Reduce cream to 3/4 cup.

Mint Chocolate: Add 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract with the vanilla. So refreshing!

Orange Chocolate: Add 1 teaspoon orange zest and 1/2 teaspoon orange extract.

Firmer Mousse Icing: Use only 200ml (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) cream instead of 240ml. Perfect for piping!

Make-Ahead Options

This mousse is fantastic for making ahead! Here’s your timeline:

Same Day: Make it in the morning, chill it, and use it to fill your cake that afternoon. The texture is perfect!

Up to 2 Days Ahead: Make the mousse, store it covered in the fridge, and use within 48 hours. After that, it starts to lose some smoothness.

Just Before Serving: If your mousse has been chilled overnight and feels too firm, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes and give it a gentle stir.

DON’T Freeze: Freezing changes the texture significantly – it becomes grainy when thawed. This is strictly a refrigerator dessert!

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

• Quality Chocolate Matters: Use chocolate you’d enjoy eating straight! The flavor comes through 100%.
• Check Your Cream: Make sure it’s “heavy whipping cream” or “heavy cream” (36%+ fat) – “whipping cream” is lower fat and won’t work as well.
• Temperature is Everything: Both the chocolate and cream temperatures matter. Cold cream + room-temp chocolate = success!
• Consistency Check: After chilling, the mousse should scoop smoothly and spread without drooping. If it’s too soft, chill longer. If it’s too stiff, let it warm slightly.

Serving Suggestions

This chocolate mousse is SO versatile! Here are my favorite ways to use it:

Cake Applications:

• Between chocolate or vanilla cake layers
• Inside cupcakes (pipe it in after baking!)
• As frosting for the outside of cakes
• Swirled on top of brownies
• Layered in trifles with cake cubes

Dessert Cups:

• Spoon into glasses for individual mousses
• Layer with whipped cream and cookie crumbs
• Top with fresh berries
• Garnish with chocolate shavings

Other Ideas:

• Fill tart shells for easy chocolate tarts
• Pipe into cream puffs or eclairs
• Spread between cookies for sandwich cookies

How to Store Your Chocolate Mousse

Room Temperature: Only during assembly – don’t leave out for more than 30 minutes

Refrigerator: Store covered in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

Freezer: Not recommended! The texture becomes grainy and separated when thawed.

If Too Firm: Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes and stir gently before using.

Allergy Information

Common Allergens:

• Contains dairy (heavy cream)
• Contains chocolate (check for soy lecithin if allergic)

Substitution Suggestions:

• Dairy-Free: Use coconut cream (the thick part from a chilled can) instead of dairy cream. Chill the can overnight, then scoop out the solid cream and whip. Results will be slightly different but still delicious!
• Less Sweet: Reduce powdered sugar to 1 tablespoon or skip it entirely if your chocolate is on the sweeter side
• Vegan: Use dairy-free chocolate and coconut cream

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet?

You can, but you’ll need to adjust! Use 3/4 cup cream instead of 1 cup, and increase the chilling time. Milk chocolate has less cocoa butter, so it stays softer and needs less liquid.

My mousse is grainy – what went wrong?

This usually happens when the chocolate was too warm when you added the cream, OR the cream was overwhipped. The chocolate should be room temperature (not warm!), and the cream should only reach soft peaks.

Can I make this mousse without a mixer?

Technically yes, but it’ll be a serious arm workout! You can whip the cream by hand with a whisk – it just takes about 5-7 minutes of vigorous whisking. Make sure your bowl and whisk are very cold!

How do I know when my mousse has chilled enough to use?

It should spread easily with an offset spatula but hold its shape without drooping or sinking. If you’re filling a cake, it should stay put between layers instead of squishing out the sides.

Can this be used as a frosting for the outside of a cake?

Absolutely! Chill it for about 45-60 minutes until it reaches a pipeable consistency. It’ll be soft enough to spread but firm enough to hold its shape on the outside of the cake!

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to know what you filled with this mousse!