Well, the Best Chocolate Cake is a hit. Let’s take it to the next level, if that is even possible, with Minette’s Chocolate Mousse Cake. Using two layers of the Best Chocolate Cake, Mascarpone mousse, strawberries, and ganache, you can create a dessert cake that your guests will fawn over.

You can never go wrong add a bit of berry to chocolate. It is the perfect mix of tart and chocolate. Strawberries are in season and you know I can’t help myself when I go to my favorite fruit stand, Davis Produce. The thick layer of mascarpone mousse lightens up the chocolate and pairs lovely with fruit. Sliced strawberries and shiny ganache take this cake from beautiful to decadent.

Minette’s Chocolate Mousse Cake

---

• Author: Minette Rushing

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

1. Two cake layers of the Best Chocolate Cake
2. One recipe of Mascarpone mousse
3. Quart of fresh strawberries
4. One recipe of Shiny chocolate ganache
5. Clear cake collar, 4” tall cake collar (acetate)

---

Instructions

1. Rinse, dry, and dice fresh strawberries. Place a dry paper towel over berries to absorb moisture.  Save 3-5 berries to garnish the finished cake.
2. Place one of the Best Cake cake layer on a cardboard cake round.
3. Fill the Best Cake layer with 1½ “of mascarpone mousse.  
4. Cover mousse with diced strawberries.
5. Add another 1½” of mousse on top of strawberries.
6. Place Best Chocolate cake layer on top of mousse.  Using a spatula, smooth the sides of the mouse cake making sure there are no gaps.  If you find gaps, fill with mousse using the spatula.
7. Place clear cake collar around the cake until it is snug and secure.
8. Place saran wrap over the top of the cake to prevent drying out.
9. Chill in refrigerator overnight or for at least 4 hours.
10. Remove mousse cake from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap and collar.  Place cake over a cooling rack that is resting in a sheet pan or cookie pan.
11. Next, glaze the mousse cake with ganache.  If you made the ganache ahead of time and it is cold or too stiff to pour, warm in the microwave at 15-second intervals, stirring after each, until desired consistency is reached. The ganache should be pourable but have some thickness to it.  Use a bent angle spatula to smooth the ganache on the top of the cake and on the sides. Garnish top of cake with fresh strawberries. Return to refrigerator. Keep Mousse Cake refrigerated.

Shiny Ganache

---

• Author: Minette Rushing

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This semi-sweet ganache is not only scrumptious but beautiful as well.  I use it as a glaze for Minette’s Chocolate Mousse Cake and other desserts that require a chocolate glaze. I love that it stays shiny, even on a cold cake.  

 

---

Ingredients

---

Instructions

 

1. Chop chocolate into pieces and place into a large mixing bowl. This step can be skipped if you are using chocolate callets or chocolate chips. Add corn syrup and set aside.
2. In a heavy-duty pan, heat cream to the boiling point.
3. Pour hot cream over chocolate.  Cover with foil for 3 minutes.
4. Remove foil cover and using a silicone spatula, gently stir until all the chocolate has melted.  Allow to cool.
5. If not using right away, cover with foil and refrigerate. Can be refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for 3 months.

Notes

• This recipe is not suitable for milk chocolate or white chocolate.
• Use the best quality chocolate you can find.  It will yield the best tasting ganache.
• Use Heavy cream, no substitutions.
• If making the ganache ahead of time, remove from refrigerator, and microwave using 15-second intervals, stirring in between until it is of pourable consistency.