Bourbon Chocolate Mousse Cake

This 3-layer Bourbon Chocolate Mousse Cake is sure to satisfy any chocoholic in your life! Grab a slice for dessert tonight!

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If you love chocolate, then this cake is for you! This Bourbon Chocolate Mousse Cake features a flourless chocolate cake topped with a layer of bourbon chocolate mousse…and then topped with chocolate ganache. The bourbon whiskey flavor is noticeable, but it doesn’t overtake the decadent chocolate flavor.

As I’ve mentioned on several occasions, Laura and I have really gotten into collecting American whiskeys. We love bourbons. We like ryes. Collecting unique and fun bottles has become a hobby, and we’ve even built a room in our basement for our collection.

The other day, I decided to start playing around with using whiskey in recipes. I’ve used whiskey in a few recipes over the years – this Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie is always a hit during the holiday season. It had been a while since I baked with bourbon, and I was craving something chocolate and decadent. That’s when I landed on the chocolate mousse cake.

I made a 4-layer Black Tie Mousse Cake a couple of years ago, and it was a huge hit. It was intense, but in a good way. I used that recipe as a launching point for this bourbon version. All together, this Bourbon Chocolate Mousse Cake came out quite well. It takes a bit of time to make things to the layers needing to chill, but the effort is worth it!

Bourbon Chocolate Mousse Cake

Chocolate lovers rejoice! This cake includes 2 pounds – yes, 2 pounds – of chocolate. It starts with a layer of classic flourless chocolate cake. Next comes the light and creamy mousse – that’s where the bourbon comes in. And finally the whole thing is covered with chocolate ganache.

I could eat each of the 3 layers of this cake by itself – well, maybe not the ganache. That might be a bit intense to just eat spoonfuls of chocolate ganache! But when all 3 of those layers get combined into this cake? Watch out! Delicious chocolate heaven awaits.

What type of whiskey should you use for baking?

The answer to this question depends on what you like to drink. There is a saying that you should only cook with wine that you’d be willing to drink. The same rule applies here. If you wouldn’t want to drink the whiskey, then don’t use it for baking.

For this Bourbon Chocolate Mousse Cake, I recommend something middle of the road. Don’t reach for that rare bottle of bourbon – save it for sipping! In the same vein, don’t reach for the cheap bottles on the bottom shelf either. Maker’s Mark, Jack Daniels or Jim Beam are all solid choices. If you want to have a bit of fun, then pick up something unique. Old Elk and Penelope are distilleries that make fantastic whiskeys.

I used a “standard” 90 proof bourbon for this cake. It had a noticeable whiskey flavor, but it was not overpowering at all. The chocolate was still the shining star. If you are looking for a bit more whiskey flavor, don’t just add more bourbon – that’ll mess with the texture of the mousse. Instead, reach for a higher proof bottle. A cask strength option in the 110-120 proof range would be a good choice.

What other alcohol can be used for baking.

Don’t like whiskey? No problem! Amaretto, Bailey’s, rum or even champagne would all be fun options here. If you opt for champagne, I would recommend omitting the water and using 5 Tbsp of champagne instead. Champagne is a bit lighter in flavor, and that’ll help the champagne flavor stand up to the chocolate.

For a non-alcoholic version of this cake, just omit the liquor entirely and use 5 tablespoons of hot water in the mousse.

If you’re looking for a chocolate dessert that is sure to impress, then put this one on the list! This cake is decadent in a good way, and a thin slice is sure to satisfy any chocoholic’s craving. Happy baking!

Did you make this Bourbon Chocolate Mousse Cake at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Bourbon Chocolate Mousse Cake

This 3-layer Bourbon Chocolate Mousse Cake is sure to satisfy any chocoholic in your life! Grab a slice for dessert tonight!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 5 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 514kcal

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Ingredients

For the Cake

• 6 oz. semisweet chocolate chopped
• 4 oz. ½ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

For the Bourbon Chocolate Mousse

• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp hot water
• 3 Tbsp bourbon whiskey
• 8 oz. milk chocolate chopped
• 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup confectioner's sugar

For the Ganache

• 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 18 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chopped

Instructions

For the Cake

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Line bottom of an 8”x3” springform pan with parchment paper; grease sides and bottom of pan. Set pan aside.
• Using a double boiler or a heatproof bowl over a gently simmering saucepan of water, add chocolate and butter. Heat, stirring occasionally, until fully melted.
• Remove bowl from heat and add sugar; whisk until just combined.
• Add eggs and vanilla extract; whisk until just combined.
• Add cocoa powder and whisk until just combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. Set cake aside to cool completely (~1 hour), but do not release springform pan.

For the Bourbon Chocolate Mousse

• Using a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, hot water and bourbon whiskey; set bowl aside.
• Using a double boiler or a heatproof bowl over a gently simmering saucepan of water, add chocolate. Heat, stirring occasionally, until fully melted. Remove chocolate from heat and stir in the cocoa powder mixture. Set aside and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using a stand mixer or hand mixer and a large bowl, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar together until stiff peaks form.
• Gently stir ⅓ of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Using a spatula, fold in the remaining whipped cream.
• Using an offset spatula, spread mixture evenly into the pan (on top of cake layer). Tap pan firmly on counter several times to remove any air bubbles. Place pan in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

For the Ganache

• Using a large saucepan, add heavy whipping cream and butter; place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. (Note: the cream will expand quite a bit once heated so use a large saucepan!)
• Place the chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl.
• Once boiling, pour the cream mixture into the bowl with the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth.
• Place 1 cup of ganache in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Let remaining ganache cool to room temperature.
• Remove cake from springform pan and place on a large serving plate. Spread room temperature ganache on top and sides of cake.
• Transfer the chilled ganache into a piping bag fitted with a small star tip. Pipe stars around outer edge of cake.
• Refrigerate cake for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving.
• Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.

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