This vanilla cake with chocolate mousse filling is a perfect cake for any celebration! The vanilla cake layers are filled with a chocolate mousse filling, and the cake is frosted with a whipped chocolate ganache, and decorated with sprinkles.
Jump straight to the recipe!
🍰A classic cake
A vanilla cake with chocolate frosting is such a classic pairing. I took that and thought of ways to update and make it more modern. I decided to do a chocolate moose filling, and I'm so glad I did! The mousse is so airy and chocolatey, and goes so well with the fluffy vanilla cake layers.
I chose a whipped chocolate ganache to frost the outsides of the cake. Whipping the ganache creates a light frosting that is easy to spread on the cake, and can be piped too. Finish with some sprinkles, or leave it plain.
For more layer cakes, try my Italian Lemon Cream Cake, Cherry Layer Cake, or my White Cake with Strawberry Filling.
🥘Ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Baking chocolate - I used milk chocolate for this recipe. Semi-sweet would work well too.
- Gelatin powder - Use unflavoured gelatin powder. It's usually found where the flavoured gelatin is in the store.
- Whole milk - 2% milk can be substituted.
🔪Instructions
Vanilla Cake
To make the cake layers, whisk all the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.
Alternate dry ingredients and milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Pour into two 9 inch cake pans that have been greased and lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350°F (180°C).
This cake can be made in 8 inch cake pans if you use a cake collar. This cake is layered in a 9 inch springform pan, so the cake layers need to be 9 inch too.
Chocolate Mousse
For the chocolate mousse, sprinkle gelatin over water and let it sit while you continue with the next steps. Place chocolate in a medium sized bowl.
Add ½ cup heavy whipping cream and sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer then remove from heat and add gelatin mixture. Stir until dissolved and pour over chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes, then whisk smooth.
Cool the moose to room temperature, stirring occasionally to speed up the cooling process. You can also put it in the freezer for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes so it cools evenly.
In a large bowl, whip the remaining 1 cup heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks. Whisk ⅓ of the whipped cream into the cooled mousse. Gently fold in the remaining until combined.
Line the springform pan with parchment paper. Place one cake layer in the bottom of the springform pan. Spread mousse overtop, then top with the second cake layer. Place plastic wrap overtop of cake and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
To make the ganache, place chocolate in a bowl. Heat heavy whipping cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and then pour over chocolate. Let it sit for 3 minutes, and then whisk until smooth.
Let the ganache cool before whipping. Either at room temperature, or you can put it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes so it cools evenly. Whip ganache until stiff peaks form.
Remove cake from the springform pan and place it on a cake decorating stand or plate. Spread whipped ganache on the top and the sides of the cake. Pipe decorations on top of the cake and scatter sprinkles on top. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
For more step-by-step photos, see the web story for this vanilla cake with chocolate moose filling!
✔️Expert tips
- You can use either milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate. I used milk chocolate in this recipe.
- Make sure you use unflavoured gelatin.
- I use whole milk when baking, but you could substitute with 2% milk if you want.
- Don't over mix cake batter. Mix until the ingredients are just incorporated and no more. Over mixing can cause a dense cake.
💭FAQs
The best way to store a cake with mousse in it is to cover it and store in the refrigerator. If left at room temperature, the mousse could get soft and may get runny.
A cake with mousse filling can sit out a room temperature for no more then 2 hours. If the inside temperature is cool, it could last up to 5 hours, but keep an eye on it.
Yes, mousse made with gelatin, which this one is, can be frozen nicely. Moose without gelatin will get ice crystals forming on it.
The moose will thaw faster than the cake though, which may cause the moose to be a bit runny.
Wrap the cake with plastic wrap and then wrap with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
🔖Related recipes
📋 Recipe
Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Mousse Filling
Equipment
- two 9 inch cake pans
- one 9 inch Springform pan
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
Chocolate Moose
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¾ teaspooon gelatin powder
- 6 ounces baking chocolate (milk or semi-sweet)
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream cold, divided
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- 8 ounces baking chocolate (milk or semi-sweet)
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter cold
- 2 tabelspoons sprinkles optional
Instructions
Vanilla Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line two 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper. We need to use 9 inch cake pans for this recipe because we are layering everything in a 9 inch springform pan. You can skip the springform pan and use a cake collar. If you use a cake collar, this cake can be made in 8 inch cake pans as well.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
- Alternate add the dry ingredients and milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of flour, 2 of milk). Mix until just combined and divide the batter equally into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs on it. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, and then remove cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
Chocolate Moose
- Add water to a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin on top. Let it sit while you move on to the next steps.
- Place chocolate in a medium sized bowl.
- Add ½ cup heavy whipping cream and sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer then remove from heat and add gelatin mixture. Stir until dissolved. Pour over chocolate and let sit for 3 minutes, then whisk smooth.
- Cool the moose to room temperature, stirring occasionally to speed up the cooling process.
- In a large bowl, whip the remaining 1 cup heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks. Whisk ⅓ of the whipped cream into the cooled moose. Gently fold in the remaining until combined.
- Line the springform pan with parchment paper. Allow the parchment paper to overhang a bit. This will help easily remove the cake later on.
- Place one cake layer in the bottom of the springform pan. Spread moose overtop, then top with the second cake layer. Place plastic wrap overtop of cake and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- Place chocolate in a medium bowl.
- Heat heavy whipping cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and then pour over chocolate. Let it sit for 3 minutes, and then whisk until smooth.
- Let the ganache cool before whipping. Either at room temperature, or you can put it in the freezer for 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes. Whip ganache until stiff peaks form.
- Remove cake from the springform pan and place it on a cake decorating stand or plate. Spread whipped ganache on the top and the sides of the cake. Pipe decorations on top of the cake and scatter sprinkles on top. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- You can use either milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate. I used milk chocolate in this recipe.
- Make sure you use unflavoured gelatin.
- I use whole milk when baking, but you could substitute with 2% milk if you want.
- Don't over mix cake batter. Mix until the ingredients are just incorporated and no more. Over mixing can cause a dense cake.
GY
MOUSSE?
Nina
Hi GY! Thanks for noticing 😄